Ever feel the urge to fix your child’s bad grade or shut down sibling fights as fast as possible? What if those exact moments are actually God-given opportunities to disciple your kids not just in how they behave, but in how they think?
In this episode of the Positive Legacy Podcast for Christian Fathers, Dan Hayden explores how to raise sage-minded kids—children who learn to see challenges as opportunities for growth and faith rather than failure. Drawing from Positive Intelligence (PQ), Scripture, and real-life parenting stories, Dan contrasts reactive parenting with Sage coaching and shares practical, age-appropriate questions dads can use to help their kids look for the good God may be hiding inside hard moments like bad grades and sibling conflict.
This episode equips Christian dads to disciple their children in everyday life, teaching resilience, emotional regulation, empathy, and faith that holds steady even when things don’t go their way.
00:00 – Why your child’s meltdowns are discipleship opportunities
01:30 – Rescue vs. Sage coaching: two common dad responses
04:10 – How fixing and minimizing reinforce saboteur thinking
06:30 – Simple Sage questions every dad can use
08:15 – Real story: responding to a bad grade with truth and grace
14:20 – Using empathy to activate your child’s Sage brain
17:30 – From failure to growth: building an action plan
20:00 – Sibling fights: old patterns vs. Sage-led parenting
24:10 – Teaching empathy during conflict
27:15 – Finding the “gift” inside a fight
30:10 – Dinner-table practice for everyday discipleship
33:00 – A simple challenge for this week
38:00 – Free webinar + next steps for dads
“Your kids are learning from you not just how to behave, but how to see. Every time you pause instead of react and ask, ‘Where might the good be hiding in this?’ you’re shaping how they’ll face the rest of their lives.”
Becoming a Calm & Steady Leader at Home and Work
👉 Register Here: Webinar Registration
Your 12-month coaching program for Christian fathers who want deep inner change and strong relational leadership.
→ https://findyourazimuthcoaching.com/legacy-academy
If this episode served you:
Connect with Dan
📧 Email: coachdan@fya-coaching.com
📸 Instagram: @fya.coaching
📘 Facebook: @fya-coaching
💼 LinkedIn: Daniel A. Hayden
🎥 YouTube: @FindYourAzimuth
