The Dad Edge Podcast

Officer Randy Keith is a military veteran, a 15-year law enforcement officer, and the founder of Present Father, a platform that now reaches hundreds of thousands of dads across the world. He didn't set out to build a movement. He built it from the darkest chapter of his life, a high-conflict divorce that put him through false allegations, an order of protection that nearly cost him his career, CPS interviews of his young children, and the terror of dropping his kids off not knowing if he'd get them back.
Randy walks Larry through the night it all began, why he chose 50-50 custody when his attorney said he could have won full custody, and the moment in his car around the corner from his ex-wife's house when he pulled out his phone and started talking, the post that became Present Father. This is a raw conversation about father's rights, staying present against enormous odds, and turning your mess into your message. It's also a heavy one, with an honest look at how many men in these situations reach the edge, and why community can be lifesaving.
 
Timeline Summary
[1:23] – The night his ex-wife went for the gun safe and he called 911
[4:34] – Declining to press charges because he didn't want to jail the mother of his kids
[5:48] – Discharged in hours after telling nurses he was abusing his power as an officer
[7:14] – Filing a Title 36 mental health petition and getting emergency custody
[9:01] – Choosing 50-50 so he could look his kids in the eye someday
[10:15] – His attorney saying he was in the driver's seat and could have full custody
[12:13] – Served with an order of protection built on false allegations
[13:09] – How a federal firearm statute nearly ended his law enforcement career
[14:38] – His kids interviewed by CPS at school without his knowledge
[15:40] – The mosquito-bite doctor's note that became a bedbugs and abuse allegation
[17:25] – Inviting CPS in, and being asked to teach parenting classes at the end
[20:49] – Why she really moved four hours away, and the job that lasted two weeks
[23:28] – The threats that continue and the fears he carries as a target
[26:35] – Finding purpose in the worst season and turning mess into message
[30:10] – Why high-conflict divorce is rare, and why so few men talk about it
[33:28] – Introducing Randy Keith and the Present Father platform
[36:00] – The moment in the car that birthed Present Father
[38:24] – The first TikTok post and the flood of men who felt the same
[42:30] – From 800 followers to nearly 900,000 across platforms
[44:08] – The suicide messages, and how Randy responds personally
[46:08] – Sean Pearson and the Dad to Dad peer support platform
[47:22] – The father who thanked him for comforting his son in his final moments
[48:06] – Larry on losing two men from the Dad Edge community to suicide
[50:30] – The therapist's question that reframed suicide for Larry in 2017
[52:22] – Why the pain is a season, not a life sentence
[53:39] – Larry on being glad he didn't listen when people said "this too shall pass," and glad he listened just enough
[54:08] – The vision for Present Father: a nonprofit providing attorneys to the falsely accused
[54:35] – Advocating in D.C. for equal shared parenting as the standard
[56:05] – Bankruptcy as a common cost of fighting for your kids
[56:34] – What he learned from his first relationship and carried into his new marriage
[57:57] – Why one bad experience doesn't mean everyone will treat you the same
[59:55] – Where to connect with Randy and the Present Father Show
 
5 Key Takeaways
Presence Beats Perfection — Your kids don't need a perfect father. They need a present one. Even when circumstances are stacked against you, showing up consistently is what matters most.
Your Mess Is Your Message — You don't have to be the polished expert to help people. Randy's raw honesty as an everyday guy going through it reaches people precisely because it's real and relatable, not because he has it all figured out.
The Pain Is a Season, Not a Sentence — In the darkest moments it feels like it will never end, but it's temporary. Suicide doesn't end the pain, it transfers it to the people you love most, for generations. Reaching out and finding community can be lifesaving.
You're Not Alone in This — High-conflict divorce and false allegations are isolating, and shame keeps men silent. Finding even one other person who's been through it turns unbearable isolation into a community and a path forward.
One Bad Experience Isn't the Whole World — Surviving a devastating relationship doesn't mean everyone will treat you the same way. With honest due diligence and self-work, there is happiness and partnership on the other side.
 
