STEPDAD STONG
Rank 1 – Recruit
Lesson plan:
A comprehensive lesson plan for Rank 1: The Recruit – The Pawn’s Journey (Opening
Moves). This lesson plan will guide new recruits through their first steps in the StepDadStrong
program. The goal is to establish a solid foundation in stability, communication, and family
integration, setting them up for success as they move toward the next rank.
Rank 1: The Recruit – The Pawn’s Journey (Opening Moves)
Core Mastery Focus: Stability, Communication, and Family Integration
Chess Piece: Pawn
Historical Figure: King Arthur – A figure rising from obscurity to become a legendary
protector.
Global Proverb (Native American): “The soul would have no rainbow had the eyes no tears.”
Personality Insight: Focus on agreeableness and openness to new experiences. StepDads
may discover their communication style (introverted vs. extroverted) and emotional openness,
helping them integrate into the family environment with greater understanding.
Overview of the Rank
The Pawn represents the beginning of the journey. While small, the Pawn has the potential for
significant transformation. The recruit will focus on creating stability within the family,
developing strong communication skills, and laying the foundation for effective integration into
the family unit.
Learning Objectives for Rank 1:
● Communication Mastery: StepDads will learn to communicate openly and effectively
with their families.
● Stability Building: Establish emotional stability and structure within the family dynamics.
● Initial Integration: Learn how to bond and connect emotionally with family members,
setting the groundwork for long-term relationships.
Lesson Breakdown & Core Learning Areas
Lesson 1: Introduction to StepDadStrong and Role of the Pawn
Objective: Provide an overview of the StepDadStrong program, introduce the Pawn’s
symbolism, and define the first steps toward becoming a successful stepfather. This lesson
sets the tone for the program.
Sub-Lessons:
1. Welcome & Overview of StepDadStrong:
○ Learning Focus: Understand the overall mission and vision of the program.
Learn about the seven ranks and the importance of each step on the journey to
mastery.
○ Activity: Watch an introductory video that highlights the purpose of
StepDadStrong and the journey of a stepfather. Have participants reflect on their
own stepfatherhood journeys.
2. The Pawn’s Journey – The First Step:
○ Learning Focus: Introduction to the Pawn as the beginning of the journey.
Acknowledge the significance of the small first steps in becoming a protector, just
as King Arthur rose from humble beginnings.
○ Activity: Read a short piece about King Arthur’s rise to greatness, emphasizing
how small actions led to a legacy of leadership. Have the stepdads write down
what “small actions” they can take in their own families to build trust.
Lesson 2: Effective Communication – The Foundation of Family Stability
Objective: Teach stepdads the importance of communication and how to implement it
effectively in a family setting.
Sub-Lessons:
1. Building Communication Skills:
○ Learning Focus: Understand the importance of active listening and clear
expression. Learn the fundamentals of emotional intelligence and how it can
enhance family dynamics.
○ Activity: Read an article on active listening and discuss how it can improve
understanding and empathy. Participants should engage in a paired listening
exercise with a partner or coach, practicing listening and reflection.
2. The Power of Words – Creating Stability:
○ Learning Focus: Learn how words can create or disrupt family stability.
Understand the role of nonverbal communication, including body language,
tone, and facial expressions.
○ Activity: Perform a role-play exercise where one participant expresses a concern
(e.g., household chores, discipline) while the other listens and responds without
interrupting. Discuss how body language affects the conversation.
Lesson 3: Establishing Emotional Stability within the Family
Objective: Teach the stepdad how to develop personal emotional stability, which will help him
bring balance to the family unit.
Sub-Lessons:
1. Self-Awareness and Emotional Regulation:
○ Learning Focus: Understand emotional self-regulation and how to manage
your own emotions to lead by example. Learn to recognize your emotional
triggers and how they impact family dynamics.
○ Activity: Use an Emotional Awareness Worksheet to track emotions over the
week. Have participants reflect on their emotional reactions to stressful family
situations and identify ways to respond more calmly.
