Episode 01: Meet the Bradens!
Join Dan & Lynn on their inaugural podcast for “I Do!” and the TradLife Network! In this first episode of the foundation season, Dan and Lynn discuss their family backgrounds, their education, and how they met. Next they begin their discussion of Trad marriage by defining what traditionalism is. Finally, they wrap up with a quick outline of upcoming podcast episode topics.
“Well, this isn’t some ‘let’s go back and live in the 1950’s’ idea. These roles are supported by current medical and psychological science. As we study what makes up the differences between the sexes, and how we come by the behaviors that define our relationships, we’ve discovered that we’re built operate in a certain way.”Dan Braden
Meet The Bradens
Lynn: I loved growing up on the farm and wouldn't change it for the world. Except that after meeting Dan, I found out about all the TV shows I missed growing up because we only had two channels.
Dan: I can't believe that. They only had two TV channels up there on the farm, folks. So we sit there, and I'm talking about, "do you remember what happened on such and such TV show?" And she's like, "No."
Lynn: Well, we only had two TV channels. We didn't have the other 150 channels you guys had.
Dan: You poor, deprived child.
Lynn: I was deprived. I didn't know it, but obviously I was.
Dan: Hello, and welcome to I Do! Life, Love, and Traditional Marriage, our brand-new podcast on the new TradLife Network. I'm your host, Dan Braden,
Lynn: ...and I'm his wife Lynn Braden.
Dan: And we're happy that you joined us today. This is our first episode. Meet the Braden's. You're going to get the chance to get to know us a little better. We'll talk a bit about our past, about what brought us here and why we decided to start the TradLife Network and to do this podcast. Finally, we'll wrap up by starting our discussion into what traditionalism is.
Lynn: So, hello and welcome!
Dan: We hope you enjoy the time you spend with us.
Lynn: Let's Go Trad! Shall I start off and tell our listeners a little bit about me?
Dan: Sure. Go for it.
Lynn: So, as we mentioned earlier, my name is Lynn and I was born and raised in a small farming community in Alberta, Canada. I'm the youngest of three children and we were raised Roman Catholic. I loved growing up on the farm and wouldn't change it for the world. Except that after meeting Dan, I found out about all the TV shows I missed growing up because we only had two channels.
Dan: I can't believe that. They only had two TV channels up there on the farm, folks. So we sit there, and I'm talking about, "do you remember what happened on such and such TV show?" And she's like, "No."
Lynn: Well, we only had two TV channels. We didn't have the other 150 channels you guys had.
Dan: You poor, deprived child.
Lynn: I was deprived. I didn't know it, but obviously I was. Unfortunately, when I was a teenager, my dad passed away very suddenly. And our world was totally changed. My mom, who for my whole life had been a stay at home mom, went back and upgraded her schooling - because she never used her college diploma when she got married. And although it wasn't her first choice, she went back to work to support us. And as an adult, I appreciate everything she had to go through for us.
Dan: So, you've had a lot of experience with different family structures. Then you've had the traditional two parent household and you've also lived in a single parent household.
Lynn: That's correct, yes. Something a little more complex than most of my peers, but I didn't feel any different than anyone else. It was just one of those things that naturally progressed because we had to. Growing up on the farm, you see a lot. So that circle of life is very prominent, and you just continue to go on with life. That's how it worked. But you also learned a lot of lessons. One that is most important to me is how hard work comes with long term benefits. You saw a couple of weeks ago, we planted potatoes at the farm. You were there.
Dan: Lots of potatoes.
Lynn: No, not very many. When we were young, we used to plant hundreds and hundreds of hills of potatoes. We had a whole potato garden just by itself.
Dan: I know you like potatoes. So, this explains a lot.
Lynn: Exactly. Because if you had potatoes, you had a way to provide for your family. We were never hungry when we had potatoes, but I also learned how to can and pickle. We dealt with cows all the time, which, you know, I hate cows, but I love to eat steak. So there's a benefit there.
Dan: I know about cows. You dragged me into the doing cows thing a couple of times now.
