First Time Dads

Only new mums get post natal depression, right? Wrong.
Not long after the birth of his first child in 2004, Mark Williams was having suicidal thoughts. While his wife was suffering with severe post-natal depression, Mark was also in the midst of a similar mental health crisis… which had all stemmed from becoming a parent.
Now a men's mental health activist and author of new book Daddy Blues, Mark joins Steve and Rich to tell his story, reveal how quite normal dad questions and issues can spiral into post-natal depression and ponder why we as men still struggle to discuss our mental health. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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You probably remember Tim Vincent as the guy who presented Blue Peter back in the 1990s.
What you might NOT know about Tim Vincent is that a) he is now a famous host of big TV shows in America like Access Hollywood, b) he regularly interviews the world's biggest stars and c)… he is about to become a dad for the first time.
At the age of 45.
And he's having twins.
And he and his partner have been together for less than a year.
Yikes.
Given all that, Steve and Rich invited Tim onto the podcast to discuss life as an expectant dad and how he is jumping headfirst into fatherhood. The guys talk about what Tim is learning from NCT classes (and what he isn't), the insane amount of baby kit he has bought so far, the differences between expectant fathers in the UK and the US and the dad tips he has received from Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg and James Corden.
As you do… For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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Why is that when kids see a dad character in the media, he is invariably an incompetent buffoon?
Steve and Rich are joined by James Millar - author of new book 'Dads Don't Babysit' - to discuss why most dads don't feel fairly represented by the fathers they see on TV… with Peppa Pig's daddy being among the worst offenders.
The guys also discuss the pressures that mean many fathers who want to be more involved with raising their kids often cannot do so, and what we can all do to ensure dads of the future can spend more time being parents. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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Fear not, regular listeners - Steve and Rich have not abandoned you. The guys have both been away for a few weeks, doing that thing which is simultaneously beautifully relaxing and massively stressful: going on holiday with your young children.
Now back in the studio, they compare notes on their respective trips to France. The discussion includes a whole load of tips for dads about to embark on holidays with toddlers/babies, some suggestions of what NOT to do… and sees the guys stumble upon what might be the secret to a dad's perfect family break. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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How would you cope if simply going to work meant you didn't get to see your kids for seven months?
While we would all rather be with our families than be at work (well, most of the time), for men in certain jobs, paying the bills means being away from home for huge lengths of time.
In this episode, Steve and Rich talk to Mike Fyans, a petty officer in the Royal Navy, about exactly that. When his eldest son was still a baby, Mike went to sea - meaning he didn't see his infant son for SEVEN MONTHS.
Mike explains how this different sort of family life works, and why - when it comes to doing the right thing for his family - he believes it's all for the best. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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Ever watched your kid playing by themselves and thought, 'I should be a good dad and join in'?
Steve and Rich have - but it turns out you would often be doing more for your child by leaving them to play alone.
In this episode, the guys are joined by Dr William Stixrud and Ned Johnson, two American parenting experts who have co-written a new book called The Thriving Child.
In the book, Bill and Ned explain why today's kids are now the most anxious generation of children ever, and reveal how their hands-off parenting techniques - which give a child freedom to learn and discover the world independently - can help a child feel less stressed out in the long term. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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The acclaimed author and father of two chats to Steve and Rich about the stresses and strains of the modern world and how that makes parenting tougher than ever.
Matt - who talks about his own struggles with anxiety in his new book, Notes On A Nervous Planet - discusses how our reliance on technology and the internet can cause parental anxiety. He also reveals why his two children are homeschooled and explains the many misconceptions people have about homeschooling. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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It's stressful, exhausting and mind-bendingly surreal… but it's also one of the most amazing, important experiences you will ever have.
So, why is it that until just a few decades ago, it was widely accepted that most men would NOT be at the birth of their child?
Steve and Rich share their (very different) experiences of watching their kids being born and remind themselves - and hopefully a few of you - why being there to welcome your kid into the world is something no man should miss. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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The creator of Charlie & Lola and current Children's Laureate explains how you can give the best gift to your kid: imagination.
Steve and Rich pop into Lauren Child's kitchen to discuss the importance of stimulating your little one's creativity, the difficulty of writing children's books in the modern publishing world and what dads can do to set an imaginative example to their offspring. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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Every dad knows his life changes dramatically when he becomes a father. But did you know your body undergoes a series of irreversible physical changes when your baby is born?
Dr Anna Machin - an evolutionary anthropologist at Oxford University - has spent 10 years working with new dads to gain a unique scientific insight into what it is to be a father in the modern world. Her new book 'The Life Of Dad', the result of that decade of research, shows how it's not just new mums who undergo physiological changes. Dads are also built to be parents.
Dr Machin joins Steve and Rich to reveal why their bodies have recently gone through their biggest change since puberty! For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

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