Staying Vigilant Without Making Your Family Anxious featuring Sam Rosenberg

This week I brought Sam Rosenberg back to the Dad Edge for a special Q&A with the guys in our Alliance. Sam is a former Marine Corps officer and the founder of Live Ready. He spent years protecting heads of state, CEOs, and celebrities, and he has trained tens of thousands of people to recognize threats before they become emergencies. I learned a ton from his first episode, so I wanted the men in our community to put their own questions in front of him. We cover how to build situational awareness in your kids with a simple restaurant game, why "don't talk to strangers" gets it backwards, and what a young child should do if they get separated from you. Sam shares the sticky octopus drill, how to think about safety in a high conflict co-parenting situation, how to teach a teenage boy to de-escalate, how Krav Maga and jiu jitsu compare, and how to stay vigilant without making your family anxious. If you want to be the protector your family needs without living in fear, this one is for you. Timeline Summary [0:00] Introduction and the November promo: The Marriage Drift book, a signed Pursuit of Legendary Fatherhood, and two free courses [4:12] Larry sets up a special Alliance Q&A with Sam Rosenberg of Live Ready, back after his first Dad Edge episode [8:17] A dad with four kids under 13 asks how to help his children become more aware [9:57] The restaurant game: find the emergency exit and the kitchen every time you sit down [13:32] Why "don't talk to strangers" is backwards, and teaching kids to recognize strangeness instead [15:03] Teaching kids to trust their gut, and letting them order at Starbucks to build confidence [17:33] The simple rule if a child is separated from you: find a mother [19:07] Common lures like the lost dog, then the sticky octopus drill and shouting "this is not my dad" [23:31] A dad asks how to protect his boys in a high conflict co-parenting situation [30:11] Teaching a 16 year old boy to protect himself, starting with de-escalation and keeping his ego in check [32:15] A story of teenage boys who stepped in to help and were charged as mutually combative [37:06] Krav Maga versus jiu jitsu for real world protection, and why the instructor matters most [41:29] How to stay vigilant without making your wife and kids feel anxious [45:25] The sheepdog analogy, and giving yourself procedures so you can relax [49:58] Where to find Sam, plus his free book and online Radar course for Dad Edge listeners [52:04] Closing thoughts and where to find the links from today's conversation Key Takeaways Turn situational awareness into a game with your kids, like asking them to find the exits and the kitchen every time you sit down at a restaurant. Teach your kids to recognize strangeness and trust their gut instead of just "don't talk to strangers," and give them a simple plan to find a mother if they ever get separated from you. Rehearse the lures and the drill with your kids, like the lost dog trick, the sticky octopus hold, and yelling "this is not my dad." For a teenage boy, teach de-escalation first, invest in real training, and make sure he understands the legal side, because the goal is always to get out of the situation. Replace anxiety with confidence by building your family's skills and giving yourself times to be switched on and times to relax. Links & Resources Live Ready (Sam Rosenberg): https://www.liveready.co/ Live Ready, the Book: https://www.liveready.co/book Live Ready on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LiveReadyCo Sam Rosenberg's First Dad Edge Episode: https://thedadedge.com/1517 Dad Edge Alliance: https://thedadedge.com/join Dad Edge Day at State Farm Stadium: https://thedadedge.com/nfl The Dad Edge Podcast: https://thedadedge.com/1553 Closing What I'll remember most from this conversation is how Sam turned safety into something kids can actually enjoy, from finding the kitchen exit at a restaurant to yelling "this is not my dad" in a game they'll want to play again. His answer about the dad who worried he was paranoid reminded me that vigilance and peace aren't opposites, and that the best protectors build confidence in their families instead of fear. Pick one thing to practice with your kids this week, maybe the restaurant exit game at your next meal. Go out and live legendary.