End of year wrap-up, what's next, and a bit about me.

If you're reading this, thank you from the bottom of my empty coffee cup.

Hello Friends,

No story is more profound in one's life than that of family, whether it's the one we're born into, the one we lose, or the one we build with our own hands and hearts.

At its core, Parental Notion is me telling the story of family, a story that began in pain, moved through prayer, and found its way to blessing. Like any truth worth telling, it's messy, extraordinarily beautiful, and still unfolding.

I'm Johnathan, and at 29 (soon to be joining the 30 Club in March 2025), I find myself in what feels like the middle chapter of a story I never expected to write. A story that began with a young black boy who became a father at 17 fell deeply in love at 18 and found himself a husband at 22. The oldest of nine siblings and foster brother to four more, I learned early what it meant to shoulder responsibility, to look out for others, and to be "him" since age 4.

My childhood wasn't always a given—more of a "nice-to-have." I grew up too quickly, navigating a world that didn't offer safety easily. I started working at 14 and found my way into tech at 19 through a mentor who appeared in my check outline, opening doors a young father desperately needed. I spent my early 20s completely consumed with climbing the ladder of the 9-5 success, building what I thought was safety for my family, and providing my daughter with "more" than I had. Reaching for stability. Thinking that money would make me a good father and a better husband. That as long as they had enough, then I'd always have them.

Then, the world stood still, and with it came the realization of how wrong I'd been about what matters.

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What You'll Find Here

This space exists in two brews:

Notions: These are long-form essays I publish every two weeks on Thursdays, pushing my writing skills and growing my storytelling abilities. In these essays, I will do my best to explore the art and challenges of being an intentional husband and father, written in the margins of my favorite story—the one I live with my family daily. So forgive me now if every two weeks turns into a month.

Momental Musings are the quiet observations and captured moments that make up the poetry of daily life, the joy of the mundane. As time permits, these will be weekly, possibly several times a week. These are drawn from the pocket notebooks I carry, with my ultimate goal of preserving the smallest moments I know I'll miss as my children, my partner, and I grow. How do I know this? I miss those moments now... Moments, I was too focused on career growth to see their beauty. These musings appear as life offers them, each one a meditation on being a better human, a more present father, a more loving husband.

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Looking Forward

The decade ahead promises to be rich with milestones: watching my oldest daughter turn 13, 16, and 21; seeing my son hit double digits at 10, then 13, and 16; celebrating as my youngest daughter reaches 10 and 13. And somewhere in there, marking 22 years of loving the most extraordinary human, I've had the privilege of knowing.

As I approach this next act, I'm learning to embrace slowness. To build not just financial stability but joy stability. To be intentional with time and attention. To develop what I call "slowware"—tools and spaces that help me fall deeply for my every day.

I'm writing to capture as many words and moments as I can. Making coffee and tea for others. Creating spaces for my children's talents to shine. Seeing the world with my wife. Being her biggest fan as she builds out her own dreams. Building works that enable me to be a mindful husband, a present father, and a loving man.

Why Parental Notion?

The name holds both irony and hope. It speaks to all the notions I once had about what makes a family, what defines a husband, and what creates a father—and how beautifully wrong I was about it all. These were the stories I told myself, the dreams I constructed, and the assumptions I made. But the Lord, in his infinite wisdom, had other plans—better ones.

This space is being built as both legacy and practice—a place for my children to one day understand their father's heart, and a tool for keeping me present in the art of living, loving, and growing. Each word here is an act of intention, each story a step toward being better in all three of my roles: Man, Husband, and Father.

If these words resonate with your story, I welcome you here. If you have stories of your own to share, I would love nothing more than to hear them. I pray especially to meet other fathers walking similar paths, seeking to build beauty in the everyday moments of family life. Being a good husband, and a good father is hard. It's harder when you do it alone.

Organizing The works

Writing is more than an arrangement of words—it's a medium through which I strive to become a better Husband, Father, and Man. This year, I've discovered how vital creativity and art are to my existence. They're not mere additions to life, but essential pillars that hold up the cathedral of who I'm becoming.

Parental Notion is my primary work because it focuses on my primary joys—being a husband and father. Yet as we enter this new year, I find myself drawn to expand these circles of connection and creation through two additional projects within this playground we call Substack.

The first is The Friendship Project, a collaboration with Tobi Odeyale , where I explore the delicate art of teaching my children—especially my son—about authentic connection in our modern world. How do we nurture healthy male friendships? What does it mean to be truly present for another person? What does it mean when your friend has a boat?

The second is Indie Thinkers with Daniel Hunter . If you know me, I can't help but find connections everywhere—my wife knows to add an extra 10-30 minutes to any store run because I'll inevitably end up talking with someone who works there. This project is my attempt to speak with brilliant humans and ensure their work finds the audience it deserves.

Supporting This Work

I believe in keeping this space pure in its intentions, so I've decided not to enable paid subscriptions. I know myself well enough to recognize that monetary compensation would shift the significance of what I'm creating here.

However, if you'd like to support this work:

• I love coffee, and you're more than welcome to buy me one

• My extraordinary partner Jalesa Dodson runs a children's book and craft studio focused on family quality time—supporting our small business is one of the most meaningful ways to support this work.
  

If you've made it through this end-of-year breakdown, thank you, honestly. This will be the last proper piece from here for the year, though I might share a few Holiday Momental Musings if time allows (but won't stress over it).

Until next time, John