The Dad Was Right There... But Didn't See: Lessons from Netflix's 'Adolescence' (Part 2)

The Dad Edge Podcast

Larry Hagner

Project, Self-improvement, Stevenson, Podcast, Edge, Education, Kids, Shawn, Family, Kids & Family, Fathers, Fatherhood, Community, Advice, Dad, Good, Health & Fitness, Children

4.8 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 9 May 2025

⏱️ 19 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We often wear busyness like a badge of honor. Providing, building, grinding. But what if all that hustle is costing us the one thing our kids truly need—connection?

In this episode, I break down episode three of Netflix’s Adolescence and the subtle ways fathers like Jamie’s dad, Eddie, lose emotional ground with their kids. Not through abuse. Not through neglect. But through the quiet drift that happens when we mistake physical presence for emotional connection.

I opened up about a real conversation I had with my 11-year-old, and why I almost missed the emotional signals he was sending. We’ll talk about how to stop measuring parenting by grades, games, and screen time—and instead, start showing up in the moments that matter.

This episode isn’t about blaming busy dads. It’s a challenge to become more intentional, emotionally available, and tuned in to what’s really going on beneath the surface.

Become the best husband and leader you can: www.thedadedge.com/mastermind

In this episode, I share:

Why “he’s just in his room” might be the most dangerous assumption we make
How busyness and good intentions can still lead to emotional neglect
The exact conversation that helped me reconnect with my 11-year-old
Why isolation isn’t the same as safety—especially in the age of devices
Simple ways to create connection daily (without needing big moments)
How to spot the quiet warning signs that your kid is drifting
Why dinner table conversations are a secret weapon for emotional check-ins
The psychological effects of low emotional connection between dads and kids

Here's what research supports about the power of action and intention:

Studies show that couples who engage in regular, small acts of kindness report a 28% increase in relationship satisfaction.
Research indicates that setting specific, shared goals increases the likelihood of improved communication and intimacy by 35%.
Prioritizing quality time has been shown to reduce feelings of loneliness in relationships by 20%.

If you're ready to stop waiting for motivation and start actively building a stronger, more connected marriage, this episode is for you. Let's take that first step together.

www.thedadedge.com/friday207

www.themensforge.com

www.thedadedge.com/25questions

www.thedadedge.com/alliance

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to the Dad Edge podcast. The Dad Edge movement creates leaders of men, leaders of families, and leaders of communities. We will not only impact this generation of fathers, but the next generation as well. The kids we are raising will have better chances and odds stacked in their favor because of the amazing example
0:21.2	that their fathers emulated for them. We are here to change the world. We are here to change
0:27.6	relationships. We are here to positively disrupt this generation of fathers so no man goes to their
0:33.6	grave with regret. We disrupt the drift of busyness and replace it with razor-focused intention,
0:40.3	passion, purpose, and direction.
0:43.7	We are the Dad Edge,
0:45.9	and we're here to change the game.
0:47.8	We're here to change the game.
1:13.6	I don't know. All right, jents, we're back at it again on Friday. Welcome back. We're talking about the Netflix series, Adolescence, which has been a ridiculously popular Netflix series, their third largest, most watched series to date, trailing just behind Wednesday, which I thought was kind of
1:19.4	odd, and also season four, Stranger Things, which that one made kind of sense, because I am a
1:23.9	huge fan of Stranger Things. If you haven't seen the Netflix series, Adolescence, I did a show on this last Friday.
1:30.2	I'm going to be doing shows on it every single Friday in the month of May.
1:33.4	And there are going to be talking about a lot of things, a lot of detail in this particular series that I think will be very, very useful for us. So welcome to the Dad Edge
1:48.5	Podcast, gentlemen. I'm Larry Hagner, your host and founder of this podcast, this show,
1:51.9	and movement. And I'll tell you, I watched the Netflix series, Adolescence, about a month and a half ago, and I'll tell you, it, uh, it didn't sit well with me. And like I said last week, the, the, the episode that actually, that really disturbed me
2:04.7	the most was the last one. And I'm going to get to that in the last week of May here,
2:08.4	but I'm going to focus on a couple of things here on this Friday that I think would,
2:12.2	would really, really resonate with you guys. So just to give you an overview of what adolescence is all about. So typical family in the
2:18.5	UK, it's a family of four, older sister, a younger brother who's 13. His name is Jamie Miller,
2:24.0	raised by a dad named Eddie Miller, who is a business owner in the plumbing industry. Also has a
2:29.8	mom, pretty functional family. You know, I would say pretty typical and pretty average.
2:33.9	Nothing really
	...

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