2. Creating Family Stability through Consistency:
○ Learning Focus: Learn how to establish stable routines, boundaries, and rules
that create a predictable, safe environment for the family.
○ Activity: Create a family stability plan. This could include setting daily
routines, clear family rules, and respectful communication protocols that
align with values and needs.
Lesson 4: Building Bonds – The Emotional Integration Process
Objective: Equip stepdads with strategies for forming emotional connections with family
members, especially stepchildren, to foster deeper bonds.
Sub-Lessons:
1. Engaging with Stepchildren – The Early Connection:
○ Learning Focus: Learn how to engage in meaningful conversations with
stepchildren. Recognize that emotional connections take time, but small steps
can lead to big results.
○ Activity: Have stepdads practice open-ended questions with a partner or coach
(e.g., “What’s your favorite part of the day?” or “What makes you happy?”).
Reflect on the importance of listening without judgment.
2. The Power of Shared Experiences:
○ Learning Focus: Use shared activities to build emotional connections (e.g.,
playing games, cooking together, doing a craft).
○ Activity: Have stepdads set up a weekly family activity for bonding (e.g.,
“Family Game Night” or “Cook Together Sundays”). They should document the
family’s responses to these activities and evaluate how it strengthened their
bonds.
Lesson 5: Building Trust and Respect – The Cornerstones of Family Leadership
Objective: Teach the importance of trust and respect as the foundation for successful family
relationships and leadership.
Sub-Lessons:
1. Trust Building Exercises:
○ Learning Focus: Learn how to build trust with stepchildren and spouses through
consistency, honesty, and dependability.
○ Activity: Create a trust-building agreement with the family, listing promises
(e.g., “I will keep my word on chores” or “I will be present for family discussions”).
Discuss how keeping commitments builds respect over time.
2. Leading by Example:
○ Learning Focus: Understand that actions speak louder than words. Model the
behavior you want to see in the family, such as patience, kindness, and respect.
○ Activity: Have stepdads reflect on their own behavior for the week and track
instances where they modelled positive behaviors for the family (e.g., showing
patience, respecting boundaries). Encourage them to commit to at least one
positive leadership behavior each week.
Final Project for Rank 1: The Recruit
Objective: Complete a comprehensive family stability plan, reflect on the progress made with
communication, emotional regulation, and bonding, and prepare for the next rank.
Deliverables:
1. Family Stability Plan: Create a written plan outlining the family’s values, rules, and
communication strategies.
2. Weekly Emotional Awareness Worksheet: Complete and submit a worksheet that
tracks emotional triggers and responses over the course of one week.
3. Family Bonding Activity Log: Document three family bonding activities, including
feedback on how they affected emotional connections and trust within the family.
4. Final Reflection: Write a reflection on your journey as a stepfather during Rank 1,
discussing what you learned, the challenges faced, and the steps taken to build
emotional stability and trust.
Completion Criteria:
1. 100% Completion of Exercises: Stepdads must complete all exercises, reflections, and
submit required deliverables.
2. Family Feedback: Collect feedback from family members on the family bonding
activities and communication exercises, and use this feedback for growth.
3. Final Review: Review the progress with a mentor or coach to assess readiness for Rank
2, based on the completion of all tasks and reflection exercises.
Opportunity Hooks for Progression:
● Offer a Personalized Stepdad Journal: This journal can help track emotional growth,
goals, and reflections throughout the journey.
● “First Steps to Leadership” Workshop: A one-day workshop for new recruits focusing
on actionable steps for progressing to Rank 2.
Conclusion
This Rank 1 lesson plan provides new recruits with a structured, yet deeply personalized
introduction to the StepDadStrong program. By focusing on communication, emotional
regulation, and family integration, recruits will build the foundational skills necessary to lead
their families effectively. With clear milestones and actionable exercises, StepDadStrong
ensures that each stepdad’s journey is deeply impactful, both personally and within the family
dynamic.