Billy Parks on Raising Teenage Boys

Raising kids in a major city has a rhythm of its own. Faster pace. Tighter schedules. More noise. Billy Parks knows that rhythm well.

Billy lives in Los Angeles with his wife and their two boys, ages twelve and fourteen. By day, he works as an investment professional. By night and weekend, he’s deep in the work of raising teenage boys in a world that’s always online.

Parenting in the Age of Screens

Ask Billy what the hardest part of parenting is right now and he doesn’t hesitate. Technology.

Managing screens without turning into a full-blown psychopath is a daily challenge. There’s no clear roadmap, no perfect system, and definitely no magic hack.

Billy’s goal isn’t control for control’s sake. It’s raising kids who know how to engage with the world without being consumed by it.

He doesn’t want to raise screenagers. He wants to raise capable humans. Billy has written openly about navigating tech and teens, including a thoughtful piece on giving his son an iPhone (a loaded gun). You can read it here.

Watching Independence Take Shape

The most rewarding part of fatherhood, especially at this stage, is autonomy. Billy lights up when he talks about seeing his boys run their own program. Getting themselves where they need to be. Handling responsibilities without constant reminders.

Those moments signal something deeper. Trust. Confidence. Growth.

They’re proof that the slow, often invisible work of parenting is doing its job.

The Crew Matters

One thing Billy wishes he’d known sooner is how critical community is. Finding like-minded dads to walk the journey alongside you isn’t optional. It’s essential.

Advice is helpful. Books are useful. But nothing replaces a crew of parents in the same season, dealing with the same chaos, and finding ways to make it work together.

In Billy’s world, the village is real. And when things get hectic, the squad shows up.

A Typical Day, LA Style

A normal day looks like two working parents and two busy kids operating in urban sync. Mornings start with breakfast before the boys take the train to school. They’re even working toward a couple days a week where the kids fully own breakfast themselves.

Afternoons and evenings are filled with practices, games, and quick dinners. Sometimes that means cheap-and-cheerful neighborhood spots. Sometimes it’s eating at home. It’s nonstop movement. Pickups. Drop-offs. Hangs.

Weekends slow down in a different way. Less structure. More dirt. More outdoors.

Keeping Perspective When It Gets Messy

When work, life, and family all hit at once, Billy admits it doesn’t always run smoothly. Sometimes it clicks. Often it doesn’t.

The key is perspective. Progress over perfection. Keep moving forward, course-correct when needed, and don’t beat yourself up for missing a step.

When he needs to reset, Billy heads outside. Away from tech. Into the dirt. Whether it’s fishing, riding motorcycles, or just being in nature, the outdoors recalibrates everything.

Non-Negotiables and What Matters Most

Billy’s one hard line in dad life is simple. Don’t mess with mom. She’s the heart and soul of their home, and everything flows better when that’s respected.

When he gets time alone, he gravitates toward the same things he loves doing with his kids. Fly fishing. Sea fishing. Motorcycle rides. Movies. Dirt under his boots.

Billy’s story is a reminder that modern fatherhood doesn’t require perfection. It requires intention, community, and a willingness to keep learning as the kids grow.

You can follow him at @billyfilm.