Links & Resources
Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1521
Present Father (Randy Keith's website): https://present-father.com 
The Present Father Show podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2PZwSoq6glUSq20CcHB88R
Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): https://thedadedge.com/soulmates
Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl
 
If You're Struggling
This episode deals openly with suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call or text 988 in the US to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7. You are not alone, and the season you're in is not the end of your story.
Enjoyed This Episode?
If Randy's story reached you, whether you're in the middle of your own hard season or you know a dad who is, don't let him carry it alone. Send this episode to a father who needs to hear that presence beats perfection and that he's not alone in this. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Larry is back with his wife Jessica for the third installment of their Friday couples series, and this one tackles the quiet killer of long marriages: the drift. That slow slide where you get so buried in kids, sports, work, and the house that you look up years later and realize you lost each other somewhere along the way. Married 22 years, they're honest that they've hit those valleys too, and this episode is about how they catch it and climb back out.
Larry opens up about being the avoidant one early on, walking away from hard conversations because it felt selfless when it was actually disconnecting. From there he and Jessica map the exact tools that interrupt the drift: telling your partner what's in your head so they don't assume it's them, the six-second hug that resets everything, the safety that lets you give hard feedback, and the certainty of saying "I need an hour, but I'll be back." If your marriage feels more like two ships passing in the night, this is a practical way back to each other.
 
Timeline Summary
[1:01] – Spinning in different orbits and what it means to interrupt the drift
[2:03] – Jessica's first solo episode goes live and the nerves around it
[3:47] – How couples drift: five years pass and the connection is just gone
[5:05] – Larry owning that he was the avoidant one who'd walk away or sleep downstairs
[6:32] – Why walking away felt selfless but was actually selfish and disconnecting
[6:50] – Jessica's ask: take your space, but tell me it's not about me and you'll be back
[7:39] – The neighbor at the fire pit and the garage door scam that sent him inward
[9:49] – What's really happening in a man's head: the shoulds that make it worse
[11:01] – The real-world date day where Larry chose to say "actually, that's a lie, I'm challenged"
[12:45] – The stories men tell themselves: it's stupid, it'll go away, I'll burden her
[14:15] – Wanting connection but doing the one thing that disconnects
[14:58] – Jessica's gift: reading people and diffusing tension with a hug
[17:23] – Letting women off the hook on nagging, and how to poke with love not gaslighting
[18:17] – The six-second hug, oxytocin, and being found out when she hugs him
[22:12] – What Jessica needs as a stay-at-home mom: reassurance and connection
[24:08] – The certainty of a repair: 30 minutes versus a whole sucky day
[24:30] – Last fall's drift, Larry's most impatient season, and asking for feedback
[26:25] – The three breadcrumbs: safety, certainty, and repair
[27:28] – Why Jessica felt safe enough to give feedback that would land rough
[28:14] – Choosing words wisely and avoiding always and never
[30:32] – Young and green on relationship dynamics in the early years
[31:01] – Marriage as the stock market: valleys and peaks with no tolerance to stay down
[33:15] – Honesty and ownership celebrated, not punished, for kids and spouses alike
[35:11] – Being held to a higher standard in your worst moments and feeling safe
[37:18] – The certainty of "I'll be back in an hour" versus being forced to hash it out now
[41:00] – Jessica on why she'd rather cool off than fight in a heated moment
[42:38] – Taking pause and the 24-hour rule before responding when triggered
[44:22] – Love languages and approaching each kid differently
[45:04] – The coaching example: "why did you do X" versus "tell me about that"
[47:28] – Meeting each other with compassion and curiosity, not accusation
[47:50] – The power of we, plus the Colton-in-pajamas assumption Larry got wrong
[49:37] – How they make time for the marriage with four kids and a business
[52:26] – Zero tolerance for mediocre and refusing to just exist
[53:22] – Why kids feel warm and safe when the marriage is a priority
[55:03] – Setting the standard for how their sons should treat a partner
[1:02:37] – A teaser for next week: intimacy and finances, the two big resentment topics
 
5 Key Takeaways
Name What's In Your Head — When you go quiet and inward, your partner and kids often assume they're the problem. Telling them what's actually going on, even when it feels stupid or burdensome, is the difference between connection and drift.
Take Space, But Give Certainty — Walking away without a word breeds anxiety and uncertainty. Saying "I need an hour to process, but I'll be back to talk about this" lets you cool off while promising your partner the conversation isn't over.
The Six-Second Hug Resets Everything — A real, drawn-out hug, not a quick pat, releases the oxytocin that brings peace and diffuses tension. Learning to read when your partner needs that connection is a gift you can give daily.
Make Feedback Safe — People only give honest feedback when they trust it won't be met with defensiveness or explosion. Choosing words carefully, avoiding always and never, and holding your partner to a higher standard in their worst moments keeps that safety intact.
Have Zero Tolerance for the Valley — Every marriage has peaks and valleys like the stock market. What keeps it strong isn't avoiding the dips, it's refusing to accept staying there, and proactively cultivating connection even in the busy, exhausted seasons.
 
Links & Resources
Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1520
Roommates to Soulmates (cohort 3, eight-week program, starts September 16, free preview calls September 8 and 9): http://thedadedge.com/soulmates
25 Intimate Conversation Starters (free PDF and video training): https://thedadedge.com/25questions
Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl
 
Enjoyed This Episode?
If "spinning in different orbits" describes where you and your spouse are right now, pick one tool from this episode and use it this week. Tell your partner what's actually in your head instead of saying "I'm fine," or give them a real six-second hug the next time you can feel the tension. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Caitlin V is a sexologist, relationship coach, and host of Good Sex on HBO Max who has built a YouTube channel with nearly a million subscribers and over 170 million views, working primarily with men on erectile dysfunction, performance anxiety, premature ejaculation, and the isolation that comes with all three. She started as a sexual health researcher and policy analyst before deciding that change happens in conversations with real people, not in research papers.
This is a live Dad Edge Alliance Q&A where Caitlin takes real questions from married men about a sexless stretch, shame carried into the marriage bed, sex used as leverage, and a marriage that has gone completely touchless. If you have been avoiding the conversation with your wife because the last time you brought it up it went badly, this one gives you the actual script.
 
Timeline Summary
[4:12] – Caitlin's path from sexual health researcher and policy analyst to sexologist and coach
[6:14] – First question, a husband who pushed too hard once and has been gun shy ever since
[9:06] – Why a multi year backlog of unsaid things lands on one conversation and crushes it
[11:01] – The cracked foundation, why repair has to come before any talk about frequency
[13:35] – Reading her green lights and lobbing the flirtation back without adding pressure
[16:33] – Naming the dynamic out loud as an act of leadership instead of a confession
[23:58] – Why "the talk" is the wrong model for sex, with your kids and with your wife
[27:39] – Nature abhors a vacuum, if she doesn't know what sex means to you she fills it in
[31:25] – Anonymous question, premarital sex, religious shame, and less sex after the wedding
[36:51] – The taboo factor, why sanctioned sex can lose the charge that breaking the rule provided
[40:04] – Shame hates light, why you can't clean it out of her and what you can do instead
[47:00] – Anonymous question, sex promised as a thank you that almost never arrives
[53:09] – Why nobody can pre consent, and taking penetration off the required list
[56:09] – What's underneath sex used as leverage, and how to rewrite that agreement together
[59:11] – Anonymous question, a touchless marriage after years of backing off out of respect
[1:03:25] – Betty Martin's Wheel of Consent and the Three Minute Game as the road back to touch
 
5 Key Takeaways
Repair Before Frequency — Asking for more sex when years of unsaid things are still sitting there is like redecorating a living room on a cracked foundation. Go back and own what you didn't say first, then build.
Name the Dynamic Out Loud — Leadership here is not initiating harder, it's surfacing the pattern so you're both looking at the same thing. Say "I haven't been lobbing these back because I'm afraid" instead of waiting for her to move first.
She's Filling In Your Blanks — If your wife doesn't know the texture of what sex actually means to you, she fills that vacuum with social media, her friends, and her parents' marriage. "All you think about is sex" is usually a response to something that was never you.
Warmth With an Invoice — If your past kisses and shoulder rubs came with a hidden price tag, she felt it, and that's why affection now reads as a bid. Own it plainly, then rebuild non-sexual touch on purpose.
Nobody Can Pre Consent — Agreeing to sex tomorrow is like agreeing to salmon for dinner, the appetite can legitimately change. Keep more than intercourse on the table so a shift in the moment isn't a broken promise.
 
Links & Resources
Episode page — https://thedadedge.com/1519
Roommates to Soulmates, Larry's 8 week program, cohort three starts September 16 — https://thedadedge.com/soulmates
Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals, November 15 at State Farm Stadium — https://thedadedge.com/nfl
Betty Martin's Wheel of Consent and the Three Minute Game — https://www.schoolofconsent.org
Caitlin V's courses, 20% off with code DADEDGE, including Yoni Massage, Come When You Want, Hard As You Want, and Legendary Lover
 
Enjoyed This Episode?
If the "warmth with an invoice" idea landed the way it lands for most guys, you already know which conversation you've been putting off. Send this to a brother who's been quietly telling himself that not bringing it up counts as respecting her. Follow the show, leave a rating and review, and grab the full show notes at https://thedadedge.com/1519

Larry is back in studio with his wife Jessica for part two of their conversation, recorded the week of their 22nd anniversary. Last week they covered how they met and the crucibles that shaped them. This week they get practical about the daily mechanics of a marriage that works: how they got aligned on parenting, how they resolve conflict, and how they back each other up in front of the kids whether they agree or not.
They're candid that none of it came naturally at first. They walk through the parenting classes that helped early on, a hard season with one of their sons that turned out to be driven by a medication reaction, and why setting ego aside to get outside help was the move that saved them repeatedly. Jessica shares what it means to never be emasculated or called a name in thirty years together, and Larry breaks down the guardrails that keep their disagreements calm: no yelling, no name calling, real listening, and a willingness to eat humble pie. If your marriage feels more like managing a household than sharing a life, this one is a window into the operating system of a couple who clearly still like each other.
 
