Dadicated Joe

53. The Science of Motivating Kids, Managing Tantrums with Jenna Mazzillo

Parents spend a lot of time trying to get their kids to change their behavior. I know I struggle a ton with how to do this in a way that teaches her long-term skills, and doesn't just manipulate her into bending to my will in the short run. The heavily researched science of "behavioral psychology" has the answer! Put simply, humans DO things because they WANT something. I discovered that some of my strategies were actually rewarding the wrong behavior. Like I noticed my daughter Della will clean up a mess for my wife with no problem, but with me it can turn into a whole thing. And that made me wonder if the behavior keeps happening because, without meaning to, I'm giving it more attention than I realized. Jenna Mazzillo is a board-certified behavior analyst, mom of two, and the creator behind ABA Naturally. She brings real behavior science to a challenge I face constantly: how do we help our kids listen, cooperate, regulate, and learn without yelling, bribing, coddling, or sending them away? Plus the science also applies to how we motivate ourselves, our partners, or other adults! What surprised me most in this conversation is that the problem often isn't what we do during a tantrum or moment of defiance — it's everything we do before it. Jenna breaks down why proactive connection, not in-the-moment reaction, is what actually changes behavior over time. And how to help us remember the goal isn't just to change a certain behavior. It's to teach a better skill. If you're a dad trying to stay connected while also holding the line, this one will hit home. It's for parents who want less reactivity, more confidence, and a clearer way to handle challenging behavior without swinging too harsh or too soft. Inside this episode: * Why kids might repeat behavior that gets negative attention * How punishment may stop behavior but never teach a skill * Why over-validating can keep kids stuck in the loop * How 10 minutes of proactive connection helps you hold boundaries with less guilt * What behavior science teaches us about tantrums and motivation * How to help kids listen without yelling, bribing, or disconnecting 👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/ Being Dadicated isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up. It's about committing to the kind of dad—and man—you want to be, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Joe Carr is a dad to Della, husband to Serenity, co-founder of Serenity Kids baby food, and the voice behind Dadicated Joe. Follow Joe Carr on social media Instagram: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.instagram.com/dadicatedjoe/] TikTok: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.tiktok.com/@dadicatedjoe] YouTube @dadicatedjoe [https://www.youtube.com/@DadicatedJoe] Jenna Mazzillo is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Special Education Teacher, and mama Follow her on Instagram: @abanaturally [https://www.instagram.com/abanaturally/]

52. She Fought for Me When Everyone Else Gave Up | I Interview Mom on Mother's Day

For this Mother's Day special, I sat down with my biggest fan, the woman who raised me — my mom, Jackie Carr, aka Nana — for a conversation about childhood, parenting, shame, unconditional love, and what it looks like when a kid who never fit the mold grows up to become a dad who's trying to do it better. My mom was in every parent conference. She heard the same words on repeat — bright, enthusiastic, but…. doesn't stay in his seat, can't pay attention, wants to do his own thing — and while the teachers saw those as problems, she saw something else. She could see I was different and fought for me to be tested even when schools pushed back. She held me back a grade when experts said it would hurt me. She wrote notes to teachers. She showed up. She invested heavily in my love for theatre and performing. And when other parents told her she was "enabling" me, she kept supporting me anyway. Then she listened to my podcast — and found out there was something she hadn't known. This episode is a rare, honest, multigenerational conversation about what it costs to raise a kid the system keeps flagging, what unconditional love actually looks like in practice, and how the things our parents did — and didn't do — shape the parents we become. In this episode: * Why my mom fought back when schools refused to test me or label me * The line between advocating for your kid and enabling them * Why she stopped spanking — and why the research backed her up * How a diagnosis changed the way I saw myself as a kid * The shame I carried that she didn't know about until this podcast * What unconditional love actually looked like in our house * What she sees now watching me parent Della — and what she wishes she'd done differently * How watching my parents' marriage made me commit to doing it differently 👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/ Being Dadicated isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up. It's about committing to the kind of dad—and man—you want to be, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Joe Carr is a dad to Della, husband to Serenity, co-founder of Serenity Kids baby food, and the voice behind Dadicated Joe. Follow Joe Carr on social media Instagram: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.instagram.com/dadicatedjoe/] TikTok: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.tiktok.com/@dadicatedjoe] YouTube @dadicatedjoe [https://www.youtube.com/@DadicatedJoe]

