In this episode, the dads are happy to welcome Shannon Brescher Shea and to talk about her book Growing Sustainable Together.  It’s a great guide on how to engage your children on how to make a positive impact on the world through sustainable living.  It’s a fun conversation with lots of great advice, practical tips, and, of course, some dad jokes.  

1:20—We kick off this episode by naming what we like to grow in the garden. 

4:10—Mick goes all Forrest Gump as he talks about cucumbers.  Dudes’ really into cucumbers.  You can pickle them, gumbo them, fish for them in the sea on the gump boat.  Then Larry throws some farmer’s shame at Mick. 

13:260-Catch up with what’s going on with the dads.  Jake starts with Facebook Marketplace misadventures. 

20:57—Chicken update

21:37—The interview with Shannon B. Shea begins. She has written the book Growing Sustainable Together: Practical Resources for Raising Kind, Engaged, Resilient Children. 

“Growing Sustainable Together is packed with easy tips, expert parenting advice, and practical hands-on activities for the toddler years up through the early teens. The enriching activities, resource guides, and recommended book lists in each chapter distill core sustainability knowledge, like:  •  Understanding energy efficiency and renewables  •  Instilling anti-waste and anti-consumerist values  •  Learning where our food comes from  •  Developing a lifelong love for environmental activism, volunteering, and community engagement.” 

29:12-She talks about how to get your kids into gardening with specific advice.  Including seed starting hacks.  

33:04-What are good starting plants to use with children? 

34:19-You give them power by putting them in control and making them feel they are the owner of this item.—A quote from Larry on this episode that is just straight up good advice about life. 

37:32—There is such a thing as squash bugs.  Basically, they are squash vampires.  Shannon is a supporter of squash vampires. 

38:09—The Washington Youth Garden

This is basically the country’s garden that teaches and engages with youth.  Finding something like this in your area is well worth your time.  In Kansas City there is the Kansas City Community Garden that is amazing. It’s were we learned to pet a bee. 

44:15—Shannon’s Husband is a stay at home dad, find out how they made that decision. 

49:20—What it means to teach your kids to be resilient. 

52:25—What is a green team and how to create it?  Shannon lets you know how. 

53:48-Let’s dad up things to build out of recycled of material.  Start with a marble run.

55:27—You can add ash to the garden.  They let you know why and how at this point. 

56:35—How do you get tweens involved and engaged?  

59:44—The Dadhouse Top 5, checking your dadness questions. 

Don’t forget to order your copy of Shannon Brescher Shea’s book, book Growing Sustainable Together: Practical Resources for Raising Kind, Engaged, Resilient Children.

You can also find more information at her website Welleatyouupweloveyouso.com and join her newsletter! 

Or connect with her on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook.