Dad of Divas

One Dad's Quest to Regain Control of his Kingdom

A Change In Our Format

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Hey everyone, I wanted to take a few minutes to share a little change that’s coming to The Dad & Daughter Connection.

For the past several years, I’ve been bringing you a new episode every single week, and I am incredibly grateful for everyone who listens, shares an episode, recommends the podcast to a friend, or simply takes the time to tune in. This podcast means a lot to me, and getting to have conversations with amazing dads, daughters, authors, experts, and people who have something meaningful to teach us about fatherhood has been an incredible journey.

But I’ve also been reminded of something that I talk about on this podcast all the time: being present matters.

As much as I love doing this podcast, I’m also a dad, a husband, and someone with a lot of other responsibilities and commitments. And I’ve realized that trying to maintain a weekly schedule can sometimes mean I’m stretching myself a little too thin.

So, beginning today, The Dad & Daughter Connection will be moving from a weekly podcast to an every-other-week schedule.

Now, I want to be very clear: this isn’t about slowing down or giving you less. In fact, it’s about making sure I can continue giving you the kind of conversations and content you’ve come to expect from this podcast.

I want to have the time to find great guests, ask thoughtful questions, have meaningful conversations, and produce episodes that are worth your time. And just as importantly, I want to make sure I’m protecting time for the people who matter most to me—my family.

Because if I’m going to spend my time talking about the importance of being present for our daughters, I need to make sure I’m practicing what I preach.

So, you’re still going to hear the stories, the conversations, the laughs, and hopefully a few things that make you think differently about being a dad and raising strong, confident, independent daughters. You’ll just hear them every other week instead of every week.

I hope you’ll stick with me for the journey. And if you’ve been listening all along, thank you. I truly appreciate you being part of The Dad & Daughter Connection community.

Until next time, keep connecting with your daughters, keep having those important conversations, and most importantly, keep showing up.

Turning life’s curveballs into teachable moments

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Hey dads, welcome to another episode of Dad Connections in 5—your five-minute boost of practical advice to help you grow closer to your daughter, one conversation and one moment at a time. I’m Dr. Christopher Lewis, and today we’re digging into a powerful parenting skill:

Turning life’s curveballs into teachable moments.

Here’s the truth—things don’t always go as planned. Your daughter is going to face disappointment, frustration, failure, and change. She’ll spill the milk, miss the goal, get the wrong grade, lose a friend, or just have one of those days.

And in those moments, how you respond can either shut her down—or help her grow.

So, let’s talk about how to use unexpected challenges not as roadblocks, but as relationship builders and life lessons she can carry forward.

Why These Moments Matter

It’s easy to teach when everything is going right. But the real magic happens when life isn’t perfect.

When you step in with empathy, patience, and perspective, you help your daughter learn:

  • How to handle stress with grace
  • How to reflect, adapt, and move forward
  • That she is never alone in her struggle

You’re not rescuing her—you’re coaching her through it. That’s the kind of dad that changes lives.

3 Steps to Turn Challenges into Growth Moments

1. Stay Calm and Present

Before anything else—take a breath. Challenges can trigger your emotions too. But your daughter is watching how you respond.

Instead of jumping into “fix-it mode” or reacting with frustration, model calm curiosity. Try:

  • “That didn’t go the way you wanted, huh?”
  •  “Do you want to talk about what happened, or just sit for a bit?”

Your calm presence sends the message:

  • “This is hard, but we’ll figure it out together.”

2. Ask Questions That Build Reflection

After emotions settle, help her reflect—not by giving her a lecture, but by guiding her to think critically.

Try questions like:

  •  “What do you think went wrong?”
  • “What would you do differently next time?”
  • “What did you learn about yourself?”

You’re teaching her that mistakes and challenges aren’t dead ends—they’re doorways to learning.

3. Celebrate the Effort, Not Just the Outcome

If she tried something hard and it didn’t work out, highlight what went right—even if the result wasn’t perfect.

Say things like:

  • “I saw how much effort you put into that project—I’m proud of your dedication.”
  •  “It took courage to step out of your comfort zone. That matters more than the result.”

You’re reinforcing that resilience and growth matter more than success on the first try.

Quick Takeaway: Try This Today

Here’s your challenge:
The next time your daughter faces a challenge—big or small—pause and ask yourself one question:

  • “How can I use this moment to help her grow?”

Then respond with:

  • Calm support
  • A curious question
  • Encouragement for her effort

Even if it’s just a spilled drink or a tough day at school, your reaction can help her learn that mistakes don’t define her—they refine her.

That’s it for this episode of Dad Connections in 5. If this helped you reframe those frustrating or messy moments as powerful teaching opportunities, share it with another dad who wants to show up with intention.

Until next time—keep showing up, keep asking good questions, and keep reminding your daughter that she’s growing through it all—with you by her side.

If you enjoyed this episode we ask you to take a moment to take our Dad and Daughter Connection Survey to let us know more about you as a dad. You can also sign up to get our newsletter to stay connected to our community and we will send items of interest to you to help you to be the dad that you want to be. Feel free to follow me on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, X.

Running Together: Building Strong Bonds, Confidence, and Healthy Habits with Your Daughter

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If you’re a dad looking to deepen your relationship with your daughter and help her thrive, this week’s episode of the Dad and Daughter Connection podcast is a must-listen. Host Dr. Christopher Lewis sits down with Michele Pettinger—owner of P3Running, coach, nutrition expert, and author of The Young Runner’s Guide to Nutrition—for an inspiring, heartfelt conversation about parenting, connection, and empowering young women.

The Power of Presence and Shared Activities

A central theme of the episode is the lasting impact of simply “showing up” for your child. Michele recounts how her father, a high school cross country coach, introduced her to running by joining her on her very first run at age 12. It was more than physical activity; it was a moment of connection, respect, and mutual understanding. Even when they didn’t always see eye to eye, their shared love for running kept their bond strong.

Michele’s story reminds us that the foundations for confidence and independence are often laid not through grand gestures, but through small, consistent acts of engagement and support.

Nurturing Healthy Habits—Body and Mind

Drawing on her new book, Michele emphasizes the importance of instilling positive nutrition habits in young athletes, particularly girls who can be vulnerable to mixed messages around food and body image. She highlights the unique influence fathers can have—by focusing on their daughter’s strengths and performance, not appearance, and by taking an active role in meal planning and family routines. Her advice? Share the kitchen, have open conversations, and model an attitude of curiosity and empathy.

Beyond nutrition, Michele also touches on how dads can support their daughters emotionally, helping them overcome self-doubt and imposter syndrome by celebrating effort, resilience, and genuine interests. Sometimes, she notes, daughters just need you to listen rather than offer solutions.

A Toolbox for Every Dad

This episode is packed with practical insights—from finding moments of connection outside traditional family dinners, to fostering open dialogue about challenges like eating disorders and self-esteem. Michele and Dr. Lewis provide actionable advice and heartfelt encouragement for fathers at every stage of parenting.

If you want inspiration and real-world tips for being the dad your daughter needs, tune into this episode of the Dad and Daughter Connection. Listen now and become part of a community dedicated to raising strong, confident young women—one day and one conversation at a time.

If you enjoyed this episode we ask you to take a moment to take our Dad and Daughter Connection Survey to let us know more about you as a dad. You can also sign up to get our newsletter to stay connected to our community and we will send items of interest to you to help you to be the dad that you want to be. Feel free to follow me on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, X.

TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the dad and daughter connection, the podcast for dads who want to build stronger bonds and raise confident independent daughters.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:12]:
If you’re looking to build a stronger bond with your daughter and help her grow into a confident, independent woman, you’re in the right place. I’m doctor Christopher Lewis, and the dad and daughter connection is the podcast where we dive into real stories, expert advice, and practical tips to help you navigate the incredible journey of fatherhood. In every episode, we’ll bring you conversations that inspire, challenge, and equip you to show up as the dad your daughter needs. So let’s get started because being a great dad isn’t just about being there, it’s about truly connecting. Welcome back to the dad and daughter connection, where every week, we have an opportunity to work together to walk on this path side by side as we are working to raise our daughters and to build those strong relationships with them one day at a time. This podcast is all about building strong connections between ourselves and our daughters, and there are things that you and I can do every day to be able to do just that. It’s not always gonna be easy. There’s going to be bumps in the road.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:25]:
But as long as we keep showing up and keep working at it and keep engaging with our daughters and meeting them where they are, things are going to be positive. Things are gonna be moving in the right direction. But this podcast is here to be able to give you some tools for your toolbox, to give you some insights, give you some thoughts, give you some things to chew on as you are going through your day and to allow you and help you along this journey. That’s why every week, I love being able to bring you different guests, different people with different experiences that can provide you with some perspective, provide you with some thoughts, some things that you can potentially put into practice in your own home. And today we got another great guest. Michele Pettinger is with us today. And Michele started running at a young age in the Midwest under the tutelage of her father, who was the high school cross country and track coach. She’s got a passion for carrying on the legacy of reaching young runners and helping them build a solid nutritional foundation that will empower them now and long into their future running careers.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:33]:
I’m really excited to have her here. She has a brand new book that is out now called The Young Runner’s Guide to Nutrition. And this book really touched my heart because of the fact that my daughter enjoys running, and she just finished her first half marathon. And as I started looking through this book, I said, I’ve got to share this with my daughter, and I need to share this with you. So I’m really excited to be able to have Michele here and to welcome her to the show. Michele, welcome.

Michele Pettinger [00:03:04]:
Thank you, doctor Lewis. I’m happy to be here.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:03:07]:
I’m really happy to be here. I’m really happy that you’re here as well. I’m really happy to have you here and to talk not only about your book, but really about let’s start off with talking a little bit about this relationship with your dad. Because as as I mentioned in your bio, this book has a lot of connection between you and your dad. And I always love starting the conversation with questions that really delve into your own relationship with your dad. So I guess thinking back on the relationship that you have with your dad, what’s one thing your father did that made you feel truly seen, heard, and valued as a daughter?

Michele Pettinger [00:03:46]:
He took me on my first run when I was 12 and he saw what my need was at that moment. And I think that if I were to reflect, my need was to connect with him. And I knew that that was a way that I could. And without saying anything, he also knew that. And so we went on our first run together. It was a mile. It was from the house to the stop sign and back. And I don’t remember a lot of words being exchanged outside of him talking through my breath and arm swing and stride and rhythm.

Michele Pettinger [00:04:32]:
And I remember I remember like it was yesterday. We were just in sync together, and that set a rhythm from which I still live by, and it set a rhythm for our relationship. And even if we didn’t always see eye to eye, we could always come back to running, and there was always mutual understanding and respect there. And in that, I felt valued.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:05:04]:
How has the relationship with your father influenced the way you navigate life, relationships, or challenges that you run against?

Michele Pettinger [00:05:13]:
I’m gonna speak to challenges. Running has taught me to move through challenges, and it’s and and when I I’m up against a difficult time in life, whether it’s a decision that I need to make or it’s a relationship that I’m struggling with, I usually go for a run-in order to process, kind of get to the truth of what I’m really feeling in order to navigate that decision or the relationship. And I think that growing up in in watching my father coach and parent, the way that he was doing that was sinking into my subconscious without knowing it. And my father didn’t have the easiest childhood, but he had wonderful mentors that allowed him to have a passion for mentoring people and seeing people for he didn’t see his runners as runners. He saw them as individuals, as a whole person outside of running, and he his coaching was about relationships and knowing that he wasn’t just coaching runners, but he’s he was coaching the next, you know, scientist or or teacher. And I feel like those are some of the values that as I was watching him were kind of sinking into me and have influenced how I approach athletes that I coach.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:06:51]:
Now, as you said, you don’t always see eye to eye with your dad, and there are definitely going to be some bumps in the road along the way. What are some things that you wish your dad had done differently when it came to building your relationship?

Michele Pettinger [00:07:04]:
My dad has passed on now. And in his kind of final weeks, thankfully, we had a lot of time together and a lot of time that he was reflecting. And because he felt like he did such great work, you know, in coaching, he was a teacher too, but he always said that he felt like he did greater work on the track or cross country course than he did in the classroom, whether that was true or not, he questioned whether or not he was around enough. And he took us to the track, and he took us to meets. And I wish that he had recognized how much we enjoyed that and that it was exactly what we needed was that time around him. I guess what I wish would have been different is that he would have had more value for how he did parent.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:07:55]:
Now you mentioned your dad had passed. And if you could spend an entire day still with your dad doing anything, what would it look like?

Michele Pettinger [00:08:04]:
We’d have coffee together, and we would he would tell me stories of his upbringing. He would talk fondly of the great love that he had with my mom. He would talk of all of his great memories coaching, and we would reminisce on all the great summer vacations. And then we would we would get to what’s happening now, and he’d be so interested in what his granddaughter was up to and and his son-in-law. And we’d talk about my running and and coaching, and I would ask him for advice, coaching advice for any athlete that I might be unsure of what direction to go. And then he would be if in this day, he would be able-bodied, and we’d then go for a run together. We’d go for a run together, and then my mom would make a dinner of spaghetti and meatballs.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:09:09]:
Sounds like a great day. Now I can tell your dad infused a lot of confidence in you and allowed you to become who you are today. How did he encourage you to be confident and independent in your life?

Michele Pettinger [00:09:26]:
I think that the confidence and independence happened more after I was outside the home. After I went away to university, I became an adult and he really allowed me to be an adult and to make mistakes and learn hard things on my own. But even after learning hard things, coming back and still a % being my cheerleader, loving me and supporting me and allowing me to to evolve into the the person that I am today, whether it was always in an agreement or not.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:10:14]:
In this book, as I said, you have really brought a lot of ideas forward. And whenever I bring on a guest that has written a book, I know how much time goes into the writing, the thought process. I as an author myself, I know there’s a ton of blood, sweat, and tears that go into writing a book. So tell me the origin story and why you felt that it was so necessary to write this book and put this out into the world.

Michele Pettinger [00:10:39]:
I think that my inspiration really started working with I work with a lot of adult athletes around their nutrition and seeing their struggle with mixed messages from media and sometimes not coming into sport until later in life and so not having that nutritional foundation. And then that in combination with my daughter, we brought her up in she played club soccer until, I think, her sophomore year of high school, and then that’s when she turned to track and cross country. That was also during the pandemic, and she was schooling at home, and I was seeing how she was eating at home and around workouts. And then from there, she returned to in person school, and I saw the struggles that she was having with maintaining good nutrition throughout the day and around her workouts. And so that is when I had that moment of I wanna reach the youth population and give them this toolbox from which they can learn strategies for where they are now and then carry into adulthood and really help them understand that their bone health and their muscle development and their brain and cognitive function are all being formed now and are gonna affect their future overall health and well-being. So that was really kind of at the crux of this is why I want to write to the youth runner. And then as a coach, I thought I could bring the perspective you know, I understand what these middle school and high school coaches are going through. Sometimes, getting large groups of kids, not having enough volunteers, writing individual workouts, planning practices, race logistics, and the nutrition education can fall to the wayside.

Michele Pettinger [00:12:33]:
So I wanted to give them a tool of, okay. This is how I can here are some simple ideas for how I can inter integrate nutrition education into my run program. And then the I wrote the chapter for parents because, you know, I wrote that for the parent I was ten years ago when I was working in and outside the home and driving carpool and having the pressure on myself to get everything right all the time. And I think that if we are going to have these healthy sport running communities that the youth need to be educated and the coaches and the parents all need to be involved too. So those were some of the things that drove my passion for writing this

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:13:19]:
book. Now I mentioned that you have a new book, The Runner’s Guide to Nutrition, How to Fuel Your Body to Train Smarter, Run Faster and Recover Quicker. And as I mentioned, my daughter enjoys running. She does it for fitness, but she just did that first half marathon. So this was a timely book, and I definitely am planning to share it with her when I see her next. One thing that as I was looking and reading through the book that came up was that your book emphasizes the importance of nutrition in young runners’ performance and well-being. How do you feel that fathers play an active role in helping their daughters develop a healthy relationship with food, fueling their bodies without the pressure of diet culture or body image concerns?

Michele Pettinger [00:14:11]:
That’s a really good question. That’s that’s something that’s very important to me and a message that I hoped to get across the best way that I could in the book. I think that dads are much more involved in meal planning and preparation and grocery shopping and those things now. And I’ll touch on that in a minute. But I think focusing on their daughter being strong and confident, not making comments around appearance. And if they see their daughter struggling with food or body image, inquiring with empathy and curiosity, approaching them with love and just asking a simple question like, how did you feel during your practice today? And if their daughter’s coming to them and and feeling maybe unsure around food or or body image or or questions, listening to them and saying, hey. Let’s let’s figure this out together. Let’s find a plan where, we’re making sure you’re getting the nutrition that you need to be strong, and so focusing on performance and skill and not appearance.

Michele Pettinger [00:15:34]:
And then I think another way I I started to talk about meal planning. I think another way to do that is inviting their daughter to be involved in the kitchen. And one of the reasons I bring that up is because I feel like it can be a really special time between a parent and child, getting them involved, collective learning, making sure that you’re preparing food that is of interest to your child. A lot of a lot of times, under fueling is unintentional, and I think that if the if the parent and the and the child are working together on that, there’s less chance of that happening. It’s also it’s understanding, and that’s why I start the book with a chapter on adolescent physiology. It’s understanding the great energy demands of an adolescent. They’re still growing and develop me developing, and their nutrition needs to first and foremost support that. And then you add on sport and other extracurricular activities and their energy needs become that much greater.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:16:44]:
So Now many young female athletes struggle with self esteem and imposter syndrome, especially in competitive environments. What are some key ways dads can support their daughters, not just nutritionally, but also emotionally to help them build confidence in their abilities?

Michele Pettinger [00:17:01]:
I think focusing on their performance and skill, not on appearance, doing their own research and education. There are some great resources out there that I mentioned in the book. Because the book was on nutrition, I definitely I felt it very important that we discuss some of these nutrition challenges, but then I just provided further resource for resources for research. There’s the National Eating Disorders Association, the Dove Self Esteem Project. I would encourage dads to look at some of those resources, especially if they need to they feel like they need to have start a conversation with their young athlete around body image or nutrition. Being prepared to do that and kind of coming to the conversation with potential solutions.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:17:55]:
Now you highlight in the book the role of family support and the athlete’s success. What are some practical ways that fathers can engage in their daughter’s training and nutrition, whether that’s through meal planning, workouts, or simple simply fostering open conversations about health and well-being.

Michele Pettinger [00:18:12]:
I think I’ll use the example of when I was growing up, it was a different time, and dinner was on the table at five every night. And it was an ideal that I grew up with, and I I carried it into into parenting. I right or wrong, I put a lot of pressure on myself to want to provide that that dinner that and have that family meal. And today’s day and age, schedules just don’t look like that. We’re dispersed at that time of day. And so it’s a little bit of thinking outside the box of that family dinner time. That time of connection, which I think is really important because that’s where some of these difficult conversations can happen. It could be over a brunch.

Michele Pettinger [00:18:59]:
It could be driving to the grocery store. It could be while you’re meal planning. It’s finding what works for your family dynamic. In the book, I tell the story of my friend in Seattle who breakfast was really important to her son. So that was a time that she chose to connect with him. And I don’t I’ll use my my daughter as an example. She used to choose the tough conversations would happen in the car. It was a time when she knew that she had my undivided attention, but it wasn’t necessarily directed right at her, and she felt safe to bring up things to discuss.

Michele Pettinger [00:19:36]:
And it happens during cooking too. So I think that, you know, I think dads are much more involved in the kitchen now. And so not only can it be a time for them to connect, but it can be a time to make sure that they’re creating meals that are going to support what their young athlete’s schedule looks like, understanding that they the type of breakfast they need, what type of snack they need before, during, and after their workouts. And so just discovering together.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:20:10]:
We already talked a little bit about body image, but your book also goes into eating disorders, which are especially common among young female runners. What advice would you give to fathers who want to create that safe space for their daughters to talk about these challenges and feel supported?

