The DadPod

In Episode 24, we dive into one of the hardest parts of parenting: teaching our kids to do difficult things. Using the challenge of teaching a child to ride a bike as a starting point, we discuss the balance between encouraging growth and managing our own frustrations when progress comes slower than we'd like. We explore how every child learns differently and why the same approach won't...

Episode 23 dives into grief, fatherhood, and the difficult realities that often come with growing older and raising a family. The conversation explores the powerful “grief box” analogy — how grief never truly disappears, but over time life grows around it. The pain button gets hit less often, yet when it does, it can feel just as intense as the day the loss occurred. The episode also challenges th...

In this deeply personal episode of the Dadpod, we talk about one of the hardest realities of adulthood and fatherhood: losing a parent. Daniel shares the sudden loss of his mom, opening the door to a raw conversation about grief, responsibility, and the emotional complexity that follows death in a family. We discuss the difference between anticipatory grief and sudden grief—how losing someone slow...

 In this episode, we get honest about dividing up the workload at home—between us, our wives, and our kids. We talk about where we fall short, how work and life shifts change what we can contribute, and why there’s no one-size-fits-all system. Beneath the jokes about bad habits is a real effort to show up better, create balance, and make sure our partners aren’t carrying more than they should. We...

Social media isn’t neutral—platforms are designed to keep attention longer than intended , shaping behavior and mindset   “What you scroll feeds your soul” — how daily content consumption impacts values, mood, and identity  Jon shares real-world experience raising older kids without social media and what that actually looks like   The importance of intentional media choices , including conversatio...

Jon works in addiction recovery for men, giving him firsthand insight into the impact of pornography and technology addiction. As a father of older kids, he has already navigated many of the tech challenges younger parents will soon face. Technology boundaries at home All phones and laptops are kept in the parents’ room overnight. Children do not take devices into their bedrooms. Devices are not a...

What were some of the best ways we spent our time in 2025? Board games with kids Family time and spouse time

Reviewing our year, what went well, what went poorly Shifting identity when challenges arise and being able to adapt What systems and habits worked well with family and personally Exercise, tracking macros, setting bedtime routines

New year’s resolutions – good or bad? Do they work? Goals do need to specific and you also need to be in the right mindset to make a change, likely why starting on Jan 1st is often ineffective Only 9% of people keep their new year’s resolutions Small steps allow you to make increment changes that snowball into big change

Some dads talk: Friends for your children Public vs charter vs homeschool Can we choose their friends? What can we control? Parental involvement is key How do we create a home environment that allows our children to open up with us

*Santa Spoilers* Gift giving, toys vs books vs college funds Christians and Santa Claus – are we lying to our kids or allowing some imagination to thrive and our kids to have fun? What media do we allow our children to consume? We discuss K-Pop Demon Hunters Are we over-spiritualizing media? Are we teaching discernment or opening them to bad influence?

Some dads talk:  Fatherhood around the holidays Holidays with immediate family vs extended family Creating new traditions  Gift giving

Choosing hard things allows you to keep commitments to yourself and build confidence and helps create the person that you strive to be This can help defeat depression and anxiety We believe this is supported biblically, if we are made in God’s image, we should be pursuing work, hard things, improvement and conquering things in our own lives Charlie provides an alternative point of view on the hard...

Some dads talk: Spender vs saver Which spouse does the budgeting/ paying bills Learned habits from childhood What do we want to teach our children? How we handle giving

Some dads talk joint bank accounts, financial infidelity, long term goals and stats surrounding finances in marriage, one of the biggest causes of strife 

Men in general don’t have a lot of close friends, most do not talk about their mental health Community is key to thriving, especially as we get older Being close and emotionally vulnerable is very difficult as men Talking about our struggles is therapeutic and needed with not just our spouse but other guys

Some dads talk fatherhood as it relates to: Intimacy  Transparency, closeness vs communication of love How are love and intimacy connected and how do we improve these in our relationships with our wives

Some dads talk fatherhood as it relates to: Modeling behavior for our family We don't have to be perfect; we strive to point to Him who is perfect

Some dads continue our discussion on the death of Charlie Kirk How we should respond as Christians  How to have civil discussion  How to decrease the polarization And give advice for the father in a similar situation/mindset as us over the last week

Some dads reflect on the last week of multiple violent attacks; what this means as fathers, husbands and Christians If you have questions or want support: thedadpodofficial@gmail.com

Some dads talk:  Work-life balance   Pornography  Conflict resolution in marriage 

Some Dad's talk about Dad guilt, husband guilt, work life balance, maintaining a thriving marriage and the importance of social connections as you grow older.

Some dads discuss:  Dad styles Struggles with discipline techniques Paying attention to your child’s heart Understanding your own emotions so you can understand your child’s emotions  Expressing emotions with your kids  Positive vs negative reinforcement  Being your families security detail 

Dad's Aaron, David, Chris and Daniel talk fatherhood We answer the questions: What's one moment that made it real for you - that you were officially a dad? What did you think being a dad would be like - and how has the reality surprised you? Who or what shaped your idea of fatherhood growing up? What's something you're still figuring out as a dad?