51. Why Dads Feel Unappreciated

Feeling unappreciated as a dad? If you do a lot for your family and still feel invisible, this episode is going to challenge something you might not want to hear. I used to think feeling unappreciated meant the people around me weren't seeing how much I was carrying. What I had to face is that a lot of that pain wasn't about them at all — it was about self-sacrifice, resentment, and the story I was telling myself. In this episode, I unpack why so many dads feel unseen at home, why victim mentality is quietly killing joy in fatherhood, and what it actually looks like to show up from a full place instead of a depleted one. This is for dads who feel heavy, resentful, or stuck in blame — and want a fatherhood mindset built on pride, presence, and real ownership. In this episode: * Why dads feel unappreciated even when they do a lot * How self-sacrifice quietly turns into resentment * Why victim mentality is the biggest threat to fatherhood * What emotional responsibility actually looks like at home * How ownership changes the way you lead, love, and show up * Why serving your family should feel meaningful, not defeating If this episode hit close to home, listen next: How I Stopped Yelling to My Kid: Reparenting Ourselves While Parenting Our Children: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXatbr_sOa0&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=19 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXatbr_sOa0&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=19] Become the King of Your House, and Your Wife's Nagging Will Cease: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv9L_Bhz6bk&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv9L_Bhz6bk&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=4] How Fatherhood Forced Me To Heal My Childhood Trauma: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnIKLRtL_50&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnIKLRtL_50&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=45] 👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/ Being Dadicated isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up. It's about committing to the kind of dad—and man—you want to be, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Joe Carr is a dad to Della, husband to Serenity, co-founder of Serenity Kids baby food, and the voice behind Dadicated Joe. Follow Joe Carr on social media Instagram: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.instagram.com/dadicatedjoe/] TikTok: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.tiktok.com/@dadicatedjoe] YouTube @dadicatedjoe [https://www.youtube.com/@DadicatedJoe]

50. The Pregnancy Fitness Mistake Most Women Make (And What Ben Greenfield Did Instead)

Ben Greenfield's wife lifted and swam until six days before giving birth to twins. That's not the surprising part. The surprising part is what he says he'd change. A lot of dads want to help during pregnancy but still feel unsure about what actually matters. This conversation reminded me that support isn't always big or complicated — sometimes it looks like helping your partner stay steady, protected, and cared for while making smarter choices together. Talking with Ben Greenfield pushed me to think differently about pregnancy fitness, staying active until birth, and the father's role during pregnancy. We get into strength and mobility, why overtraining isn't the goal, and one thing Ben openly admits he'd do differently: international travel during pregnancy. If you're an expecting dad or parent trying to navigate a healthy pregnancy with real life still happening, this one is worth hearing. Inside this episode: * Ben Greenfield's approach to pregnancy fitness and mobility * Why staying active until birth may support recovery * Strength training during pregnancy without overdoing it * The travel during pregnancy risk Ben would rethink today * What dads can actually do to support pregnancy well * Why a dad's role during pregnancy is simpler than most think If this conversation was helpful, you might also like: Baby Biohackers: Dave Asprey on Optimizing Pregnancy & Parenting https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgCk7FklL3M&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=17 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JgCk7FklL3M&list=PLV-0dTh77R_nI1i3WZ7kYeagM51WeC2-h&index=17] 👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/ Being Dadicated isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up. It's about committing to the kind of dad—and man—you want to be, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Joe Carr is a dad to Della, husband to Serenity, co-founder of Serenity Kids baby food, and the voice behind Dadicated Joe. Follow Joe Carr on social media Instagram: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.instagram.com/dadicatedjoe/] TikTok: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.tiktok.com/@dadicatedjoe] YouTube @dadicatedjoe [https://www.youtube.com/@DadicatedJoe] About Ben Greenfield Ben Greenfield is a health consultant, speaker, and New York Times bestselling author of a wide variety of books, including the popular titles Boundless [https://boundlessbook.com/], Boundless Parenting [https://boundlessparentingbook.com/], Boundless Kitchen [https://shopbengreenfieldlife.com/products/boundless-kitchen], Beyond Training [https://beyondtrainingbook.com/], Fit Soul [https://fitsoulbook.com/], Spiritual Disciplines Journal [https://spiritualdisciplinesjournal.com/], Boundless Cookbook [https://boundlesscookbook.com/], and Endure [https://getendure.com/]. Boundless Parenting by Ben Greenfield: https://www.amazon.com/Boundless-Parenting-Tactics-Habits-Parents/dp/0999722778 [https://www.amazon.com/Boundless-Parenting-Tactics-Habits-Parents/dp/0999722778] Boundless by Ben Greenfield https://www.amazon.com/Boundless-Upgrade-Brain-Optimize-Aging/dp/1628603976 [https://www.amazon.com/Boundless-Upgrade-Brain-Optimize-Aging/dp/1628603976] Boundless Life podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/boundless-life/id283908977 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/boundless-life/id283908977] Follow Ben on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bengreenfieldfitness/ [https://www.instagram.com/bengreenfieldfitness/]

