Ep 21: What Boarding School Taught Me About Being a Better Father
About this episode
Tony Cooper interviews Steven Fielding about the lessons learned from boarding school and how they apply to fatherhood.
What does a British boarding school, a bucket of talcum powder, and men's work have to do with becoming a great dad? Tony sits down with Steven Fielding — father of two teenage sons, men's work facilitator, and someone who has done the deep interior work to understand how his past shaped his parenting. Steven opens up about growing up with an absent father, being sent to boarding school at 10, navigating divorce while keeping his boys at the center, and why intentional fatherhood starts long before your first child arrives. Key Takeaways: Early hands-on involvement — diapering, feeding, swaddling — pays real dividends in your relationship with your kids years later The psychological imprint of childhood separation, including "boarding school syndrome," can follow men well into adulthood Teenage boys need a father who is stepping back strategically, not battling them — your job shifts from protecting to supporting It's never too late to take responsibility and apologize to your kids for moments you could have handled better Co-regulation and nervous system awareness are practical parenting tools, not just therapy concepts Men's work and brotherhood aren't just personal development…
People in this episode
Host: Tony Cooper
Guest: Steven Fielding
Topics covered
- fatherhood
- boarding school
- parenting
- men's work
- divorce
- intentional parenting
Keywords
- fatherhood
- boarding school syndrome
- intentional fatherhood
- teenage boys
- co-regulation
- nervous system awareness
- divorce
- parenting tools
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: British boarding school
More episodes of The Dad Manual
- Ep 23: Before the Birth: A Surgeon Prepares to Become a Father
- Ep 22: From Lemonade Stands to MBA: A Father's Guide to Raising Lions
- Ep 20: How a Tough Childhood Built a Better Dad with Daniel Ramsey
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