This is Your Parenting Story of the Week:
This week, my boys and I are getting ready for something I’ve been wanting to do with them for years: a real camping trip. Not the kind where you set up a tent in the backyard and everyone goes inside after a couple hours — we tried that already when they were younger. This time, we’re heading to eight acres of open wilderness, with a gutted house that offers us nothing. No electricity, no running water, no creature comforts. Just us, a tent, and whatever we bring with us.
We spent this week gathering supplies and preparing. I gave my oldest, Caiden, a survival book I’ve had on my shelf for years. He’s been reading through different camping techniques, studying how to build fires, set up a proper campsite, and handle the unexpected. This Friday, we’ll put all that preparation to the test.
This isn’t just about teaching my kids how to pitch a tent or cook burgers over a fire. It’s about self-reliance.
Right now, we’re doing this in a controlled environment — on my own property, with my truck parked safely nearby, loaded with supplies. But the goal is bigger. In January, I’m planning a larger camping event with friends and family at Buck Lake over in Ocala. By then, my boys will have some experience under their belts. Eventually, I want us to be able to travel across the country with nothing but what fits in our backpacks, ready to handle whatever comes our way in the back country.
I grew up doing this kind of thing. I was part of a church group called The Royal Rangers, and later, the military gave me even more of this training. These experiences shaped who I became. Now I want to pass that on to my sons. I want them to be prepared to defend themselves, protect their families, and have the intelligence and wit to recognize when systems or governments are overstepping.
Next, this is your insider’s look at the latest in parenting and leadership!
Headlines:
When the State Steps In: What Greenlandic Families Can Teach Us About Cultural Bias in Parenting
Greenlandic families in Denmark are fighting to reclaim their children after they were removed based on parental competency tests critics say are culturally biased. These assessments — which included cognitive tasks, personality tests, and interviews conducted in Danish rather than the families’ native language — have led to Greenlandic parents being 5.6 times more likely to lose custody than Danish parents. One mother was allegedly told the test would determine if she was “civilized enough.” Her baby was taken after two hours.
The Danish government banned these tests for Greenlandic families in May 2024, acknowledging potential bias. But of the 300 cases under review, only 10 have been examined—and no children returned.
My question is, why were these tests being given out at all? When you read something like this, it should make every parent’s blood boil. And before you think, “Well, that’s Denmark, not here,” let me be clear: this absolutely happens in the United States.
You can have an accusation, true or not, and the Department of Children and Families can come knock on your door and take your kids. It happens. The fact that Denmark is doing this on a systemic level with so-called “competency tests” is horrifying, but don’t think for one second we’re immune to government overreach over here.
Different cultures have different ways of raising children. We live in a melting pot, especially here in the U.S. There are different languages, different communication styles, different family dynamics. The idea that a government can create a one-size-fits-all test to determine if you’re “civilized enough” to raise your own child is insane.
I’ve stood my ground against this kind of overreach my entire adult life. Right here in Florida, I pushed back hard against schools, doctor’s offices, the health department, and even against my own department when I was in the fire service. I don’t trust systems that claim to know better than parents what’s best for their children.
That connects directly to why I’m taking my boys camping. I’m preparing them, at eight and eleven years old, to take on new challenges and to think critically about the world around them. If they’re prepared now and continue to grow, they’ll be bigger, better, and stronger than I ever was. They won’t be stuck in a system that tells them there’s only one way to live.
We must find the courage to think for ourselves. If I were a Greenlandic family facing this, I’d have enough resources and knowledge to go to another country and get away from that type of government. But too many people get stuck in everyday life. They trust their government blindly. They go to work, follow the rules, and never think outside the box to better themselves.
That’s not the legacy I’m leaving my boys. The last thing any parent wants is to have their baby taken. We need to stay vigilant, push back when necessary, and raise children who are prepared to do the same.