Michele Pettinger [00:20:27]:
Every child’s going to be different and approaching the conversation with empathy and you wanna do it in an environment that doesn’t involve food. And you can start simply asking a question like, I can see that you’re struggling right now. What can I do to help? And then also, again, I think it’s that’s where it’s also important to have resources if they are open to getting further help. You have to be prepared for there to be pushback or for them not wanting to open up. And so not pushing that and just saying it’s okay that you’re not ready to talk about this right now, but then having a plan for circling back.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:21:09]:
Now earlier, you talked about that you started running at age 12 with the encouragement of your dad. Looking back, what were some of the most impactful things that he did that strengthened your love of the sport? And how can dads encourage their daughters to enjoy running and movement in a way that’s fun, sustainable, and pressure free.

Michele Pettinger [00:21:33]:
He never pushed running on me. It was just it was part of our lifestyle. It’s Saturday. Friday nights were spaghetti dinner night with the track team or cross country team before the big meets. And so I I naturally fell into it, but he never pressured me to run. If I had gone to him and said that I didn’t want to, that not wouldn’t have been an issue. Nutrition was not at the forefront of the conversation when I was growing up in sport. You know, now we have science to to sport how how much it can impact health and and performance.

Michele Pettinger [00:22:10]:
However, you know, growing up in the Mid Midwest, I had there were three squares a day on the table. And then I ran recreationally in my twenties. I ran my first marathon in ’98. And then from there, I took my marathoning into ultra marathoning. And I was terrified to tell my dad that I was getting into running these longer distances because I feared that he just thought that it would be too much or not healthy or that I wouldn’t be able to to handle it. But instead, and I should have known, he continued to be my biggest cheerleader and now he’s curious about how I was training and and how races were going. And so I think it’s just being present and listening and seeing what’s your daughter drawn to and whether you know something about that sport or not, being curious and just celebrating where

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:13]:
she

Michele Pettinger [00:23:13]:
is and supporting where her interests are.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:16]:
Now we always finish our interviews with what I call our dad connection six, which is a way for us to be able to get to know our guests a little bit more. Usually, it’s it’s our dads on, but when I have other resources and other people on, I put you through the test as well. Are you ready?

Michele Pettinger [00:23:32]:
Okay.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:33]:
What’s one word that describes the relationship that you had with your dad?

Michele Pettinger [00:23:38]:
Loving.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:39]:
What’s the best piece of dad advice that you ever received?

Michele Pettinger [00:23:43]:
If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:46]:
And you’ve kind of answered this question already, but I’ll let you answer it again. What’s one activity that you and your dad loved doing together

Michele Pettinger [00:23:54]:
running? And I have to say my dad was still running when he was 80 and he was probably 80 when we went on our last run together.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:04]:
If you could give your daughter one life lesson in a single sentence, what would it be?

Michele Pettinger [00:24:10]:
Have grace for yourself and forgiveness for others.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:13]:
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself since becoming a mom?

Michele Pettinger [00:24:18]:
I certainly don’t have all the answers and that I’ve been given the gift of being able to learn from my daughter.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:28]:
What advice would you give to other dads who want to build a lasting and meaningful relationship with their daughters?

Michele Pettinger [00:24:36]:
I think I’ll go back to and my husband inspired this a little bit because he says it’s in a man’s DNA to want to problem solve. But sometimes our daughters, most of the time, they just need us to listen, and then they work it through on their own.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:54]:
I’m laughing because we’ve had this conversation before on this show, and definite will continue to bring this up because you’re right. Fathers, men tend to be fixers by nature. And as you said, women don’t always want that. And I’m not even just saying our daughters, but women in general don’t always want that. So I appreciate that you shared that and for that advice. Now if people wanna find out more about you and about the book, where should they go?

Michele Pettinger [00:25:22]:
My website is p3running.com. I’m at p three running coach on Instagram and p three running on Facebook. And the book, there’s a there’s a link on my website and Instagram, but it can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Simon and Schuster.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:25:40]:
We’ll put links in the notes today so that you can find Michele. Michele, thank you so much for being here today, for sharing all of this, sharing your journey and your journey with your father, but also the also the journey that you’ve been on as a coach, as a mentor, and as a mom. And I truly wish you all the best.

Michele Pettinger [00:26:00]:
Thank you for having me.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:26:02]:
That’s a wrap for this episode of the dad and daughter connection. Thanks for joining us on this journey to build stronger bonds and raise confident independent daughters. Remember, being an engaged dad isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and share it with a fellow dad. And don’t forget, you can find all our episodes at dadanddaughterconnection.com. Until next time, keep showing up, keep connecting, and keep being the dad she needs.

Musical Outro Performer [00:26:33]:
We’re all in the same boat, and it’s full of tiny AK. Because those kids are growing fast. The time blows by just like a dynamite blast. Calling astronauts and firemen, carpenters, world to them. Be the best dad you can be. You’re the best dad you can be.

Granddad Sings: Edwin Rayner on Music, Family, and Bonding Across Generations

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Few things bring generations together like music can, and in a recent heartfelt episode of the Dad and Daughter Connection podcast, Dr. Christopher Lewis sits down with the incredible Edwin Rayner—better known as “Granddad Sings”—to explore the timeless bonds between fathers, daughters, and granddaughters. This inspiring conversation is more than just a story of viral fame; it’s a touching lesson in love, support, resilience, and the ways we nurture one another through life’s changing seasons.

The Heart of Fatherhood

Right from the start, Dr. Lewis sets the tone: being a great dad is about true connection. Edwin Rayner, at 92 years young and an internet sensation thanks to the encouragement of his granddaughters, shares moving stories of fatherhood, like welcoming his daughters into the world and then watching them grow, stumble, and flourish through life’s ups and downs. His approach to parenting resonates: be present, offer gentle guidance, and let your children make their own way with your unwavering support behind them.

Music as Family Glue

Another beautiful theme in this episode is how music, both old and new, has woven throughout the Rayner family’s life. From singing while doing chores to making Christmas memories with Andy Williams’ carols, Edwin reminisces on how music naturally brought his family closer—creating traditions, sparking laughter, and even helping process loss. The revival of his singing career on TikTok, pushed by his granddaughters, not only sparked global joy but also deepened their family bonds. Their teamwork—picking songs together, going to the studio, encouraging Edwin to try new genres—shows how shared passions can bridge generational divides.

Encouragement, Acceptance, and Growth

Throughout their conversation, Edwin and Dr. Lewis emphasize the importance of encouragement, understanding, and letting our children and grandchildren find their unique voices. Even when they choose different paths (“I wish they were singers,” Edwin chuckles about his daughters), support and unconditional love shine through. Edwin’s advice to dads, granddads, and parents: be there, give encouragement, work together as a team, and celebrate each person’s journey.

Tune In and Be Inspired

Whether you’re a dad, a daughter, or simply someone who values meaningful connections, this episode is full of heartening wisdom and relatable moments. Listen to hear stories that will make you smile, reflect, and perhaps even sing along. Dive in at Dad and Daughter Connection and discover how music and love can help us all be the best family we can be.

