The Dad Compass Podcast

Send us Fan Mail How do you put your kids first when your own life feels like it’s falling apart? “Divorce made me a better father.” Patrick opens up about what changed when being the provider was no longer his only role—and why having less time with his children pushed him to become more present. In this episode of The Dad Compass, Dmitry and Patrick have an honest conversation about divorce, co-...

Send us Fan Mail When should you talk to your kids about porn, sex, sexting, social media, and everything they can access online? And how do you have those conversations without embarrassing them, shaming them, or accidentally introducing them to something they weren't even thinking about yet? In Episode 59 of The Dad Compass Podcast , Dmitry and Patrick tackle one of the most uncomfortable p...

Send us Fan Mail Father’s Day starts with jokes, gifts, steak, grills, and the chaos of being a dad — but this episode turns into something deeper. On this Father’s Day edition of The Dad Compass Podcast, Dmitry and Patrick talk about what Father’s Day actually means, the pressure dads carry, raising teenagers into adulthood, helping kids understand responsibility, and the health wake-up calls men...

Send us Fan Mail How does a parent look at their own child suffering and do nothing? In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, Dmitry and Patrick discuss some of the most disturbing cases involving parents accused or convicted of horrific child neglect, abuse, and murder. From a 7-year-old boy who died weighing 255 pounds, to Ruby Franke and the abuse of her children, Lori Vallow Daybell's...

Send us Fan Mail **Your Kids Won’t Be Kids Forever | The Dad Compass** One day, the noise in your house gets quieter. The kids who constantly need you grow up. They graduate. They get jobs. They move out. And suddenly, all those ordinary moments you thought would always be there become memories. In this episode of **The Dad Compass Podcast**, Dmitry and Patrick have an honest conversation about **...

Send us Fan Mail When did you first realize you weren’t 22 anymore? In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, Dmitry and Patrick talk about getting older, struggling with weight and health, trying to stay active, and how fatherhood completely changes the reason you want to take care of yourself. The conversation gets into the realities of being a dad: feeling guilty for taking time to work out,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, Patrick and Dmitry talk through the emotional reality of watching your kids grow up, graduate, start driving, face friendship drama, and become more independent. Graduation is supposed to be a celebration, but for many parents it also brings a strange kind of sadness. We talk about the feeling of mourning the younger version of your kids...

Send us Fan Mail Some dads are raising their kids without a blueprint. In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, Dmitry and Patrick talk about what it feels like to become a father when no one really taught you how to be one. From absent fathers and broken examples to raising sons, raising daughters, losing your temper, accountability, discipline, emotional shutdown, and the fear of repeating th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, we talk about what it really feels like to raise kids when you never had a clear blueprint for fatherhood. Some dads grew up without a strong father figure. Some had examples they don’t want to repeat. Some are learning in real time how to lead, discipline, connect, apologize, and show up for their kids while still carrying stress, anger...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast We dive into the hard truth of quiet self-betrayal in fatherhood. Most dads do not fall apart all at once. It happens slowly — through broken promises, repeated excuses, comfort over discipline, distraction over purpose, and delaying the man you know you’re supposed to become. why dads drift from their goals how self-betrayal shows up in...

Send us Fan Mail Kids grow up fast, and as parents, especially fathers, we can get so focused on discipline, chores, school, rules, and daily stress that we miss the bigger picture: our children are growing into incredible people right in front of us. In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, we talk about fatherhood, parenting, communication with kids, recognizing your child’s growth, learning...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 47 of The Dad Compass Podcast, we break down a powerful section from Life’s Little Instruction Book by H. Jackson Brown Jr. called “A Father’s Instructions for Life.” This episode turned into a real reflection on fatherhood, leadership, and the standards we model at home. We talk about: Are we raising tough kids or honorable kids? Are we building character… or just mana...

Send us Fan Mail Are you parenting based on what feels right for your family… or based on what other people expect? In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, Patrick O and Dmitry dig into the “Keeping Up With The Joneses” trap in modern parenting—how neighbors, family, school culture, and social media can quietly turn parenting into a performance. We get real about: Parenting for results vs comp...

