# Ep 12: Screwing Up and Showing Up: Mike Knittel on Sobriety, Redemption, and Fatherhood

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dad-manual-7554137/ep-12-screwing-up-and-showing-up-mike-knittel-on-sobriety-redemption-and-fatherhood
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dad-manual-7554137/ep-12-screwing-up-and-showing-up-mike-knittel-on-sobriety-redemption-and-fatherhood.md
Podcast: [The Dad Manual](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dad-manual-7554137)
Published: 2026-03-17T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/e67b2db0
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/e67b2db0/78e808ac.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-dad-manual-7554137/episodes/ep-12-screwing-up-and-showing-up-mike-knittel-on-sobriety-redemption-and-fatherhood
Duration seconds: 3272

## Resource

What happens when a dad hits rock bottom — and chooses to rebuild himself for his kids? Mike Knittel has lived through addiction, CPS intervention, family breakdown, and a long road to sobriety — and he's come out the other side as a father his kids actually call when they need help. In this raw and honest conversation, Mike shares the moments that broke him, the choices that rebuilt him, and the lessons every dad can take away regardless of where they are in their journey. Key Takeaways: Sobriety fundamentally changed Mike's ability to be present — and presence matters more than perfection Kids are far more resilient than we give them credit for, but genuine apologies require open hands, not closed fists Self-forgiveness is the hardest work of all — and the most necessary Your kids don't need a perfect father. They need a real one Modelling vulnerability teaches your children it's safe to be vulnerable too Nature vs. nurture: Mike lands firmly on the side of nurture — how you show up matters The four pillars that supported Mike's recovery: community, faith, books, and radical honesty Parenting from anger never works — learning to step away is a skill worth developing The goal isn't just that your kids survive your parenting — it's that they choose to call you when they're hurting Sit on the floor. Play make-believe. Never underestimate imagination and Nerf guns. This is one of those conversations that will stick with you — whether you're a new dad podcast listener discovering this show for the first time or a veteran father still doing the inner work. If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-dad-manual-7554137/episodes/ep-12-screwing-up-and-showing-up-mike-knittel-on-sobriety-redemption-and-fatherhood/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-dad-manual-7554137/ep-12-screwing-up-and-showing-up-mike-knittel-on-sobriety-redemption-and-fatherhood.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.