Lynn: Yeah. And growing up on the farm also instilled the love of knowledge in me - because on the farm, if you had to fix something, you first had to understand how it worked. Again, both my parents, they graduated from college, which was rare back then. Although my mom, like I said, never used her occupation until later in life. But she installed that love of learning in me. And I think I would be one of those perpetual students if I could afford to go to college nonstop. But right now, my educational background is business administration with mostly a management background.
Dan: Yes. And you've put that you could use for us here. Now if I can back up, I want to ask you a question.
Lynn: Oh, sure.
Dan: You're saying that your mom went to university.
Lynn: That's correct.
Dan: She had a master's degree.
Lynn: Yes.
Dan: But after she obtained her degree, she still chose to be a traditional housewife.
Lynn: Yes. I mean, she raised us, she helped out on the farm. We all did. We all did outside chores and we all did inside chores, but the house was her domain. She ran the household; she ran the garden. She looked after us kids.
Dan: Well, very traditional gender role kind of mother.
Lynn: That's correct.
Dan: And I assume your father went out and worked the farm to provide for your family. Yes. So, I think it's reasonable to say that your parents chose and were happy living their gender roles.
Lynn: Yeah, that's correct. So, what about your growing up Dan?
Dan: Oh, goodness. I grew up with a very inconsistent family structure. Thankfully, I had my grandparents and they were very consistent and stable. They gave me good examples of what a marriage and a relationship between a husband and wife should be. In fact, when I turned 18, I resolved, I was not going to live as my parents and stepparents did. Instead, I was going to do things like my grandparents had done it. I had a really good chance to see both sides: an unstable modern form of family structure, and also occasionally I had a stable, two parent traditional household to live in - where my grandfather worked as a carpenter, my grandmother was a housewife - until the kids moved out - when she did go to work part time, primarily to keep herself busy. It's interesting to me, we've had two different family backgrounds, yet we have very similar views of what family structure works best and what structures don't work.
Lynn: I agree with that.
Dan: Well, and now as far as education goes, I've learned many things over my life. Although I don't have a university degree in one subject, my educational background is in medicine, psychology and neuroscience, with a sprinkling of history and philosophy. If I gathered up all my university credits, I'd probably have more than enough for a master's degree, but currently I'm working towards finishing certification as a life and relationship coach, specializing in pre-marriage and marriage couples coaching.
Lynn: So, let's fast forward some years for people and here we are together. Dan, why don't you tell people a little bit about how we met?
Dan: So, I have to say this is not my first time at the marriage rodeo. It's not exactly the first time for you either. Is it?
Lynn: No. I mean, I had a common law husband who I was engaged with for several years. A wonderful man. Unfortunately, a month before our wedding, he was killed in a workplace tragedy. Then a few years later, I met you. You helped me pick up the pieces and start gluing them back together. I'm messy job trying to heal someone's heart from that. But we'll talk about that in future episode, I think.
Dan: Yeah. We'll have to discuss that. It's an interesting part of our relationship because I've never tried to exclude your prior husband. And I know you say common law, but from my point of view, I see someone that had a marriage experience before, even though legal part of it might not have been performed. Well, anyway, we met on eHarmony - plug there for a wonderful service.
Lynn: eHarmony is a wonderful service!
Dan: I was living in the States. And at that time, you were living in Southern Alberta, one of the Western provinces of Canada. I'm not certain about whether soulmates exist or not, but if they do, you're mine! I took one look at your dating profile, and I was like, "Wow, hubba hubba! I was smitten!
Lynn: I agree. We had one of those whirlwind romances.
Dan: We did! But at the same time, it didn't seem that it was forced or pushed or anything. Our lives blended together quickly. We're a very close match in our personalities and our points of view and our politics. And although you were raised as Catholic and I was raised more Baptist with a sprinkling of this and that, we even have the same ideas about God, about our Christian faith and the like.
Lynn: Right. I mean, we talked, we met, we were married probably within four months of meeting, I think
Dan: Yeah, about four months. Yes.
Lynn: I truly believe that if you spend time answering the questions on eHarmony, it actually works. If you're truthful with yourself and reflect that in your answers, they'll match you with wonderful people. That's how I met my first husband. And that's how I met you. And I believe both were perfect matches
