DadHouse

Dad Stories: Raising Kids Off The Grid with Phillip Fry

Build your own home and take care of the kids all in one go. 

Today we are happy to welcome the pigeon man Phillip Fry to Dad Stories, a special segment of the Dadhouse Podcast. This is where we seek out interesting dads with interesting stories. Phillip is the father of four that sold his business in Tucson, bought some land in Northern Arizona, and began to build his own home with his wife. The man is doing it all. 

Interview with Phillip Fry

The question we all want to know is (1:57) what is it like to build your own home as a stay-at-home dad. There have to be challenges, and Phillip lets us know what they are. Then, of course, because we are Dadhouse, we need to know what kind of water heater (3:31) Phillip has. The answer is different from any we’ve had before. But where does Phillip get his water (4:48)

Being off grid as Phillip is, one of the biggest questions we have is how do you potty train a toddler in an outhouse? (9:33). And does Phillip consider himself a homesteader? (11:53). The whole experience presents challenges that most of us will never know. Phillip takes the time (13:53) to let us know what those are and which ones he struggles with. 

What about support? For a dad that is beyond rural, how does Phillip make connections (17:07) Phillip tells of his journey and it ends up in the Dad Lounge (18:50) hosted by Athomedad.org. For other rural dads needing support, this is a great place to go. 

Now it’s time to get to the pigeons! (23:00). Mick has experience with chickens and comes up with chicken math and pigeon math (25:00) which apparently is its own thing. The real question though (28:01) is can we send a carrier pigeon to the next HomeDadCon? 

A huge thank you to Phillip for joining us on today’s show.

Dadhouse Teams Up with Sam Mellinger

An interview with Kansas City Royals VP of Communications Sam Mellinger

In this episode, Dadhouse Teams Up with Sam Mellinger the Kansas City Royals VP of Communications. Not only that, but we also get a chance to talk about our last Man Weekend, a time of the year were we leave it all behind and reconnect with our friends. This year we stopped by a brewery on the way. Grab your favorite craft beer and enjoy this week's episode. 

Catching Up

Right off the bat (0.54) Mick has technical problems. This has become a tradition at this point. But Mick is a trooper and comes back on. This brings us to our first question of the day (2.35): Do you parent genders differently, especially if you only have one gender? It’s an interesting discussion as the dads do a deep dive. Next up (5.47) is the Mike’s Intro Challenge. Which household chore do you hate to do the most? The dads are all over the place, but laundry will always make the list. 

And today we are proud to make a special announcement! (11:39) Dadhouse Podcast is proud to have our YouTube channel up. We’ll do a live record of many of our episodes and put them up if you want to follow along. Unedited and raw, which makes this sound way sexier than it’s meant. 

Now onto Man Weekend (14:35) and why we go. Jake gives a totally great reason that doesn’t sound rehearsed at all. We also stopped by the Levi Garrison and Sons Brewery which was a blast. Next up is Housekeeping (33:01)

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DadCon Dad Advice

One of the great things we’ve done over the last year is to introduce advice from other fathers. We continue that here (36:15) with DadCon Dad Advice.

Interview with Sam Mellinger (40:53)

Sam Mellinger is the current VP of communications with the Kansas City Royals. His 21-year career has ranged from high school sports to the World Series, and the Super Bowl. He began as a newspaper reporter and columnist for the Kansas City Star before making the change to the Royals. The father of two boys, we are proud to have him on our show. 

Sam begins (47:00) by talking about making the change in his career while realizing how it would affect his wife and kids. But he also looks forward (51:14) to creating those lifelong memories that every father needs. Mick asks a great question (53:55) about how we balance the heroes and role models of our children when the person might not be kind in person. It’s the question of whether can we separate the art from the artist. Finally (1:11:20) we get into the Dadhouse Five—Let’s check your dadness!

Thanks for stopping by Sam and sharing your experience with us!

Dad Stories: Rural Living with At-Home Dad Daniel Wilkinson

The At-Home Life in the Sticks

Welcome to a new segment on Dadhouse: Dad Stories. These are the dads that show up every day and do the job. Their voices, their stories, their lives. On the first episode of Dad Stories, Mick and Shannon welcome Daniel Wilkinson, a rural at-home dad showing us how it’s done. 

But before we get to it, please take a minute to follow, like, and subscribe. It helps get stories like Daniel’s out into the world, and it gives fathers the much-needed advice and community that they deserve. 