49. Fail Well at Fatherhood with SAAD Devon Neisen of Imperfect Dads

Fatherhood has a 100% failure rate. There is just no way to do it perfectly. Fatherhood gets healthier when you stop chasing a rigid role and start paying attention to what your family actually needs from you. Devon Neisen brings so much honesty to that. We talk about his role as a stay-at-home dad, masculinity, the pressure of providing for your family, emotional presence, and what it means to be useful in a family without forcing yourself into some old script that no longer fits. There is nothing soft about this conversation. It is practical, honest, and grounded in the real work of showing up. This one is for dads who feel the tension between identity and responsibility. It is for men who are rethinking success, marriage, work-life balance, and what being a good father really looks like when life does not follow the plan you expected. If you have ever wondered whether your value as a dad is bigger than your paycheck, this will hit home. Inside this episode * Why so many dads tie their value to being the breadwinner * What stay at home dad life can reveal about masculinity and fatherhood * How provider pressure affects marriage, identity, and emotional presence * Why adapting to your family matters more than chasing the perfect dad role * The difference between looking useful and actually being needed at home * How dads can rethink success, purpose, and showing up for their kids 👉 Get 15% off your first Serenity Kids order with code: DADICATED15 https://myserenitykids.com/ Being Dadicated isn't about having all the answers. It's about showing up. It's about committing to the kind of dad—and man—you want to be, even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard. Joe Carr is a dad to Della, husband to Serenity, co-founder of Serenity Kids baby food, and the voice behind Dadicated Joe. Follow Joe Carr on social media Instagram: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.instagram.com/dadicatedjoe/] TikTok: @dadicatedjoe [https://www.tiktok.com/@dadicatedjoe] YouTube @dadicatedjoe [https://www.youtube.com/@DadicatedJoe] Devon Neisen Devon is married with 3 kids and is a homemaker. His side hustle is The Imperfect Dads Podcast! Devon believes that all dads care deeply about their family but rarely have the space to discuss how it's going. The podcast creates a chance for dads to tell the stories of everyday life that make them proud and exhausted all at the same moment. When not making sure the family needs are taken care of, Devon is hosting episodes with musicians, authors, and every day dads to learn about their lives! ( A 9 year old daughter, 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son!) Socials: https://www.instagram.com/theimperfectdadspodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/theimperfectdadspodcast/] https://www.tiktok.com/@theimperfectdadspodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@theimperfectdadspodcast] Biotree/llinks to podcast: https://bio.site/Theimperfectdadspodcast [https://bio.site/Theimperfectdadspodcast]