Dad And Then What

Episode 12: We Started a Podcast... And Then What?

Episode 12: We Started a Podcast... And Then What? When we first turned the mics on a few months ago, we had a plan: share some stories, offer some analytical advice, and figure out this whole fatherhood thing together. We didn't anticipate that talking about being dads would actually become a form of unintended therapy. In the Season 1 Finale of Dad And Then What, we are putting the scripts aside and taking a hard look at what this experiment has actually done to us as men and fathers. We are breaking down the specific moments where we almost quit, the topics that hit us way harder than we expected, and the ultimate accountability check: Has doing this show actually made us better partners and dads at home, or is it just talk? In this episode, we get into: * Expectations vs. Reality: Why we actually decided to start this show, the friction of hitting record, and our early doubts. * The Unintended Therapy: The heavy weight of the "roommate phase" and mental health, and what it felt like to verbalize the struggles we didn't know we were carrying. * Season 1 Core Takeaways: Our top 4 messy, real-world lessons from the past three months—and the dad-struggles we are currently still failing at. * The "Unsaid" Segment: The one thing each of us held back, sugar-coated, or were too afraid to admit during the earlier episodes, but are finally ready to say now. THE SEASON 2 BLUEPRINT – We are taking a strict 30-day pause, but we are not disappearing—we are upgrading. When we return for Season 2, we are bringing you a physical studio, full video formats, 1-to-1.5 hour deep-dive conversations, and actual guests. Your Homework: During this break, we need you to build Season 2 with us. Send us a DM or email with the specific friction points, dad-struggles, or questions you want us to tackle when we get back. Thank you for an incredible Season 1. Listen to the finale now, and we'll see you in 30 days.

Episode 11: Why Your Smallest Habits Become Their Core Memories

Episode 11: Why Your Smallest Habits Become Their Core Memories Do you remember the exact moment you realized: Wait, I’m the dad now. I actually get to decide what our family does on Sunday mornings? We all grew up with certain holidays, weekly routines, and cultural rituals. Some of them felt magical, and others just felt like stressful obligations because "that’s how we’ve always done it." Now that we are the ones steering the ship, we have to figure out what to pass down, how to blend traditions with our partners, and when it’s time to just completely start fresh. In this episode of Dad And Then What, we are talking about the massive impact dads have on creating family culture. We unpack why kids actually care way more about the boring, repetitive stuff than the massive, expensive events, and how your everyday habits are secretly building their core memories. In this episode, we get into: * Nostalgia vs. Reality: Trying to recreate your own childhood traditions—and deciding which outdated, stressful patterns to leave behind. * The Power of Small Rituals: Why things like a special handshake, a weekly dad-and-kid breakfast, or a Friday pizza night create stability and identity for your kids. * Merging Worlds: How to handle the friction when you and your partner come from completely different family cultures or backgrounds. * Starting Fresh: Practical tips for creating new, simple traditions that actually fit your modern family's lifestyle and energy levels. At the end of the day, traditions are rarely about the actual activity—they are entirely about the connection. Whether you are honoring your roots or starting a brand new weekly routine, the choices you make today might just be the exact traditions your kids pass down to their own families someday.

Episode 10: The Dad Bod: Pride or Problem?