Timeline Summary
[1:02] – Why part two matters, and Jessica joins for parenting and conflict resolution
[4:39] – A new season with an adult son and the land of uncertainty it brings
[6:39] – Bringing the first baby home to a tornado, and every season being new territory
[9:07] – The one thing they nailed early: alignment on parenting styles
[10:21] – Love and Logic, 1-2-3 Magic, and the classes that gave them a shared playbook
[11:34] – A hard season with Mason at 11 and refusing to let ego stop them from getting help
[13:15] – Communication gap: Larry not seeing how bad the mornings really were
[16:39] – Owning that "I have to work" wasn't the support Jessica needed
[17:23] – The real catalyst turned out to be a medication, and the game-changing fix
[18:43] – Having each other's back in front of the kids, no public disagreement
[19:47] – The quiet aside instead of the public callout, coming back as a combined unit
[21:39] – The over-punishment story: stacking consequences on Ethan's grades
[22:54] – Why never being emasculated or disrespected publicly matters so much to a man
[25:44] – The non-negotiable guardrails: no name calling, ever, even joking
[27:15] – Listening without interrupting and keeping voices calm
[30:09] – Tonality, ownership, and a family that apologizes well
[34:32] – Why these habits are their operating system but not most people's
[35:10] – The waterfall of peace: how Jessica's affection quiets Larry's chaos
[36:33] – Not gaslighting a partner who's having a hard day, and giving space to process
[37:30] – The "what did you do all day" mistake and never globalizing with always and never
[40:43] – The deck argument Ethan witnessed and asked if they were divorcing
[42:22] – Ethan's three observations: no yelling, real listening, no name calling
[42:40] – Asking "is there truth to this" to sidestep the ego and defensiveness
[45:02] – The trash story: coming in guns blazing and eating humble pie
[49:11] – Covering for each other's hard seasons with the kids instead of piling on
[50:04] – Favorite memories: the simple stuff, laughter under their own roof
[52:16] – Valuing experiences over stuff, and how that alignment happened
[55:19] – Closing out Mason's last year at home with a bang
[56:53] – The 25 intimate conversation starters that keep them connected
 
5 Key Takeaways
Get Aligned and Get Help Without Ego — The couples who struggle most are often fighting over whose parenting style wins. Larry and Jessica treated hard seasons as problems to solve together, bringing in classes and counselors rather than letting pride keep them stuck.
Have Each Other's Back in Front of the Kids — Never publicly override your spouse's discipline. Handle disagreements privately, then return to the kids as a combined unit. Kids who can't split their parents feel more secure, not less.
Set Guardrails for Conflict — No name calling, no yelling, and real listening while the other person talks. These simple, non-negotiable rules keep disagreements from escalating into damage, and kids notice and absorb them.
Ask "Is There Truth to This" — When your partner brings a criticism, the instinct is to defend. Pausing to genuinely ask whether there's truth in it disarms your ego and turns a potential fight into a conversation. And when you're wrong, apologize fast.
Protect Each Other's Hard Seasons — When one parent is short-tempered or struggling, the other explains it to the kids with grace instead of piling on. Give your partner room to process a bad day rather than gaslighting or nagging them out of it.
 
Links & Resources
Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1518
25 Intimate Conversation Starters (free PDF and video training): https://thedadedge.com/25questions
Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl
 
Enjoyed This Episode?
If watching Larry and Jessica lay out the guardrails of their marriage gave you something to aim at, pick one and try it this week. Ask "is there truth to this" the next time you feel defensive, or take your spouse through a couple of good questions on your next date night. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.

Sam Rosenberg has spent his career protecting some of the most recognized people on the planet, heads of state, CEOs, and celebrities including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Tom Cruise. A former Marine Corps officer who moved into close protection in 1996, he's since shifted his focus to teaching ordinary people the same skills he used to guard public figures, through his company Live Ready and his bestselling book of the same name. He's trained tens of thousands of people to recognize threats before they become emergencies.
This one is a genuine masterclass in personal safety, and Sam's philosophy anchors it: it's good to have a lifeguard, but you should know how to swim. He and Larry get into why violence is never actually random, how to read a parking lot, the acronym TIME that maps how attackers operate, the normalcy bias that keeps good people from trusting their gut, and persuasion predators, the charming, manipulative threats every dad with a daughter needs to understand. If you want to protect the people who matter most without living in fear, this episode delivers the tools.
 