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Who is Daniel? 

Daniel Wilkinson is the father of two boys under the age of five, and he’s been an at-home dad since the beginning. Living in the geographical center of Texas, his life is more about being outdoors than in downtowns. Previously, he was a geologist that held different positions with both state government and in the oil fields. His wife is the only female OB/GYN within 90 miles. Daniel and his family chose to have him stay home simply because it made sense. 

Daniel’s Story

Dad stories start (5:07) with the tradition of black-eyed peas on New Year’s Eve. If you’re from the South, you probably know the story behind that tradition. (6:00) Daniel gives a little bit of his family history so that we can all walk a mile in his shoes. This is one of the reasons we started doing Dad Stories; to get those other experiences that we can all learn from. 

One of the biggest obstacles Daniel faces is a lack of support (8:32) For many of our rural dads, it can often feel that you are an island. Daniel says that it can be pretty cutthroat in the rural areas and how others view masculinity. From men and women, some always have an opinion. 

Next, Daniel gets into how he builds the memories that are his paychecks (11:01). He doesn’t have to worry about traffic, strangers, and many of the other things that parents living in cities do. Instead, his concerns focus on wildlife and farm equipment. He spends time teaching his boys how to respect both (16:53) and how to always have an exit strategy when dealing with animals. 

During Covid, his life didn’t change much (18:51). The biggest difference is that they just didn’t go to town. One of his best pieces of advice is how you frame things for your kids. They are not hikes or walks, they are adventures. It’s not so much a hike as it is dinosaur bone hunting. There’s a lot to do out in the rural areas. And if you’re interested (22:26), we determine if you can eat an ostrich egg. 

There is a lot of driving for Daniel and his family, and he’s got the experience to help other dads (24:38). He limits drive time to six hours and doesn’t use screens very much. Instead, he takes the time to talk to his boys. In his words “Hopefully we are establishing those lines of communication” that will benefit him and his family in the future. This all goes into practice when he took his kids to Colorado for a week and a half by himself. 

One huge challenge that he faces is connections (27:04). Being rural, there aren’t that many at-home dads around him. He finds his people at churches, feed stores, and in his hobbies such as rodeos and aviation. 

Whenever we have a guest like this, we always ask them for their best piece of advice (31:22). Daniel delivers and helps those that live in an area where the closest neighbor may be 40 miles away. 

Finally, we end this episode with a discussion on cutting horses and how that works (...

Valentine's Day with Jen Mann

What your wife really wants for Valentine’s Day

It’s time to stop worrying, Valentine's Day with Jen Mann and what your wife really wants is here, and Dadhouse has your back. What should you really get your wife for Valentine’s Day? Mick and Shannon interview best-selling author Jen Mann to get the answers you need. 

“Jen Mann is the hilarious New York Times best-selling author of People I Want to Punch in the Throat: Competitive Crafters, Drop Off Despots, and Other Suburban Scourges as well as several anthologies and short collections. Her books are inspired by her immensely popular blog People I Want to Punch in the Throat. Many of her books are inspired by her viral blog posts, including Midlife Bites: Anyone Else Falling Apart, Or Is It Just Me? which was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award.” 

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Before we get into it, follow Dadhouse on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Call-In to connect with us. We would love to hear from you! 

Interview with Jen Mann

1:50—Welcome to the Dadhouse Pod. Stay a while and listen to Jen Mann tell us what women really want for Valentine’s Day. 

4:59—Does Mick give seed for Valentine’s Day?

5:41—Mick goes down the rabbit hole of what he really does for Valentine’s Day. 

7:22—The first perfect gift idea for your special someone. 

8:45—Tip 1—know your wife before you choose! 

11:02—Another great strategy to employee to make sure your gift giving is up to par. 

12:28—What is the biggest stress point for the middle-aged mom, and how can us dads use that to our advantage? “There is a willingness for men to age, but women have all the pressure.” 

13:45—Laying down even more advice that will help. 

16:30—Setting up childcare gives everyone the night off.  Dads, take care of it. 

17:50—Need something saucy? Listen to Jen’s podcast, No Pants Required. Especially the episode with Jasinda Wilder. 

18:30—“When he knows you so well…” 

1923—Is getting the car detailed a great gift? 

20:00—Mick gets all sweet. 