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TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the dad and daughter connection, the podcast for dads who want to build stronger bonds and raise confident independent daughters.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:12]:
If you’re looking to build a stronger bond with your daughter and help her grow into a confident, independent woman, you’re in the right place. I’m doctor Christopher Lewis, and the dad and daughter connection is the podcast where we dive into real stories, expert advice, and practical tips to help you navigate the incredible journey of fatherhood. In every episode, we’ll bring you conversations that inspire, challenge, and equip you to show up as the dad your daughter needs. So let’s get started because being a great dad isn’t just about being there. It’s about truly connecting. Welcome back to the dad and daughter connection, where every week we have an opportunity to be able to build those strong relationships, those strong connections that we want with our daughters. And I love being on this journey with you because it’s an opportunity for us to be able to work together, to learn and grow together. You know, I’ve got two daughters, and as a father of a daughter, every day we need to be able to do something a little bit different.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:17]:
To be able to connect with our daughters and to be able to be the dads that they need to support them in their journey. Every week I love being able to bring you different guests with different experiences, people that have gone through being a dad themselves, but also are going through it right now. And I I love that because every week you’re going to learn something new and gain some new insight into things that you might be able to do to be able to build those strong relationships that you want. This week we got another great guest. Edwin Rayner is with us, and he is affectionately known as Granddad Sings. And he is 92 years old young and an Internet sensation who has captured the hearts of many with his song covers that he sings on TikTok and other platforms. And his journey into the spotlight began with the encouragement of his granddaughters, Laura and Liv, who introduced him to TikTok. And his rendition of Lana Del Rey’s video games garnered 16,800,000 views, which is amazing.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:23]:
I was introduced to him from some other people, and they said, you gotta reach out to Edwin. You gotta see if Edwin would talk to you. And I was so excited when Edwin said that he would. So today we’ve got Edwin Rayner with us. Edwin, thanks so much for being here today.

Edwin Rayner [00:02:38]:
It’s a pleasure.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:39]:
Well, first and foremost, I would love to delve into you being a dad and a granddad. And I know that you are a father, you’re a grandfather. And so as you think about the relationship with your daughters that you’ve built over the years, your granddaughters now as well, What’s one of the most meaningful moments that you’ve shared with your daughters or granddaughters, and what made it so special?

Edwin Rayner [00:03:06]:
What was the moment? Well, I think the when I saw my little teeny weeny weeny babies with their mommy, there they were. What have we got? And we got a little girl. Thank the Lord for that. You know? And then the the second one came along and the same situation. You weren’t born at home, Susan. You were born in, I can’t remember the name of nursing home now. Anyway, there was a little girl, and, and there she is. And it’s seeing your baby.

Edwin Rayner [00:03:36]:
You know this is your baby. It’s absolutely amazing. And then three years and a half later, it all happened again. But this time, it was Susan, and, this time, she was born at home. And, I was there to hold Margaret’s hand with the birth, and that sort of thing is so precious. If you haven’t experienced it, you don’t know. But there’s your baby. That’s your baby.

Edwin Rayner [00:04:04]:
And there you are, and they grow up and they keep growing, and then they begin to talk. First of all, they begin to crawl. They begin to walk. They begin to talk. I remember when my two little girls I used to bath them in the sink. It was a big sink in the kitchen, and, they’d sit on the draining board, and I’d I’d bathed them in the kitchen. I don’t know if that’s important or not, but sort of thing we did. And, and then they watched them grow up, and they they grew into two beautiful, loving daughters.

Edwin Rayner [00:04:36]:
And we, Margaret, and I I lost Margaret ten years ago. We were so lucky, and they’re brilliant now. I mean, they do everything for me. I’ve gone through the period of doing everything for them, and now they’re doing everything for me. So there you go. I still do my own housework, though, saying, Diane. Don’t know. Again, their names ring stuck.

Edwin Rayner [00:04:55]:
You see? So Trey, I call one Diane, and that’s Susan. I call that Susan. That’s Diane. That happens all the time. Anyway, so there you go. My precious moment was seeing my little babies. They’ve all been precious moments. I got married and all the sorts of things that go on.

Edwin Rayner [00:05:11]:
You know, being a father is a wonderful, wonderful thing. And then you’ve got two wonderful daughters. You’re very, very, very lucky.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:05:17]:
So over the years, as your daughters grew, and now you have granddaughters as well, how did you balance guiding your daughters while also giving them the independence to grow into their own person?

Edwin Rayner [00:05:31]:
I tried to guide them, lead them along the pathway that I wanted them to go, and sometimes that’s not easy because they don’t quite wanna go that way. But you’ve gotta be a father. You’ve gotta be I think it was the same. You’ve gotta be a father to a girl, And you’ve got to let them do what they want to do, within reason, of course. You’ve got to let them do what they want to do. There’s a story that comes to my mind. Smacking your children is not done. You it doesn’t happen.

Edwin Rayner [00:06:00]:
It did happen once with my two girls. We were, having a wonderful day, and it was a lovely summer day. Do you remember, Diane? I don’t remember. And we were no. She wouldn’t remember. She was about three years old. And we were playing in the garden, and we got the bath you know, ball out there, and we were playing in the pool. And then we came in to get something from the kitchen.

Edwin Rayner [00:06:22]:
And she was standing at the sink on a on a box or not on a box, on a chair or something, and she was screaming. She’s going, no. No. No. So I said, dine. Don’t do that. That’s just not nice. And then when she didn’t take any notice, she did it again.

Edwin Rayner [00:06:36]:
I said, Diane, if you do that again, I’ll just have to smack you. And she’s, because she’d never been smacked before in her life. So I tapped her on the leg, and she started crying, you see. And it’s the worst thing that ever happened to me as a as a father. You know? I made her cry, and she deserved it. But I’ll tell you, you remember, you you know, things like that. And Susan, well, I’ve never needed to smack Susan. You don’t smack your kids.

Edwin Rayner [00:07:04]:
You talk to them. You love them. And, anyway, there you go. As a father of girls, you’ve got to let the girls not exactly do what exactly they want to do, but when they’re doing something that isn’t quite right or you didn’t think it’s quite right, you can try and gently guide them and say, well, I don’t think Diane or Susan, you should go down that pathway. And if they do go down that pathway and it doesn’t turn out right, like, you just accept that it’s gone wrong and you you knew in your heart that it wasn’t quite right, but you don’t tell your daughter, look, I told you that you should have done that and so it’s your fault. No. You love them. You cuddle them and you say, well, you come back.

Edwin Rayner [00:07:41]:
You you know, we look after you. So there you go. You gotta be a father to a girl. There’s a song. You’ve gotta be a father to a girl. I just think I’ll have to try that one time.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:07:50]:
Were there intentional ways that you worked to strengthen your bond with your daughters, especially during those challenging times?

Edwin Rayner [00:07:59]:
Yes. You’re always there to help. You’re always you’ve got to be there, and you’re always you hope you’re able to help them. Now I don’t know what to say, really. You’ve gotta be there. You’ve gotta advise. You’ve gotta hope they take your advice. But if they don’t take your advice, you’ve gotta accept the fact that they’re young adults, and they’ve got a mind of their own, and they wanna do things their way.