Send us Fan Mail Fatherhood can turn a calm moment into a blow-up in seconds. If you’ve ever gone from fine to nuclear , this episode is for you. In this solo episode of The Dad Compass Podcast , Dmitry breaks down the real reason dads get explosive: stress response + identity threat + overload —and the exact tools to stop reacting and start leading with control. We cover the hidden triggers behin...

Send us Fan Mail Parenting for prosperity is not about raising rich kids. It’s about raising capable kids. In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast, “Parenting for Prosperity: Are You Raising Good Kids or Capable Kids?” we ask the wild question: if your kid ran a brand new country tomorrow, would they thrive or collapse in 48 hours? We break down the real “country-building” skills kids need: res...

Send us Fan Mail New Year’s Resolutions for Dads don’t fail because dads are lazy — they fail because the plan is unrealistic. In this episode, "New Year’s Resolutions for Dads: The Weekly Reset System That Actually Sticks," we break down the simple framework that helps you stay consistent when motivation fades and life gets loud. If you’ve ever said "I’ll start next week" or &...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s Dad Compass episode we dive deep into the parenting battlefield—balancing gentle-parenting ideals with real-world consequences. From a smashed TV (true story) to autism-friendly discipline hacks, we tackle the messy, hilarious, and heartfelt moments every parent knows too well. Key Takeaways Why communication > punishment in gentle parenting How to turn accidents...

Send us Fan Mail 🎄 Dad Compass Christmas Special — Christmas is in four days and we’re in full holiday chaos: last-minute shopping, online gift fails, blended family Christmas logistics, and the Christmas movie debates that start arguments at the dinner table. In this episode we cover:  ✅ Our Christmas routines (travel vs chill day) + blended family “two Christmas mornings”  ✅ The online gift f...

Send us Fan Mail Parenting isn’t clean, easy, or comfortable — and this episode proves it. In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast , Dmitry and Patrick dive headfirst into the uncomfortable, hilarious, and brutally honest questions every dad thinks about but rarely says out loud. Would you turn your kid in for a crime?  Would you help them hide it?  At what age can your kid tell you to go f***...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when dads stop filtering their thoughts? This episode goes there. In this episode of The Dad Compass Podcast , we ask the dangerous question: 👉 Which kid would actually run a country… and which one would absolutely ruin it? From brutal honesty and laugh-out-loud parenting moments to cancel-worthy inner thoughts, this episode dives into: Dad takes that probably should...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful and unfiltered episode of The Dad Compass, Dmitry and Patrick dive deep into what pushes dads to finally start their own businesses — and what stops most from ever trying. Fresh off Thanksgiving, the guys talk family moments, leftovers, gratitude, and the pressure many fathers feel to create something bigger than themselves. From sober-living entrepreneurship to c...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back to The Dad Compass — and buckle your seatbelts because this Thanksgiving special goes completely off the rails. We kick things off with the most unhinged headline of the holiday season:   A Florida Man… an inflatable turkey… and a choice no one asked for. From there, everything somehow gets even wilder. In today’s episode we dive into:  🦃 The inflatable turkey incide...

Send us Fan Mail In this totally unscripted episode of The Dad Compass, Dmitry and Patrick dive into the real parenting moments no one wants to think about — but every parent eventually faces. From teens at dangerous parties to kids losing memory in the middle of the night, from bullying situations to dating boundaries and underage drinking… this episode tackles the heavy stuff with honesty, humor...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Dad Compass , Dmitry and Patrick get back to the core of what the show’s all about — fatherhood. In this episode, we break down five of the most valuable level-up tips for dads — real stories, real struggles, and the lessons that actually help you grow as a father. We talk about: 00:00 – Intro & Why Fatherhood Feels Repetitive 03:00 – Learning to Be Present an...

Send us Fan Mail Halloween once meant pillowcases full of candy, unsupervised chaos, and trick-or-treating until the streetlights came on. Today? Moderation, parent escorts, and candy trades for toys. Times change. In this episode, the dads break down: 🎃 The real origin of Halloween 🍬 Candy ranking wars (Whoppers caught a stray) 👻 Horror movies then vs now 🧠 Changes in parenting and childhood...