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small problem or BIG PROBLEM?!
One question mellowed out the entire family
It started as an attempt to help my toddler manage his emotions better (so serving him the blue spoon instead of the green spoon wouldn’t lead to super volcano eruptions) But then something even better happened…
1️⃣ For Me (Improve Yourself)
📝 Write a Weekly Goal List
This ain’t about crushing 100 things. It’s about clarity & direction.
Try this every Sunday night or Monday morning:
Write down 1 thing for your body
1 for your brain
1 for your family
1 just for fun
Keep it simple. Think: “Workout twice,” “Call my brother,” “Plan a game night,” “Read for 10 mins.”
Goals aren’t about pressure—they’re about purpose. And when you’re clear on yours? Everyone around you levels up, too.
2️⃣ For ‘We’ (Improve your relationship)
Revisit Your First Date Story
You don’t need an anniversary or fancy dinner to rekindle the spark. Just take a moment and remember how it started.
Ask your partner:
“What do you remember most about our first date?”
“What made you say yes to me?”
“Do you remember what we laughed about back then?”
Nostalgia = emotional glue.
When you look back together, you move forward stronger.
Bonus points if you recreate a part of it: the same meal, a throwback playlist, or reenacting that hilarious scene you both witnessed.
3️⃣ For ‘WEEEEEEE!’ (Improve your relationship with the kids)
✅ Have a “Yes” Day (within reason)
When something upsets them, ask “Is this a small problem or a big problem?”. It’s a powerful shift that removes them from the intensity inside them, and gives an instant birds eye view of the situation.
Depending on the maturity level of your kids, you’ll want to choose the next move well:
Mature/older: Just accept that they “feel” how they feel and be there to support them (think less correcting, more accepting)
Less mature/younger: Acknowledge they “feel” like it’s a big problem, but guide them into seeing how “we can fix this, so is this really a big problem?”
Let your kid lead. Watch their ability to not only regulate their response to things but also improve their problem solving and reconciliation skills grow.
Bonus points on this one, small-prob-big-prob has been working on me as well. I’ve started to keep my cool better, longer, and when I do get heated, I’m able to find my peace faster by asking the same question internally.
🔥 This Week’s Dad Quote:
"To the world you are a dad. To your family you are the world."
—Unknown
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✅ TL;DR Summary – Take Action Fast
📝 Write a weekly goal list every Sunday or Monday
💬 Revisit your first date or wedding story with your partner
❓ Ask “Small problem or big problem?”
—
Anthony
Founder, Dynamic Daddy’s “Better Dad Bulletin”