Edwin Rayner [00:08:25]:
I suppose as a kid, I wanted to do things my way. So you girls do things their way. You don’t always approve of what they’re doing. I think I said this, but I think that’s the best I can do to answer that question.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:08:38]:
I know you mentioned that at times, there may be points where your daughters may make decisions that you wouldn’t have made yourself, but that you have to be there to support them, to be there to hold them if they need that, to pick them up and support them in any way possible. How did you support your daughters in pursuing their passions and dreams?

Edwin Rayner [00:09:00]:
Well, when they wanted to do something, enthusiasm, you’ve you’ve got to show that you’re you’re with them, you’re behind them, that what they wanna do is wonderful. So enthusiastically help them, put them on put them on the right path. This is what you wanna do, sweet you know? Diane, Susan. Yeah. Okay. Do do your best. You can only do your best, and we can only do our best for you. But it’s so important that we do love each other, and we do support each other.

Edwin Rayner [00:09:28]:
And, of course, we had a wonderful mom who was unbelievable.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:09:32]:
So I mentioned at the beginning that you’re now known as Granddad Sings online, and people have gotten to know you in that way. And I know that for a number of years, you stepped away from singing after singing for many years and enjoying singing after your wife passed. And I guess many people have heard that story. I would love to hear what was going through your head when your granddaughters came to you with this idea and especially going above and beyond into music that you’ve never touched before into a platform that you probably didn’t know a lot about. And talk to me about that and what was going through your head at that point.

Edwin Rayner [00:10:12]:
Well, you’re right. The fact that I gave up singing, I just thought I couldn’t go on the way I was without Margaret. And so that was it. Given up. Coming on. And one day, grandchildren, Liv and Laura, said to me, granddad, we’re gonna put you on TikTok. I think I’ve said this before. We’re gonna put you on TikTok.

Edwin Rayner [00:10:28]:
And my immediate reaction was, what’s TikTok? Never heard of TikTok before anyway. They said, you’ve seen a song, and we record the song, and we put it on TikTok, and all the people like it or don’t like it. And so I thought, okay then. So I I sang the song, and we put it on TikTok. I think it was something from The Wizard of Oz, which I played I was the line in The Wizard of Oz years ago. And we put it, like, for you on TikTok, and it did remarkably well. Not as well as my latest songs are doing, but it got about six to 8,000 like, which was a lot. And then from there, I got a bit big edit, I suppose.

Edwin Rayner [00:11:02]:
I thought this song went well. We’ll do some more. So, I picked a couple of the songs that I knew because I signed them. And then Leland always said to me, well, granddad, you gotta sing something more modern. I thought, have I? So these modern artists, their songs, and I never heard them before. And then I thought, well, I’m never going to learn this. Anyway, so what we did, I downloaded the song with the artist singing the song, and I signed to the song with the artist singing it. It was so difficult, believe me.

Edwin Rayner [00:11:33]:
And I kept singing, singing, singing about that maybe a hundred times, maybe more. And then when I felt that I’d got the song, I then downloaded a backing track for the song, and then I began to sing to the backing track. Now that ain’t easy because backing tracks today don’t follow the melody in the song in the past, you know, by way and all the songs like that, which I love to sing. It gives you the melody, and you can cope with it. But these songs don’t give you the melody. They give you something which is way out. And learning that is not at all easy, but I do it. And this last one that we put on about a fortnight ago, the Pink and Pony Club, I’m on TikTok and Instagram.

Edwin Rayner [00:12:09]:
And over the two things, it’s had two or 3,000,000 likes. And more than that, I can’t remember how many likes, but it’s been a fantastic hit. But so have the others. I mean, others have got two and three million likes, the these old songs, and it’s it’s unbelievable, really. Here I am at my age singing these songs and getting such response and getting wonderful comments from thousands of people is totally unbelievable. And I just can’t believe it’s happening, but it is happening. Every time I look at my phone, I’ve picked up another twenty, thirty, 50, a hundred followers. And my following now is nearly 13,000,000, I think, isn’t it? 30 I can’t remember, but it’s absolutely unbelievable.

Edwin Rayner [00:12:54]:
I’m gobsmacked, to be honest with you. And the comments are really, really lovely. And some of the comments are people who have been in despair and have been so sad and things have gone all wrong. And sometimes my songs have brought them back and helped them so much. And they’re it’s very gratifying to get people saying things like they do. It’s absolutely amazing, and I can’t believe it. I’m so lucky. I get tremendous support from Diane and Susan.

Edwin Rayner [00:13:22]:
You know? They’re absolutely fabulous. And, of course, I get tremendous support from Liv and Laura, who are my managers or whatever you call them. I’ve got an agent. I told them to believe. Do anything professionally. And Liv and Laura picked the songs, and then they said to me, granddad, try this one. I’d play it. I asked my Alexa, say, play it so and so.

Edwin Rayner [00:13:39]:
Will it? They play it. I thought, oh, the devil. I was I was talking back to me. How the devil? I’ve gotta learn this one. I don’t know. But I persevere. I work hard on it. Sitting in front of that computer, sing, sing, sing.

Edwin Rayner [00:13:52]:
But sometimes, I think, blow this, I’m gonna sing some of the songs. I wanna sing, and I’ve got them all on the computer till I start singing singing those, the songs of my lifetime. You know, I’ve been Crosby. Not so much been Crosby. Frank Sinatra, Matt Monroe. All those people are the songs I used to sing. I used to do an awful lot of religious singing as well. I would sing with choirs.

Edwin Rayner [00:14:15]:
I would sing as a ton of soloist with the choirs, and that’s where it all began. I would, at this time of year coming up for Easter, of course, we will be doing the crucifixion, stainless crucifixion, which is a wonderful work. And I will be tenor soloing with different choirs, but, of course, I haven’t got that voice anymore. But I’ve just found another one, which I didn’t know I had. And people love it. I can’t imagine why. Sometimes when I’m on this TV program, they play something that I did just recently say. And I think to myself, that’s awful, but big fast.

Edwin Rayner [00:14:48]:
Anyway, there you go. That’s the situation.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:14:50]:
I can only guess that over the years with your family that music must have played a role in your family life. How did you incorporate music into your relationship with your children and especially your daughters as they were growing up?

Edwin Rayner [00:15:05]:
I don’t really know. It just became so natural. Whatever I was doing, I would be singing like I’m putting up the Christmas decorations. I’d be singing. We all sang. We would be singing something, and we’d all sing it. It was just what we did. It wasn’t something special.

Edwin Rayner [00:15:20]:
Andy Williams is a big favorite of us all, a big favorite. We had lots of Andy Williams stuff, and we used to sing these Andy Williams songs. And so it’s was was part of our life. We sung rather than talked, I suppose. I don’t know. But, yeah, that was it.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:15:36]:
Now I know that you you’ve mentioned your granddaughters and that they are acting as your, your, your managers per se, and helping you to pick music and things like that. And with this pivotal role that they played in bringing you onto these different social media platforms, how has this relationship expanded? How has this experience strengthened your bond with them?

