Extraordinary Dads

In this episode we talk with Larry Hagner, founder of the Dad Edge Podcast, who shares about his experience coaching fathers, the importance of continuous learning, creating psychological safety for your kids and spouse, and self-care for Dad. Plus, we hear touching stories of losing and finding his biological father, as well as the new experience of fathering now-adult children.  Chapters 00:00 I...

In this episode, we have an engaging, thoughtful, and heartfelt conversation with our guest, Manish, a stay-at-home dad. Manish shares his journey from working in tech in Silicon Valley to becoming a full-time parent, highlighting the gifts of being more present in his children's lives and the personal growth that he has experienced because of that. We explore the dynamics of being the stay-at...

In this episode Donal and Matthew reflect on the first year of the Extraordinary Dads podcast. Is it doing what they expected? How is it different than planned? What are we asking of the dads listening? (Spoilers: Get yourself in community. Have more conversations about dadding with your community. Improve a little, bit by bit, wherever and whenever you find the inspiration.)

In this conversation, Steve, owner of the Santa Cruz Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Martial Arts School, shares insights into his life as a father and martial arts instructor. He discusses balancing parenting and self-care, education choices for his sons, and the lessons learned from Jiu-Jitsu that apply to life and fatherhood. Steve reflects on his own upbringing, the death of his mother, his absentee father,...

In this conversation, Jeremy (a DIFFERENT Jeremy than last time!), a music producer and entrepreneur shares his experiences as a single dad with joint custody. He dwells on the importance of patience, presence, and creativity in his parenting approach. Jeremy reflects on the influence of his parents and heritage, and shares his viewpoint as a Black father in a predominantly white community. Jeremy...

In this engaging episode of the Extraordinary Dads podcast, we sit down with Jeremy, a new dad navigating the joys and challenges of parenting an 18-month-old. Jeremy shares his experiences of balancing work and family life, the unexpected realities of fatherhood, the importance of patience and presence, and the pressures and expectations that come with striving for perfection. He reflects on the...

In this episode Chad, an “Autism dad,” shares his journey of parenting a neurodivergent child, and how it has shaped his marriage and family life. Chad discusses how his own diagnosis has brought insight and empathy into his approach to parenting his child. This episode offers a candid look at the unique joys and struggles of raising a neurodivergent child, emphasizing the importance of understand...

In this conversation, Max, a “fire killer,” shares his experiences navigating the challenges of parenthood while managing a demanding job. He discusses the unique schedule of a firefighter, the importance of communication and partnership with his wife, and the ups and downs of parenting a young child with a challenging sleep schedule. Max reflects on lessons learned from his own upbringing, the sa...

In this episode Donal and Matthew welcome Matthew's own dad, Larry. We had the pleasure of interviewing him while he visited recently, and he shared his continuing experience of being a dad to grown kids, as well as being a grandparent. Larry reflects on "old school" parenting, proud moments, regrets, and how the expectations of dads and family has changed over the decades. Keywords: grandfather,...

In this episode, we chat with Tom who shares his experiences and insights as a father, discussing the joys and challenges of parenting twins, his approach to teaching them values, and the importance of being present in their lives. He reflects on lessons learned from his own upbringing, emphasizing the significance of work-life balance, and instilling a healthy relationship with money in his child...

In this episode we meet Dan, a 68 year-old father of an 8 year old. Dan talks to us about his experience dadding past 60, about how age has shaped his approach to parenting. Dan works as a Catholic chaplain who ventures into indigenous and shamanic traditions, and we get to hear how he makes space for spiritual development in his daughter's life. Keywords fatherhood, parenting, spirituality, emoti...

In this episode we talk with 30 year-old dad Erik, the father of three children between 4 to 12 years old. He gives us an inside peek into the life and evolution of a young dad. Erik gives us the low-down on his application and adaptations of Gentle Parenting, mistakes and corrections over the years, getting support from family as an 18 year-old with a baby on the way, reflections on the death of...

Annnnnnd here we go! This is our first full episode following our format for conversations: Dads on mics. Drinks in hand. Running down three questions for each episode: What's working for you right now? What's challenging for you recently? What's a recent occurrence in your parenting that you're proud of? No guest this time! Just the two of us. We went all over the place! Bedtime routines, instill...

Every podcast has a first episode, and this is ours! In this inaugural episode we discuss the genesis of this project and where we'd like it to go. The format for our conversation follows the format we use at our monthly dads group: Each person shares a recent proud moment, a recent challenge, and a practical nugget that is working in their family right now. This recording almost wasn't! We got a...