23:05—What was Mick’s worst gift to his wife? 

24:35—What was Shannon’s worst gift to his wife? 

26:32—What Jen Man’s most amazing gift that she has received. 

29:47—Jen rates the most common gifts. 

34:07—The perfect Valentine’s Day gift? A water heater. 

The Dadhouse 5

35:00—Let’s check Jen Mann’s Dadness! 

Thanks to everyone for a great show and interview. Follow Jen Mann on Substack, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and get your daily life. Find her books on Amazon and make sure you get your wife the perfect gift with a book full of laughs.

Your Child's First Phone with Doctor Catherine Pearlman

What you need to know  before taking the plunge

In this episode, Dadhouse tries to answer every question you have about your child’s first phone and them going digital. The guest today is Dr. Catherine Pearlman, author of First Phone: A Child’s Guide to Digital Responsibility, Safety, and Etiquette. Dr. Pearlman is a licensed clinical social worker. The dads are grateful that she stopped by to share her wisdom on a subject that so many of us have an issue with.

Socials

Before we get into it, follow Dadhouse on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Call-In to connect with us. We would love to hear from you! 

Interview with Dr. Pearlman

2:47—When should a kid get their first one? It’s the question that we all want an answer to. 

5:29—Solving your problem. A philosophy that will take your parenting to the next level. 

7:37—“The job of a parent is to put ourselves out of a job.” Dr. Pearlman dropping some wisdom on us. 

9:26—Do we have this fear of failure as Gen X parents? What can we do about it. 

11:15—Shannon wrote an article that tries to answer the question: Are we helicopter parents now? 

16:08—Mick’s take on which part of Dr. Pearlman’s book hit home for him the most. 

21:51—Shannon gets a dick pic and uses it to teach his teenage daughter the dangers of social media. What rules does Dr. Pearlman have for the transitional period our kids go through when it comes to being online. 

26:09—Is there a clearing house where parents can keep track of scams? 

The Dadhouse 5

28:24—It is time to check Dr. Pearlman’s Dadness! Tell us what you think of her answers. 

Thanks for another great episode of Dadhouse. You can find Dr. Pearlman at The Family Coach as well as on Twitter and Instagram. She would love to hear from you and let her know you heard her on the Dadhouse podcast.

Time Management and Parenting

How to organize yourself and your kids. 

Welcome Back to Dad house! This week, we tackle the great fight in a Parents Life-Time Management. We are all busy and sometimes it feels like you can’t get ahead. We've all been there. Let the dads tell you what worked for them, and more importantly, what didn’t. Let’s get into it! 

The Talk-About:

:51—Today’s intro challenge: What is your favorite Christmas tradition? 

10:40—Mick does something that he hasn’t done in seventeen years. 

14:02—It’s colonoscopy time! Need advice for medical butt play? Here it is!

19:43—Paint gun parenting vengeance. When you take out fifteen years of frustration on the kids. Head over to our Instagram to see what Shannon did to Mick. 

23:39: Follow Dadhouse on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Call-In to connect with us. We would love to hear from you! 

 25: 01-Chicken Update-Things went BAD.

30: 19—Some good dad advice from the HomeDadCon from The Bro Dad. And if you want more on how to find your identity as a dad, go back to Dadhouse Episode #9. 

Time Management for Parents

37:44-How do you manage cleaning when the kids are very young. It’s a time suck, and one of the hardest parts of parenting. 

41: 47- Time management with school age kids. When the kids are from five to 12, what are the challenges we face now? How do we adapt? 

47: 51- Now we move onto Teenagers. It’s never easy when they start to grow up. There are new challenges and new things to be excited about. But it can still feel like we are pulled in every direction. 

53: 45- Our Last Piece Advice on Time management as a Parent. 

Thanks for stopping by! And if you’ve got a question you would like the dads to answer, go to Ask A Dad, and they will take care of you!

Teaching Your Teen to Drive

New drivers and what dads need to know. 

There is a lot to know for a new driver. As a beginner behind the wheel, lots of images go into a father’s head. From making sure they know the rules and regulations of driving to what a teenager should know about car maintenance. Well, the Dadhouse guys have been through it. So learn from their mistakes, and cheer on their victories in this episode of Dadhouse!  Plus we chat about fun Mick is dealing with, Shannon’s vacation to Disney, a very fun Chicken update, and more. 