Edwin Rayner [00:16:04]:
Yeah. We we we it has strengthened the bond because we’re all the three of us, when we’re doing when we’re sorting out songs and singing songs and putting on them on Spotify, I’ve got quite a few on Spotify now. We sit together and we where where we didn’t before, and we’re we’ll say, well, what what do you think we should do? And we talk these things over. And so not only are they my granddaughters, they’re my partners. Do you know what I mean? They’re all part of the show, and without them, the show wouldn’t go on with you know? So it’s I suppose that’s all I can say about that, but we do it has made us closer. They will come up to me and say, granddad, what do you think of this song? And I’ll look at it, and I’ll play it, and I’ll think, I don’t like it. I can’t do it because anyway, they proved it right, but I still like the old songs. I still sing the old songs.

Edwin Rayner [00:16:55]:
They’re my favorites, to be honest with you. But you see, you put an old song on, put my way on TikTok. I did it. I put my way on. I think it’ll about 5,000 likes. Well, big difference between millions and few thousand on there. But the kids today, I suppose, I’d mind you, I get a lot of older people now on this or I think on Instagram, quite a lot of the older citizens, but I think on the, TikTok are the youngsters really. But I think people are getting into it now because I made quite a few CDs, and I used to give them away.

Edwin Rayner [00:17:25]:
I couldn’t sell them because of copyright. And I gave them away, but nobody’s got any CD players anymore because it’s all this bloody Spotify thing in there. And people have gotta download it. Mind you, you get paid for it. Not a lot, but I’ve got, you know, a dozen songs on Spotify. I’m gonna put this one that’s just gone potty and the pink pony club. I haven’t even recorded three quarters of it. Put it on TikTok, but now I’m unless I’m going to the studio this week, and I’m gonna complete the song, and then we will put it on Spotify.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:17:53]:
You mentioned that you have your old standards that you love to sing or that you love to sing in the past and things that you grew up with. You have this new music that your grandchildren and children are introducing to you and encouraging you to try. I guess as you look at the things that you are singing now, do you have some favorite artists that you have sang that you would love to sing more of or things where you say, nope. Not gonna go there. Not gonna go down that pathway.

Edwin Rayner [00:18:21]:
Well, I do say that quite a lot. But some of the songs I like Luis Capaldi, frankly, I think some of the songs he sings, he’s a very genuine guy. I I like Luis Capaldi. And Christina Perri, another lovely singer, lovely girl. And both of those wrote very nice comments about my singing, singing their songs, and that was and the other grandi who was really, really big, she commented on the song. I was singing one of her songs, and she commented which was, you don’t get much bigger stars than than her these days, do you? And she commented. But lots of the stars have commented when I’ve sung their songs. I begin to like these songs that I didn’t like.

Edwin Rayner [00:18:59]:
I begin to, oh, that’s got a nice bit. It’s got a nice melody. And and you begin to like singing them, which you didn’t when you started. And so they’re growing on me. And these artists who I’d never heard of before, they’re growing on me. And when I hear their singing and their songs, I think, yeah, you are talented. And in the past, I was a bloody rao, you know, right? So it goes on.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:19:22]:
So what values or life lessons have you aimed to impart to your daughters and granddaughters through your love of music?

Edwin Rayner [00:19:30]:
I wish they were singers. I’ve tried to impart a bit of that idea into their heads, but neither you don’t sing Diane, do you?

Diane [00:19:39]:
I I do in Bath.

Edwin Rayner [00:19:40]:
Oh, she sings in the Bath, but they don’t sing. They don’t follow me in my singing career, either of them. But that’s fine. That’s not disappointing. I get all the support in the world from her. So I don’t know how to answer that one. I don’t think it’s upset me. I just think that we’re a family, and we do the things that we wanna do, and we support each other.

Edwin Rayner [00:20:02]:
And so there you go. What they wanna do, they do. The fact they don’t wanna sing the songs I mind you, they prefer the songs I’m singing today, I think, to the ones I’ve sung in the past. I’m not sure about that.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:20:13]:
You’ve mentioned a couple of memories and things that you’ve shared with your family in the past. Can you recount a cherished memory where music really brought your family closer together?

Diane [00:20:24]:
The only thing that springs fun, and you’ve touched on it before, was that Andy Williams, Christmas to our family, or to me, you, Susan, and and mum was, in my mind, was was Andy Williams. You’ve got an album on it, Andy Williams, and I still do it today. It’s it’s Christmas time. I’ll play Andy Williams’ Christmas album because to me, that is Christmas, and that invokes all the memories of my childhood and how lovely Christmas was. But, yeah, the music thing for me is Christmas, and it’s and it’s a time now that we have because of the music you’re doing now. It’s a time I come to the studio with you every week. It’s the studio time is something between you and me, and I laugh. We have a good time.

Diane [00:21:08]:
And, obviously, music has brought you and living abroad together. Yeah. And as a whole, the whole family, because the whole family follows you on TikTok, Instagram, whatever. And even people that Steph said, someone shared, one of her friends in America, shared something to her, you know, and it was your Tik Tok, and she said, oh, that’s my granddad. And the bloke said, absolutely not. I don’t believe in you. That’s my granddad. So she had to send a picture of her with huge proving that that is my granddad.

Edwin Rayner [00:21:38]:
Andy Williams. Yeah. It it was one great favorite. And I used to sing quite a lot of Andy Williams songs, and I think there’s quite a few on TikTok or whatever of Andy Williams. Andy Williams was Christmas, wasn’t it, really? Yeah. It was we all had all these Christmas albums, and we’d play these. So, yeah, music has brought us together, and it’s difficult to think of specific times, but certainly at Christmas time. And now at the studio, Diane comes with me every week to the studio.

Edwin Rayner [00:22:08]:
We record the songs, and we have a good laugh. And Diane would tell me I was flat there and no this was not right. And we and, and we we put it right again, and we have a great laugh with Arthur at the studio. Sizzle Studios in Bournemouth, Fantastic musician. You give him a plug. He really, really is the talented musician. He really is. Because on Spotify, you can’t use the backing track that the artists used.

Edwin Rayner [00:22:35]:
You have to make your own backing track. And Arthur is brilliant at making the backing tracks, so it’s unbelievable the the support he we get from him and the way his his ability.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:22:46]:
How do you hope your musical journey will inspire others into the future?

Edwin Rayner [00:22:52]:
I hope it does. I mean, I get lots of comments from youngsters and people and from older people too saying they wish they could sing, they wish they could do what I’m doing. And I always go back to them with encouragement and say, well, you can do. If I can do it, you can do it. You haven’t got to be a brilliant singer. You haven’t got to be something special, but you will be something special. I tell them to some people, if you start if you wanna do it, do it. It doesn’t matter how old you are.

