Dad Space Podcast - for Dads by Dads

Episode 242 - Thoughts on Your Kid Turning 18, How Time Changes and How to Cope With This as a Dad In this deeply personal episode of Dad Space , host Dave opens 2026 with a reflection that hits every dad square in the heart: by the time your child turns eighteen, you’ve already shared ninety percent of all the in-person time you’ll ever have with them. It’s a sobering truth, but one that sparks a...

Episode 241 - The Dad’s Handbook for 2026 - Building Stronger Bonds at Home and Growing Yourself Along the Way The Dad’s Handbook for 2026: Building Stronger Bonds at Home and Growing Yourself Along the Way The new year at Dad Space kicks off with a mix of humor, heart, and inspiration as host Dave welcomes dads to 2026—what he calls “the new car smell” version of fatherhood. In this first episode...

Episode 240 - Married Name Choices - Taylor Swift or Kelce - Should Women Always Take Their Husband's Last Name with Author Melania Joy Murphy In this thought-provoking episode of The Dad Space Podcast , host Dave welcomes author and journalist Melania Murphy to discuss her new book, Bound By Love, Not Tradition . The conversation dives deep into the history, culture, and personal dimensions of ho...

Episode 239 - Happy Holidays from Dad Space - Keeping You Company During the Holidays, A Special Message for Single Dads In this Christmas Eve episode, host Dave Campbell speaks directly to dads navigating the holiday season with warmth and practicality. Set against the backdrop of a busy, emotional time, the episode centers on presence, resilience, and everyday acts that strengthen family bonds,...

Episode 238 - Blissful Unawareness - A Daily Break for Dads from the Noise This episode invites listeners to rethink their relationship with daily information overload by embracing brief, intentional moments of blissful unawareness. Dave reflects on childhood simplicity and proposes practical ways for busy dads to protect mental space, reduce stress, and model healthier boundaries for their famili...

Episode 237 - Technology & Parenting - The Digital Dad’s Dilemma In this episode, host Dave tackles the digital dilemma many modern parents face: how to raise kids in a world saturated with phones, social media, and constant online access, while maintaining healthy boundaries and meaningful real-life connection. He reflects on growing up before smartphones, contrasts that with today’s connecte...

Episode 236 - Raising Daughters - Modeling Respect and Kindness as a Dad As fathers, we're often the first men our daughters look to for clues on how the world works. Your actions speak louder than words, setting the bar for how they expect to be treated and how they treat others. Let's break it down with practical steps you can start today Why Dads Matter in Modeling These Traits Fathers shape th...

Episode 235 - Date Night Done Right - Tips for Rekindling Marital Romance Why Date Nights Matter for Dads Marriage doesn't run on autopilot after the diapers and soccer practices pile up. Dads often prioritize provider mode, but romance keeps the foundation solid for your whole family. Studies show couples who date regularly report higher satisfaction and better parenting teamwork, your kids thriv...

Episode 234 - Movember Comes to an End, Dad Space Continues, An Encouragement for Dads Movember may be over, but the heart of the conversation continues on Dad Space: men’s health is everyone’s health, and the ripple effects of a well-supported dad reach partners, kids, and communities. This episode closes a 30-episodes-in-30-days run by thanking listeners for showing up and, more importantly, tak...

Episode 233 - The Holiday Season is Coming - A Podcast for You to Share With Your Kids - The Daily Santa Podcast In this episode of the  Dad Space  podcast, host Dave wraps up the intense Movember challenge of 30 episodes in 30 days, reflecting on the exhaustion and gratitude of pushing through daily conversations for dads worldwide. As Thanksgiving approaches in the US and holiday seaso...

Episode 232 - Confidence and Arrogance - The Fine Line Every Dad Should Know A simple way to put it for dads: confidence is “I’m valuable and capable,” while arrogance is “I’m more valuable and more capable than you.” Kids, partners, and coworkers feel safe around confidence and small around arrogance.​ Clear definitions for dads Confidence: A grounded belief in your abilities, with a realistic se...

Episode 231 - Why Am I Feeling More Like The Grinch and Less Like Jolly Santa - Where Did My Love for the Holidays Go? Feeling indifferent or apathetic about the Christmas holidays, especially if you once loved the season, is more common than you might think. Many people lose their holiday joy over time due to changes in life circumstances, stress, or shifting priorities. If you’re wondering where...

