
Tales from the Dad Side
Richard J. Stephens lives in Carter County and is the father of three little ladies ranging in age from nine to 29. His experiences being a single parent, co-parent, and leader, provide a unique perspective to a wide array of issues families face in our modern times. Fulfilling roles as a youth director, elected mayor, educator, county sheriff and business owner adds to his experiences and bolsters his light-hearted approach to life. Tales from the Dad Side is a journey depicted through one man’s experiences penned through written stories and tales which modern families can relate to as they traverse this life.
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Blazing your own path through life
Posted Saturday, December 9, 2023, at 12:00 AMHer nerves were running in overdrive as she stood at the starting line. The thought of competing in front of others caused an ache in the deep confines of her stomach. The ache, ever so present, was overshadowed by Riyann’s desire to win a medal like her sister so often does. ... -
Keeping Thanksgiving in perspective
Posted Saturday, December 2, 2023, at 12:00 AMKeeping Thanksgiving in perspective As we prepared to sit and enjoy this year’s Thanksgiving dinner everything seemed to be perfect. Each dish turned out great and fortunately, this year, most of the family was able to travel and descend upon our home for some fellowship and feasting. ... -
Keep running from the chickens, friends
Posted Saturday, November 25, 2023, at 12:00 AMRunning from the chickens With the passage of time, every parent reaches that point in life where the children are growing up and the reigns must be loosened a bit. In our family, Lilli has become the child who values friendship and thrives on a sense of popularity. ... -
Sometimes we need a moment alone
Posted Friday, November 17, 2023, at 5:00 PMAs I woke up this past Saturday, an excitement was brewing deep inside me. The excitement wasn’t because our family was planning on attending a special event or going on a grand adventure but rather, because we had our day all planned out. This year for my birthday my wife and I decided we would spend the day working on our property in hopes of getting one step closer to it being ready for us. ... -
A character change: the inner ‘momma bear’ comes out
Posted Saturday, November 11, 2023, at 12:00 AMA shift in character Last year, with the rising cost of groceries and I and Leona (my wife) on a constant search for things which will broaden the girls’ worldviews, we purchased six chickens. The entire process of locating and transporting the perfect animals while simultaneously ensuring that they would have a safe place to nest was a fun adventure for our family. ... -
Fun is whatever you make it
Posted Saturday, November 4, 2023, at 12:00 AMThe day was perfect. The comfortable temperatures and slight breeze made conditions perfect to roll the windows down on the car and simply enjoy the scenery. As my two daughters and I made the turn on College Street in Van Buren I couldn’t help but smile. The sight of students being released from a day filled with learning at the local school, coupled with my having a captive audience inside the car in the form of my beloved daughters, brought back joyous memories of days gone by... -
A little persistence means everything
Posted Saturday, October 28, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs the morning service at the small church concluded it was a tale of two congregations. Half the parishioners stood around talking with others, seemingly not wanting their worship experience to end. The other half were unable to get to the local restaurant fast enough, in an apparent race with neighboring church members for Sunday lunch supremacy, and bragging rights. I watched, honestly, somewhere in between the two, as I made my way through the pastorial greeting line... -
The reality of unexpected kindness
Posted Saturday, October 21, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs the rain poured down, I prepared for what was surely going to be a difficult cross-country race for the girls. As the start drew near, I did my best to do what most parents do, take on the role of alternate coach. Describing how to clear their shoes of mud, avoid puddles, and steadily place each step seemed to come with a moderate amount of the girls simply appeasing good old dad through head nods, while internally hoping he would simply shush so they could get in the competitive mindset. ... -
Just be you and spread your joy
Posted Saturday, October 14, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs I listened to a good friend speak at a training event the other day, her words resounded through me. She spoke about patience and understanding as she shared “make peace, practice peace. Don’t let nothing and nobody have or steal your peace.” As she said those words my mind immediately flowed to a couple days prior when I watched little Riyann doing her best to simply be her, while changing other people through joy... -
Throwing out lifelines for everyone you can
Posted Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs another cross-country season is in full bloom here in the Ozarks, I’ve enjoyed watching along as the girls diligently try to excel. This season has brought with it some instances of joy, moments of frustration, and times of pain and sadness. ... -
Dancing through life like leaves
Posted Saturday, September 30, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs I turned the page on an old, dusty photo album an image caught my eye. The image was one, taken seemingly a lifetime ago, when my eldest daughter was merely a toddler. Within the image, the sight of my child buried inside a large pile of fall leaves brought a smile to my face. ... -
Remember to show yourself a little love
Posted Saturday, September 23, 2023, at 12:00 AMFollowing a day of teaching adult students in a community a couple hours away from home, my goal was merely to get home and see my family. As I pulled into the driveway, I noticed my wife’s car was not there. Unfortunately, I had just missed her and the girls. ... -
Pets — our wild auxiliary children
Posted Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 12:00 AMGet a pet, they said… It will be fun, they said. I guess the fun rests firmly on the beholder. As the days go by with our family the past couple years have been a rollercoaster of emotion where our pets are concerned. Being a pet-loving man, blessed with an equally pet-loving wife, our home has always been filled with an abundance of furry little friends. ... -
Struggling with nerves has no age limit
Posted Friday, September 1, 2023, at 4:19 PMAs we boarded the truck to make the short trip to the school for this year’s first cross country practice, Riyann was visibly struggling to find motivation. Although her sister was filled with giddiness and anticipation Riy seemed a bit off. As I watched the girls through the rear-view mirror, I could see her ringing her hands, as if she was repeatedly attempting to remove some undesirable item. Looking downward, with her chin seemingly resting on her chest, I decided to intervene... -
Our words are their guide
Posted Saturday, August 26, 2023, at 12:00 AMWe were traveling the other day when we not only faced a moderate amount of humor because of the words of my youngest but also, a true lesson in life. Just like any other journey we loaded up the girls and started off for a day of adventure. With a pending medical procedure right around the corner my wife decided that she wanted to take the girls out and have some wholesome family time together. ... -
Patience leads to perspective
Posted Saturday, August 19, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs I listened to my 10- and 11-year-old battle it out, verbally, about silly things like who was wearing whose clothing, why the other choose to look at her sibling in the manner she did, and just how “rude” her sister was being, it took all I had to maintain a levelheaded demeanor. ... -
Trying new things expands old bonds
Posted Saturday, August 12, 2023, at 12:00 AMAs I sat in my living room, relaxing, thinking about what the next morning would bring my beautiful wife described that the girls decided tomorrow we would go as a family and get pedicures. This adventure was not uncommon for the girls. They routinely make plans for the heavenly procedure once every couple months. ... -
Learning new things about my children
Posted Saturday, August 5, 2023, at 12:00 AMIt seems that the longer you live, the more you find out about the dastardly deeds the little angels, in the form of your daughters, did along the way. I spoke a couple of years ago about how my youngest daughter took it upon herself to help her classmates when she was in kindergarten. ... -
Choose wisely how to use your time
Posted Saturday, July 29, 2023, at 12:00 AMUpon returning home this past week from working at the motel, the girls quickly ran outside to complete their chores so they could get back on their iPad and watch some more movies. As Riyann ensured her chickens had water, Lilli began the process of walking the garbage bags to the dumpster. The scene had played itself out many times so for dad and mom, it was rather uneventful. At least, that’s what we thought... -
Walk your own path
Posted Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 12:00 AMI could hear the excitement in my daughter’s voice as she ran down the stairs. As she turned the corner and ran up to me, I couldn’t help but wonder what had transpired to bring such a smile to her face. Holding a small piece of paper in her hand, I listened along, as she described that she has her very own fairy. ...
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