The Intro Challenge and What the Dads Have Been Doing

00.56—Todays intro question of the day: What bone have you broken in your body. Will there be a dick joke? Maybe. 

10:01—Donut recommendation! If you’re in Kansas City, stop by the Donut King—some of the best donuts in the area. 

10:57—Shannon goes to Disney and hit 20K steps a day. This is how it’s done. 

13:30—Mike and Amanda ditched the kids, and celebrated their 20th anniversary by taking their own trip! 

22:23-- Follow Dadhouse on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Call-In to connect with us. 

24:05—The Chicken update and it’s getting way weird. 

25:28—This week’s Dadcon Dad Advice is Keith Nagel who talks about taking the kids where dad wants to go. Plus the dads give their best advice on taking your kids to those places. 

Teen Drivers and What You Need to Know! 

29:38—Teens and driving can be difficult, but it can also give you a lot more freedom. Let’s get into it. 

30:22—Where do you even start with even teaching your kids how to drive? 

34:33—Today we learn that there is something called a Farmer’s Permit and a thing. 

37:30—Mike talks about the benefit of learning without a parent in the car, and he’s got a point. 

38:22—Jake talks about how it can be difficult to teach your own children because of the way they view us. Teenagers may not want to listen to their parents at all. 

Learning How to Take Care of a Car

43:01—What should we begin to teach them, and where do we get blinker fluid from? 

49:45—Should you buy your kid their own car and how to buy one in a world of constant inflation.

Dads and Movies

The Best and Worst Movies for Dad

What makes a good dad movie? What’s a good dad in a movie? And what’s a bad dad? In this episode of Dadhouse, we get right into it and dig deep. Jake, Mike, Mick, Larry, and Shannon are on the hunt for the best movies that feature dad. And if they skipped one, feel free to jump in and give us your opinion. I mean, you’re wrong, but hey, everyone gets a voice. 

Before we get started, follow Dadhouse on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Call-In to connect with us. 

5:00: Which generations do the dads belong to? Gen X, Millennials? Is Mick a baby boomer? 

7:55: Mike’s epic adventure into Facebook Marketplace to help his wife work from home. 

11:45—Jake finally has a clean garage! 

15:37—And now it’s time to welcome Rusty and get to the dad movies! 

15:45—We’re off, what movies have a good dad in it? What makes a dad in a movie? 

18:34—What do the dads think of the movie Mr. Mom? We finally address it here. 

23:04-- Name the dad from the quote: “Go tell her! Go tell her that you love her!” It’s a Christmas movie. 

24:26—Ok, here it is; the actor that is the best movie father in almost all his movies. 

28:53—Now that we’ve pointed out the great dads in movies, it’s time to get to the best movies to watch with your kids. 

38:42—What movies will Shannon NOT watch with his kids? 

40:22—What movie mistakes have you watched with your kids. 

45:00—What quotes are our kids taking from movies. There are some inappropriate ones here. 

53:21—Takeaway time! What advice does Dadhouse have for those looking to get into movies with their kids.

The YouTube show that gets dads right. 

Welcome to a new episode of Dadhouse! Today we chat with the creators of The Turf Valley Show.  Adam Rodgers and Thomas Ventimiglia are here to talk about the inspiration that brings three stay-at-home dads to life in this humorous and fantastic web series. What sets this show apart is that the dads are not morons. Sure, there are laughs, but each stay-at-home dad is committed to getting parenting right and taking us all through the journey. Funny, well written, and with short episodes that fit the life of a parent, The Turf Valley Show is a must watch. So as Mike says, let’s see how the sausage is made. 

Catching up with the dads

1:30—This week we start with the rabbit holes we all go down on YouTube. There’s so much on there, how do you even find what’s good? Some of our favorites include Mark Rober, Chapel Hart, an Elden Ring Walkthrough, How Things Are Made, How it is Actually Made (satire), and Ze Frank.

12:27 --For the record, it’s the Bare-Nosed Wombat that makes square poop. 

13:52—Mike’s latest YouTube rabbit hole is figuring out how to fix his daughter’s transmission. 

 15:00—Let’s get into The Turf Valley Show! The Turf Valley Show is a “sitcom in a new format.” 

From their website:  Turf Valley “is a short-form digital series that follows three stay-at-home dads who, after ushering their kids onto the bus, hang back to shoot the existential breeze.” 

