By Scott Beller
Daddying Editor

I'm trying, y'all. I really am. But the state of our world, compounded by daily bombardment of hate, spite, and gross incompetence coming from what now passes for government "leaders," has made keeping a positive outlook for our families, communities, and environment almost impossible. As parents working towards a better future for our kids, however, we must. And to do that, we must first fortify ourselves for the fight.
Sometimes we laugh to keep from crying.
I constantly have to remind myself to focus on the things within my control, and that begins by caring for my own mental and physical health. In my first blog post of the year, I outlined my top five daddying priorities for 2025 that will help keep my mind and body in shape to be the parent my kids need me to be. Number one on the list:
Put more energy into celebrating small joys/victories
I feel like if I pursue that parenting objective every day, then all the others become that much easier to achieve. While I can't simply ignore the headlines, I also can't let them hijack my attention and mood to the point they create disfunction and affect the way I interact with my family. So, to defuse that negative energy, I'm venting with friends, listening more to my kids' point of view on current events, and, for much needed balance, I'm paying more attention to the little moments and activities that bring me joy.
Here's what's sustained me over the past two weeks:
Books! We're more than halfway through our family's first book club read, The Last Murder at the End of the World. Early review: it's excellent, relevant to many of today's political and social issues, and should make for good discussion (it includes some nice book club prompts at the end). Because of its relevance to climate change, I'm guessing it will eventually become targeted by book-banning extremists. I'm also close to finished with another book I bought from an indie bookseller off our 2024 Books to Read with Your Kids Holiday Gift Guide, called Extinction. So, we're already ahead of this year's modest reading goal of one book per month!
Welcome college application process news! Although it won't be her first school choice, my daughter received her first college acceptance letter AND scholarship offer this past week. Biggest/best takeaway: it removed some of the pressure she was feeling and boosted her confidence as she awaits several more college responses by April 1. In the meantime, the family piled into the car yesterday (why this blog post is a day late) and headed north for a tour of Villanova, which she really enjoyed. With one more tour to go, she seems to be most optimistic. As her dad, it's been great to see her outlook improve and I couldn't be more proud of or happier for her.
Self-care progress – Last month, I managed to bang my wrist on a doorknob in our kitchen. Twice. In the same week. After a month+ of no improvement, I saw an orthopedist this week for evaluation and x-ray, which thankfully showed no broken bones but severe tendonitis. If no improvement soon, I have an MRI order in-hand.
Escapes and outlets that kept me relaxed and laughing: Seth Meyers' The Lonely Island podcast, Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, Adam Savage's Tested, and the Mystery Science Theater 3000 channel on YouTube.
Our latest Daddying Film Fest submissions, like 2025 Official Selections Run Niño Run and Yours Forever, have provided further affirmation that our mission to encourage and celebrate positive dad involvement matters not only to me and Allan, but it is also universal. What we're doing has purpose and is making a positive impact with other dads, granddads, dads-to-be, and their kids/grandkids, far and wide.
Uplifting music, especially the kind created by a diverse congregation of youthful voices united for change, which included my daughter, whose school choir participated this past Wednesday in The Cathedral Choral Society's annual High School Choir Festival:
I think for the foreseeable future, I'll punctuate my Daddying posts with my latest moments of joy. If we can muster and embrace the uplifting moments, it will fuel us mentally and physically for the long run. And, make no mistake, 2025 is going to be a marathon.
Daddy on.
2025 Call for Entries IS OPEN!
Students (1st grade - undergrad), Dads/Dad figures, and indie filmmakers, tell us your stories about the importance of having or being an involved dad.Â
Submit via FilmFreeway now through March 3rd!

Scott Beller is the proud, imperfect crew dad of two mighty girls, imperfect husband of a rock-star mom/regatta chaperone, truth teller, former soccer coach, part-time driving instructor, photobomber, purveyor of banned books, Editor of the Daddying blog, and Director of Communications for DCG and D3F. He's a seasoned writer and PR agency veteran with more than 30 years of experience helping organizations of all sizes reach audiences and tell their stories. Prior to launching his own creative communications consultancy in 2003, he led PR teams with some of the world’s most respected agencies, including Fleishman-Hillard and The Weber Group. As a consultant, he’s helped launch two other parenting advocacy nonprofits with DCG founder Allan Shedlin. His first book, Beggars or Angels, appears in the gift guide above and was a ghostwritten memoir for the nonprofit Devotion to Children's founder Rosemary Tran Lauer, with whom he will again collaborate on a book in 2025. He was formerly known as "Imperfect Dad" and Head Writer/Editor for the Raising Nerd blog, which supported parents in inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and creative problem solvers. He earned his BA in Communications from VA Tech so many years ago. Now on BlueSky!
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