Episode 10: The Dad Bod: Pride or Problem? Let’s talk about the exact moment you realized the "Dad Bod" had officially crept in. Was it the jeans suddenly fitting weird? Getting winded just wrestling on the living room rug? Or the realization that your daily macros now consist entirely of leftover dinosaur nuggets and cold coffee? Society loves to joke about the "Dad Bod" as a badge of honor, but the reality behind it is a massive lifestyle shift. It comes from chronic sleep deprivation, the stress-eating cycle, and the heavy guilt that makes taking an hour for the gym feel incredibly selfish. In this episode of Dad and the What, we are having an honest conversation about the physical toll of fatherhood. We talk about the very real, often unspoken struggles guys have with body image and confidence, and how to shift the focus from getting a six-pack to just getting your energy back. In this episode, we get into: * The "Dad Diet" Trap: Why we end up acting as human garbage cans for our kids' leftovers, and how to break the cycle. * The Biology of Fatherhood: How lack of sleep, high stress, and the shift into "caregiver mode" literally change your body. * The Physical Toll: Dealing with the constant fatigue and the inevitable back pain from lugging around car seats and toddlers. * The Gym Guilt: Overcoming the feeling that taking time to work out means you are taking time away from your family. * Practical Fixes: Why consistency beats intensity, how to schedule "dad workout time" with your partner, and why sleep has to come first. At the end of the day, having a dad bod just means you've been prioritizing your family. But you can't pour from an empty cup. It’s not about how you look in a t-shirt—it’s about having the health, longevity, and stamina to actually keep up with your kids. 🎧 Listen to Episode 10 now, and let us know: what was the moment you realized the Dad Bod had arrived or if it never happened?

Episode 9: Sports, Arts, and Unfinished Stories

Episode 9: Sports, Arts, and Unfinished Stories "Parenting isn’t cloning yourself — it’s discovering who they are." It’s a classic dad trap: You grew up living and breathing sports, so naturally, you buy your kid a baseball glove before they can even walk. But what happens when they’d rather paint watercolors than score goals? In this episode of Dad and the What, we are tackling the heavy realization that our kids’ journeys are not our sequels—they are their own debuts. We unpack the subtle ways we project our own unfinished stories onto our children, and the beautiful (but sometimes difficult) process of learning to cheer for a passion you don't fully understand. In this episode, we get into: * Passion vs. Projection: Why we push our own interests, the subtle sting when they reject them, and how to pivot. * The Pressure Problem: The fine line between healthy encouragement and heavy expectation. Are we actually supporting them, or just performing through them for other parents? * Embarrassing Dad Moments: From yelling too loud at a Tuesday night game to crying at recitals and accidentally filming the wrong kid—the hilarious, cringe-worthy reality of caring just a little too much. * Finding the Balance: Practical tips on when to lead, when to follow, and why you should let your kid pick one activity that is 100% theirs. Whether your weekend is spent on the sidelines of a muddy field or sitting in the front row of an auditorium, the real trophy is raising confident, curious kids who know their dad is proud of them, no matter what they love. 🎧 Season 1 is almost wrapping up! Listen to Episode 9 now and share it with a dad who spends his weekends on the sidelines.

Episode 8: The Silent Struggle (Why Dads Don't Talk About Mental Health)

Episode 8: The Silent Struggle (Why Dads Don't Talk About Mental Health) "You can fix a leaky sink, but how do you fix a panic attack?" Most dads are raised to believe that being strong means being silent. We learn early on that our job is to fix things, not to feel them. So when stress, anxiety, or burnout hits, we bury it behind work, humor, or distractions, terrified that opening up makes us weak or a burden to our families. In this episode of Dad and the What, we are breaking the "strong dad = quiet dad" myth. We sit down for a deeply honest conversation about what goes on in our heads—the stuff we usually avoid talking about. We unpack how carrying that heavy, silent pressure eats at your sleep, your patience, and your joy, and why talking about it is actually the ultimate form of strength. In this episode, we get into: * The Silent Pressure: The generational expectation for men to always "hold it together" and why the armor is so heavy. * How It Actually Shows Up: Why dad-anxiety and depression rarely look like sadness, and usually disguise themselves as irritability, overworking, short tempers, or escaping into screens. * The Nap Deficit: Using humor to deflect when you're secretly overwhelmed (and realizing it’s not a midlife crisis, you’re just burnt out). * Breaking the Pattern: Practical, small first steps to take off the armor—from texting a buddy to normalizing therapy. * Vulnerability as Leadership: How opening up to your partner or a professional teaches your kids that emotions are signals, not enemies. 🎧 Listen now, and if you know a dad who might be carrying a heavy load right now, send this to him.