The Disconnected Dad: Fighting for Peace

Hey guys! I’m Seth Dahl. I am a husband, father of three young children, and pastor at a large church. And if you didn’t already know, I’m on the journey to become The Disconnected Dad. In a nutshell, I set apart 30 days without internet to log the effects it would have on connection with my family, and to share it with you in the form of a podcast. The Disconnected Dad podcast is available to download on iTunes.

In Episode 3 of The Disconnected Dad I talked about how the revelation of the authority I was gaining from this challenge had become evident to me. The way I want to raise my children, first has to be a standard I hold myself to. I want to lead by example, therefore I’m glad I am nailing down this boundary early on. I also got a chance to interview my wife, Lauren, to hear her perspective of how she feels this journey is impacting our family.

This time, I’m coming to you from the winning side of day 9 with no internet at home or anytime I’m with my family. I’m glad to say that things are still going well, and I still feel happy to set my phone aside for the sake of connection. Initially, I was doing this for the benefit of my wife and kids, but I have to admit, I’ve benefited myself from this challenge as well!

I feel so much more at peace, so much more settled, and so much happier without the distraction and pressure of responding to notifications. Of course, as the father of a home, I help set the tone of the atmosphere. As I’ve felt happier and more peaceful, it’s trickled down, and as do my wife and kids.

Something that’s dawned on me is, it’s not so easy to leave work at work these days. At my first job in a grocery store when I was 16, there was a sign that said something to the point of, “Leave your personal problems at home.” Business hours aren’t sturdy boundaries anymore as people don’t leave a messages for you to return in the morning. It seems like anyone can reach you at any given time! As a pastor and businessman, home and work for me are often meshed together, and I’ve been bringing work home with my in my pocket! These past 9 days, there’s been a clear line drawn between work and home and I am loving it.

Additionally, I feel incredibly significant at home. I have a very deep need for significance, probably more than most people’s, and I realized this week while walking around holding our baby, how important and useful I felt in our own home. Without distraction of a phone in my hand, I felt the connection and importance of being a father that I may not have felt before. It superseded all significance I could have gotten from likes, shares, or even the stage at work. It’s much healthier to get my significance from my home first rather than my workplace. This way comes with connection.

If you want to hear more thoughts I have so far, and how the journey is going, make sure to subscribe to The Disconnected Dad podcast on iTunes! Follow me for the next 21 days of my challenge, and if you’re brave, you can join along! Make sure to subscribe, rate, and review!