Timeline Summary
[1:02] – Protecting Netanyahu, the chess match, and embedding covert protection in a crowd
[4:35] – Tom Cruise in Pittsburgh and why he was one of the best to work with
[6:23] – How you even land a gig protecting someone at that level
[8:12] – Protecting Terry Bradshaw at the NFL draft, and why it's all word of mouth
[12:36] – The core philosophy: it's good to have a lifeguard, but you should know how to swim
[14:51] – Sam's full bio, the Marine Corps, Live Ready, and the book
[16:34] – Situational awareness starts with our wives in parking lots
[20:04] – The myth of helplessness and the myth of randomness
[21:44] – Why violence is a process as predictable as boiling water
[22:38] – Attacks happen on arrival and departure, and every environment has a purpose
[24:10] – Watching for the watchers, and the New York City looking up analogy
[26:30] – The creepy guy vibe and why we hunt for evidence to dismiss it
[27:42] – Social contracting, bias, and how it blinds us to real danger
[30:13] – Normalcy bias: the brain's desire for everything to be normal
[32:04] – Breaking down a real, sophisticated parking lot kidnapping on video
[35:36] – The simple bow: trust your intuition even without all the evidence
[37:12] – What that woman could have noticed, and the double-tap unlock habit
[43:14] – The TIME acronym: target selection, intelligence, method of attack, escape
[46:16] – Why street criminals run the same process as terrorists
[49:17] – Can you avoid being targeted? You can influence it, not always prevent it
[52:04] – Charlie Kirk, Butler, and why it has to be stopped in advance
[53:27] – Recognizing the interview means you've already been selected
[56:16] – Hard target versus soft target, and why gimmicks don't work
[57:29] – The undercover story: why street-smart observers saw through his disguise
[1:02:47] – Willingness and ability are all it takes to be a hard target
[1:04:31] – What bad guys are truly afraid of: failure
[1:08:55] – Persuasion predators, masters of charm and disguise
[1:10:31] – Reframing charm: ask why is this person trying to charm me
[1:11:56] – No is a complete sentence, and the veils of denial
[1:13:54] – Sociopaths, the pity play, and the puppy law used on children
 
5 Key Takeaways
Violence Is a Process, Not Random — Attacks follow an observable, predictable sequence. Learning to spot the pattern, especially during arrival and departure moments, is what lets you get ahead of danger instead of reacting to it.
Watch for the Watchers — Every environment has a purpose. Scan left to right for anomalies, people not using the space for its intended purpose, and notice who's watching who's coming and going. That awareness alone makes you a harder target.
Trust Your Radar Over Normalcy Bias — Good people talk themselves out of intuitive warnings because they can't find hard evidence or don't want to seem judgmental. When something feels off, that unease is data. Default to it and remove yourself from the situation.
Recognize the Interview — When a stranger approaches you in an anomalous moment, that's an interview, and it means you've already been selected as a target. How you manage that interaction, with the right body language and enough force, often determines whether an attack proceeds.
Reframe Charm and Hold the Line on No — Teach daughters to ask why is this person trying to charm me rather than being flattered. No is a complete sentence, and anyone who pushes past it is signaling they care only about what they want. A pity play after being caught in lies is a massive red flag.
 
Links & Resources
Episode page and all links: https://thedadedge.com/1517
Sam Rosenberg's company, LiveReady: https://www.liveready.co/
Live Ready by Sam Rosenberg (the book): https://www.liveready.co/book
LiveReady on YouTube (situational awareness and attack breakdowns): https://www.youtube.com/@LiveReadyCo
LiveReady on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livereadyco
LiveReady on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveReadyCo
LiveReady on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/LiveReadyCo/
LiveReady personal training: https://www.liveready.co/training
Dad Edge Day with the Arizona Cardinals (November 15, Cardinals vs Rams, State Farm Stadium): https://thedadedge.com/nfl
Roommates to soulmates thedadedge.com/soulmates
 
Enjoyed This Episode?
If Sam's breakdown of that parking lot attack made you look at your own routine differently, put one habit to work this week. Get your head up and off your phone during those arrival and departure moments, and have the charm and no conversation with your daughter. If the show keeps delivering, follow, rate, and leave a review so more fathers can find these conversations.