The Progress Report: Week of Apr 07-Apr 12
Looking back to move forward—our Sunday reflection. And some Big News.
Happy Sunday, Progressors!
(That’s you—the one who opened this email or clicked the link. You showed up, and in doing so, you became a Progressor.)
It’s been a big week for this little newsletter. Paternal Progress debuted at #28 on Substack’s “Rising” list in Parenting, and for the first time, a post crossed 100 views—now approaching 350 as of this writing. It's a small number, but I’m stunned. I’m grateful. It wouldn't have been possible without you.
Let’s take a look at the week in full.
(Before you go, check out some big news about upcoming content below.)
This Week's Posts
A roundup of everything published to the site in the past week
My Work
Monday
Wednesday
Friday
This week, I tried a new experiment: cross-posting great writing from some of my favorite fellow Substack parenting writers. Thanks to everyone who gave permission for me to share their work on Paternal Progress. I think the experiment went well, and I’ll likely continue it.
Shared From Others
Tuesday
The Childcare Crisis No One Prepared You For
by
Thursday
The One About Post-pandemic Parenting
by
Saturday
When Fear Sounds Like Love
by
Weekly Recommendation
Something I read, watched, pondered, or prayed on that helped me make a little progress this week.
This morning, Gareth at
posted the latest edition of his fantastic Dear Dad series. This edition brings us a letter from of to his younger, pre-dad self, and it’s well worth a read.You’ll learn that being a dad isn’t about how much you get done or how perfectly you balance it all. It’s about presence. About patience. About choosing to show up again and again, even when you feel like you have nothing left to give.
And you’ll learn, slowly, over time, that you are not failing.
Be sure to check out The Screen Free Dad and
, hit subscribe, and drop them a line to let them know I sent you.One more thing...
A preview or parting thought to carry you into the coming week.
Now, for the news
Next week, I'll take a break from the usual Monday/Wednesday/Friday essays to focus on something special I've been building for a while. It'll be in the same vein as the personal reflections you've read here before, sprinkled with a little pixie dust.
It's ambitious, and it needs my full attention.
But I'm not going dark.
This coming week, I'll publish a short Paternal Precept daily. These bite-sized reflections are built for quick hits of clarity, intention, and encouragement. Think of them as a daily breath in the chaos.
So, no essays. Just one sharp sentence a day to carry into your parenting life. But stay tuned for the big project, April 21–25.
Congrats on a fantastic week! Thank you so much for cross-posting my piece—I truly appreciate it and am so grateful for your support.
Excited for the project! 🌟