Next, this is your Alpha Parent of the Week:
Hero Deputy Saves 1-Year-Old’s Life with CPR After She Stops Breathing
When Deputy Curtis Redford of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to an emergency call at a Florida home, he found 1-year-old Catalina unresponsive and not breathing. With no time to waste, he immediately began performing CPR. Bodycam footage shows the deputy’s calm, focused actions as he works to save her life. By the time EMS arrived, Catalina was breathing on her own.
She was transported to the hospital where doctors diagnosed her with a febrile seizure, a sudden medical event caused by high fever that can occur unexpectedly in young children. Catalina’s family credits Deputy Redford’s quick response and training with saving their daughter’s life.
This is the world I come from: First response. And I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shown up to scenes where mothers are putting a lifeless child in my hands, just as I’m getting out of the truck. Why does this happen?
When you become a parent, the doctor delivers your baby and hands it to you. Yes, raising children is instinctual to a point. But there’s no manual. There are parenting books, podcasts, shows — resources like Raising Alphas Project — that give you insights. But at the end of the day, too many parents don’t know something as simple as giving mouth-to-mouth or chest compressions. They don’t know how to recognize when a baby is unresponsive or having a febrile seizure.
These are critical skills every parent needs to know.
I was fortunate. I didn’t have my boys until I’d been married for almost 10 years and had been in the fire service and medical field for 15 years. But not every parent has that background. That’s why I’m telling you: take a CPR class. Learn basic first aid. Get exposure to these skills before you need them.
There are plenty of classes available at local hospitals, fire departments, and foundations that offer CPR training. Just recently, a neighbor of mine lost a child to a drowning. It was heartbreaking. But I found out the other day that the oldest cousin, who’s 13 or 14, actually pulled the two-year-old out of the pool and started mouth-to-mouth. I don’t know if he knew what he was doing or if it was instinct. Maybe he’d seen it on TV. The point is, he tried. And that attempt mattered.
Deputy Redford is our Alpha of the Week because when he found Catalina unresponsive, his training kicked in. He stayed calm. He acted. And because of that, a little girl is alive today.
As parents, we need to understand how to recognize these emergencies and take action.
If you’re looking for a resource today, we are soon publishing a book through Choice Press called How to Save a Life! by Dr. Baburao Doddapaneni (Dr. D). This book covers CPR techniques, first aid, and how to recognize medical emergencies, written for both practitioners and everyday people. This kind of information could save your child’s life! Go to Choice-Press.com, subscribe to our monthly newsletter, and stay updated.
Podcast Insight: Building a Legacy - Bill Valway’s Path from Zero to Business Owner
In this episode of the Raising Alphas Project, we sit down with Bill Valway – an entrepreneur who started at the bottom and built a successful business from the ground up. Bill shares his powerful journey of overcoming challenges, growing his company, and why his true motivation has always been his wife and kids. We talk about what it takes to build a life you’re proud of, the sacrifices and lessons learned along the way, and how to stay grounded as a husband and father while leading a team and running a business.
Alpha Challenge of the Week
This week, I want to challenge you to take action in two ways.
First, prepare yourself for an emergency. Sign up for a CPR class. Learn basic first aid. Make sure you have the skills to respond if something happens to your child. It’s not a matter of if you’ll need them, it’s when.
Second, if you’re a father or mother who wants to take your leadership to the next level, I’m building something new. I’ve been getting messages from young men asking about mentorship, about how to learn from someone who’s failed before and overcome obstacles. Because of that, I’m developing the Alpha Academy, a place where you can learn, grow, and sit at a different table.
If you’re interested in being part of this initiative from the ground up, email us at admin@raisingalphasproject.com and put “Alpha Academy” in the subject line. Tell us what you’re looking to achieve and why you’re ready to invest in yourself. If you’re serious about becoming the best version of yourself — for your family, for your legacy — this is where you’ll start.
Ask an Alpha — We’ll Answer your Question on the Show
Do you have a parenting or leadership question you want some real talk on? Email us at admin@raisingalphasproject.com and put “Ask an Alpha” in the subject line.
Share:
Your parenting challenge in one or two sentences
What you have tried
What you hope to achieve
We may read your question on air and give you a clear next move!
Thank you,
~ Chief Stephen Davis