Edwin Rayner [00:23:21]:
Age doesn’t come into it. And if you’re young and you want to sing, well sing. If you don’t start, you won’t get there. And that’s the advice I give. Start singing. If you want to be on TikTok, you want to be on the stage, start singing, and if you can afford it, get some singing lessons too because you’d be surprised what voice you’ve got you didn’t know you had, and the senior teacher will find it for you, and you will be able to sing. I went for years to miss Violet Russell, who was l a r m, big board outside the house. And for for several years, I went to miss Violet Russell to learn how to sing, and we would sing the scales, and she was lovely.

Edwin Rayner [00:24:03]:
It was was Violet, miss Violet Russell, my singing teacher. I should never forget her. She told me I could sing, but I didn’t believe her anyway. Well, I’m trying to prove it. Well, I think I’m a bit late left left a bit late in life, am I?

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:19]:
I was just gonna say, you’re proving her right that that you do have that voice.

Edwin Rayner [00:24:23]:
Well, the voice she taught me was the one to sing the crucifixion and Messiah and and those songs, how to use your breath and how not to that’s the sort of thing she she taught. Well, professional teacher, and she knew what she was doing.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:36]:
What advice would you give to fathers and grandfathers who wish to share musical experiences with their kids and grandkids?

Edwin Rayner [00:24:43]:
My advice would be, do it. Share it. Let them know that you support them. Let them know that you’re with them. Give them something to sing if you like, but they’re part of the team that you’ve you’ve you’ve gotta even if you can possibly be, be a team. Be together. Work out what you’re gonna do, what you’re gonna sing. Give advice.

Edwin Rayner [00:25:01]:
No. That’s not the song for you. Yes. That is a song for you. You know? Be frank and tell them and, work together. I think it’s very important that everything you do, you do for each other. And, yeah, give them advice. Stir them on because that does help so much when people say, that was lovely.

Edwin Rayner [00:25:20]:
That’s nice. It gives you encouragement. And to to kiddies to today and even to older people, if you tell them they’re doing well, encouragement, that’s so important, encouragement. And it makes a big difference. It really does. It makes me think I’d never wanna back up singing because I’m getting so much encouragement. I should be I’m 92. I won’t tell you when I’ll be 93, but it’s someday this month.

Edwin Rayner [00:25:43]:
And encourage. Be with them. Support. Tell them they’re good because they are good.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:25:47]:
I always finish our interviews with what I like to call our Dad Connection six. It’s six more questions about you as a dad. Are you ready? Yeah. What’s one word that describes your relationship with your daughters?

Edwin Rayner [00:26:01]:
Wonderful.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:26:01]:
What’s one activity that you and your daughters love doing together now or even in the past?

Edwin Rayner [00:26:10]:
Well, in the past, we had a caravan, and we used to go to a takeout caravan, tow the caravan to different caravan sites. And what we did, we we we it was so lovely there with the two girls. Not that we ever used them, but we bought some do you remember? Oh, no. No. We bought little knives, and we put little belts around the waist. And I had a little knife, and we used to go walking over the fields together, just the three of us. It brings back so many happy memories. We go into a field where there are cows, and we would all be a little bit wondering if everything was right.

Edwin Rayner [00:26:43]:
But we walk together, and then we we come back. We we were team, weren’t we? We were we were going out with our knives. And I think you said, why we had knives, I don’t know. Only because I had this this knife. Never used a knife in my life. And they wanted one, so we bought two little ones, and they had them on their belts. And that brings back so many happy memories, things thing we did together. I think the first thing like that.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:07]:
If you could give, let’s say, your granddaughters one life lesson, what would it be?

Edwin Rayner [00:27:12]:
It’s important to help each other, to love each other, and to support each other in everything you do. So support is wonderful thing. Just be supportive of each other.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:25]:
As you think back to your fatherhood and being a father yourself, what’s one thing that you’ve learned about yourself since becoming a dad?

Edwin Rayner [00:27:32]:
I think it’s to learn to be patient, to be understanding, to accept that your opinion is not always the right opinion. So that’s it. Be there. Be supportive.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:45]:
And you’ve given a lot of piece of advice today, and you’ve shared some of your own experiences. But what advice would you give to other dads who want to build a lasting and meaningful relationship with their daughters?

Edwin Rayner [00:27:57]:
Be there when you’re needed. Be there and understand that they need help. They need guiding. So just be there. Be there by their side all the time. Never let them go.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:28:10]:
Edwin, I just wanna say thank you. Thank you for sharing your journey today. If people wanna find out more about you and what you’re doing, watching your videos or TikTok, where’s the best place for them to go?

Edwin Rayner [00:28:22]:
I suppose TikTok and Instagram, and then I’m Spotify. I’m putting now going putting lots of songs. Well, began to put songs on Spotify. Spotify, frankly, is taking the place of the CDs, like I said, whereas our new CDs, but now it’s Spotify. People can can log in to Spotify, and they can hear download the songs that they wanna hear. So that’s about it. TikTok, Instagram, Spotify. Oh, yeah.

Edwin Rayner [00:28:49]:
YouTube. Quite a few forty, fifty. No. 80 songs, I think, on YouTube, so go to YouTube as well. But Spotify is getting the ones the the popular ones of today. But I’m gonna put a few not so popular ones on, and I’m gonna just say, no. I’m gonna put this one on and that one on. Some of the songs that I used to love to sing and still do, and some of the songs that are so important to me were so important to Margaret as well.

Edwin Rayner [00:29:15]:
I miss her terribly. Without her, we wouldn’t have been a family like we are because of the wonderful, wonderful support that she gave us all. She was there all the time. So it’s was wonderful.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:29:27]:
Well, Edwin, I again, thank you so much for your time today. Thank you for all that you’re doing to put your music back into the world, but also showing the importance of sharing your gifts and encouraging others to do the same because it’s so important for all of us to know and to internalize for ourselves. And I love what you’re doing, and I wish you the best as you continue this musical journey.

Edwin Rayner [00:29:54]:
Thank you very much. God bless.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:29:56]:
That’s a wrap for this episode of the dad and daughter connection. Thanks for joining us on this journey to build stronger bonds and raise confident independent daughters. Remember, being an engaged dad isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and share share it with a fellow dad. And don’t forget,

Edwin Rayner [00:30:16]:
you can find all

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:30:17]:
our episodes at dadanddaughterconnection.com. Until next time, keep showing up, keep connecting, and keep being the dad she needs.

Musical Outro Performer [00:30:26]:
We’re all in the same boat, and it’s full of tiny screaming passengers. We spend the time, We give the lessons. We make the meals. We buy them presents and bring your AK. Because those kids are growing fast. The time goes by just like a dynamite blast, calling astronauts and firemen, carpenters and musclemen, get out and be the world to them. Be the best dad you can be. Be the best dad you can be.