Episode 230 - Shout Out To All the Dad Space Listeners - We Celebrate Our Amazing Listeners Around the Globe Hey, thanks for listening to Dad Space - here is a list of countries where our listeners are! It is amazing to see how far Dad Space has travelled from a small recording space in my home here in Canada to you, out amazing Dad Space audience Here are the countries that we know of at this poi...

Episode 229 - Legacy - How Dads Create Lasting Change for Families - Presence, Example and Words In this episode of Dad Space, we dive into what legacy truly means for fathers and how dads can create lasting, positive change that resonates through generations. Legacy is more than just financial inheritance or big achievements—it’s the daily, consistent acts that shape who your children become and...

Episode 228 - A Man That Treated Me Like A Man When I Was Just A Kid - Lessons Learned from Lloyd In this heartfelt episode of  Dad Space , the host shares a deeply personal story about an unlikely role model from his youth: a man named Lloyd who profoundly shaped his journey into adulthood. Growing up in a small northern Canadian town, the transition from childhood to teenage years was a con...

Episode 227 - Burnout Busters - Managing Stress and Avoiding Dad Fatigue Burnout is a real challenge for dads—especially in today's fast-paced world where work, family, and personal expectations easily pile up. This episode of Dad Space, “Burnout Busters: Managing Stress and Avoiding Dad Fatigue,” explores effective habits and insights every dad can use to reclaim energy and joy in their daily lif...

Episode 226 - A Story of The Ripple Effect of Depression and Who Else is Impacted by The Darkness Dad Space: Movember, Mental Health, and the Ripple Effect — A Personal Story Welcome to  Dad Space , the podcast for dads, by dads. In this special Movember episode, host Dave shares an intimate story that ties directly into previous discussions on men's mental health and the powerful ripple effe...

Episode 225 - In The Shadow of Silence, A Novel About the Ripple Effects of Depression on Those Around Us About the author Raymonde Dumont, MD, LMFT, is a pediatrician as well as a family therapist. She practiced and taught for several years at Harvard Medical School, and at the Joslin Diabetes Center. Her work focused on the effects of a person's illness through their entire family. She showed th...

Episode 224 - How Podcasts Can Help You Be a Better Dad - Legacy, Lessons and Learnings Podcasting has quietly become a powerful tool for dads who want to leave a meaningful legacy, connect with their kids on a deeper level, and grow as fathers themselves. In today’s fast-paced, distracted world, podcasts offer something truly special: a chance to step back, reflect, and intentionally shape the st...

Episode 223 - Father Figures - The Impact of Grandpas, Uncles, and Stepdads Indirect adult male influences - like coaches, grandpas, uncles, and cousins—play a crucial role in shaping kids by modeling respectful, healthy behaviors, emotional openness, and integrity beyond what they might experience at home. As men, we can actively help our extended families and their children by making ourselves a...

Episode 222 - The Monkey Trap Mindset - How Letting Go Sets Dads Free The famous “monkey trap” story—using a hollowed coconut with a hole just big enough for a monkey’s hand, baited with a treat, to supposedly catch monkeys because they won’t let go of the prize—has been widely repeated, but there’s no reliable evidence that this technique is actually used in the wild. It’s best understood as a pa...

Episode 221 - Out of Place but Learning to Balance, What a Post Turtle Can Teach A Dad Sometimes in life, we find ourselves as human post turtles. Maybe it’s that coworker who somehow got promoted to manager and you’re scratching your head wondering how. Or that pop star who’s suddenly the face of everything, but can’t carry a tune in a bucket. The idea is the same—they didn’t get there on their o...

Episode 220 - An Introvert’s Perspective - The Quiet Truth For Dads About Energy and Connection An Introvert’s Perspective: The Quiet Truth About Energy and Connection In this episode, the conversation centers on a familiar frustration for many introverts—the misconceptions people have about what it means to be quiet, reserved, or private. The host explores three common phrases that introverts oft...

Episode 219 - Trust, Truth, and Tense Talks - Dad Strategies for Marriage Recovery Trust is the foundation of any healthy marriage—but when it’s broken, even everyday conversations can feel like navigating a minefield. This episode explores the warning signs that trust is eroding, why it matters for dads, and practical ways to rebuild connection with your partner and kids. Whether you’re just noti...

Episode 218 - The Pencil’s Tale - Five Lessons Every Dad Should Share and Teach Their Kids The story itself appears to be an anonymous parable, sometimes called "The Pencil Maker’s Parable," but has been attributed to adaptors such as Jimmy Reed and featured in inspirational columns and children’s teachings. Here is the tale: The Pencils Tale. Once upon a time, an old pencil maker took his newest...