18:19—The dads go into our latest Dads Night Out. If you need to get out of the house, find a group near you. 

25:30—Here’s your housekeeping for this week!

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27:25—Chicken Update! Who is the chicken’s favorite person? And who is at Mick’s door? 

29:55—Dadcon Dad advice. What is the best diaper cream? 

The interview with Adam Rodgers and Thomas Ventimiglia

Times are hard and people need to laugh, and you can laugh at dads. Why? Because dads can take it. Turf Valley is a short form digital series that follows three stay-at-home dads who, after ushering their kids on the bus, stay back and shoot the existential breeze.  

30:00—And here we go, our interview with Adam and Tom!

32:33—Where did the idea for the Turf Valley Show come from? 

36:16—So Turf Valley is an actual place. Is this where the show was filmed? And what was the inspiration for the opening scene at the bus stop? 

41:40—What happens when The Turf Valley Show gets to Twilight Level Famous? What’s the plan so we can take a pilgrimage to Turf Valley? 

44:30—The episodes for The Turf Valley Show are between 7 to 10 minutes. Will this continue or will they go full 30 minutes? 

45:30—Does the character Jason on The Turf Valley Show have anything in common with Shannon? 

47:44—Shannon goes full craft nerd and talks about the craft of humor with the two experts. What is the process? 

59:13—Mick wants to know how they came up the multifaceted plot points when it came to dads. 

103:00—Where did the cicadas come from and how do they have a fanbase? 

The Dadhouse Five! 

104:00—It is time to check your dadness!

What Dadhouse Did this Summer and What’s to Come. 

The Intro Challenge: 

1:10-In this week’s intro challenge, each dad has to sum up in one sentence what they did this summer and also promote any other outside projects they are working on. And with that said, go check some of these out! 

The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad Manual-This is your essential guide on how to be a better father. Dads are dads, and we deserve the knowledge and support no matter which road we take in life. Get all the great advice you hear on the podcast and a lot of funny stories about some of our greatest failures. Buy it on Amazon, at your local bookstore, or request your library to carry it! 

The Planter’s Table:  Our mission is to both grow and give produce to those in need in our community, using sustainable gardening practices in a chemical-free environment. We dedicate at least 50% of our produce to local food kitchens and pantries. In addition to our fresh food donation program, we sell garden plants each spring. The sales of these plants fuel our ability to donate more produce. We hope to encourage and inspire others to give and grow locally. 

Cantabury Cottage KC: Perfectly located in The Golden Triangle! Our home is charming with a modern flare and close to everything you desire to see and do in KC. Luxury linens, comfortable beds, a fully stocked kitchen, and a coffee bar are ready for you! Equipped with 3 smart TVs and fiber internet. There is a deluxe gas grill with patio seating.

JKDesginco-No matter if you’re looking for a something that accents your home or a custom-made piece of furniture that will be an heirloom for generations, you can find it at JK Designs. Each creation showcases the fusion of both use and design and is made with superior craftsmanship you don’t find in our mass-produced world. 

10:54-Changes are coming to the pod, and this is where we let you know about that. 

13:11-We are redesigning a lot of logs and websites. So here you go, the new Dadhouse Pod Logo! 

13:38—Ask A Dad—Do you have a question for the podcast? Do you need a dad to give you an answer? Ask a Dad is a new section where you can do just that. Check it out and ask us questions! 

14:13—Big Announcement! Dadhouse Pod has crossed the border of 10K downloads! 

16:23—Follow Dadhouse Pod on social media 

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17:16-The Chicken Update is ready to go! 

19:50-DadCon Dad Advice. This is some of the best advice at last year’s HomeDadCon. This year’s will be in Phoenix and we’ll ask the guys there to share their best experiences. 

How I Spent My Summer Vacation!

22:43—One of the first activities that we did this summer was Father’s Eve. It’s a great event and we hope more join us next year. 

24:06—It’s time to tell everyone what we did for our family vacations. There was a lots of travel this year, so follow along. 

The Dad’s Trip 2022!

30:45—This summer we decided to do the Dad’s Trip just a little bit different. With gas prices so high, we instead rented a house for the majority of the stay. But we did see some things on the way! 

31:22-Big Brutus is one of the biggest earth movers in the world. It’s one of the original stops on the second Dad’s Trip. It remains one of the more amazing things that we have done.