GDDB 003 - Recharge

Hey dads, do you ever find yourself roaming around the house looking for an outlet to plug your kids iPad in before the battery dies, but it’s just not convenient enough of a spot for them so it doesn’t get plugged in and then it dies and they throw an even bigger stink because you didn’t plug it in?

WELL...that's not what this episode is about! Welcome to episode 3, and we are going to talk about having an outlet (or outlets)...but not the kind you plug things into.

• Dads, we need a way to destress and relax. Just like moms. 
• There is a lot of weight on our shoulders in a family too, and if you’re a dad thats bringin’ home the bacon, then it is an additional stack of weights that is stacked on top
• As a dad, I enjoy spending time with my daughters. Each one is so different, not only because of their age but personality wise - almost polar opposites - and i LOVE that about them.
• But spending time with them gets thrown into the blender of life, which includes work, taking care of the house, maintaining the outside of the house, helping with meals as I can, family, friends, co-workers, your kid’s friends, neighbors, finances, and equally as important as spending time with them - the relationship with my wife. 
• Yeah yeah, ok it’s normal life shit. Bla bla bla, “we all do it” well if you don’t think dad life is hard, or you dont give credit to the dads out there who are ACTUALLY helping raise their kids then you can fuck off and stop listening now. (maybe another episode will peak your interest.)
• The day and age of moms doing 97% of the work of taking care of the kids, taking care of the house and cooking all the meals are long. For years (if not a decade or two now) dads have really stepped up their at-home responsibilities, especially with their kids.
• I tell you what, there were a few days once the initial quarantine hit where we decided to keep the girls home from daycare for a little while. I was already working from home and my wife was already furloughed. Aaaaaaand let me tell ya, I found out really quickly that becoming a full-time stay-at-home dad (with the kids home with me) will never be in my wish list. That shit was hard. I mean, yes, i secluded myself in the back office and closed the door, but damn was it A LOT being home with the kiddos 24/7.
• Now, i am still working from home, but the girls are back going to daycare so there is a break during the day and I can’t wait for them to get home (or for me to go pick them up) to spend some time with them.
• OK
• So, if i haven’t made my stance clear, dad life can be stressful and difficult emotionally.
• This is why dads need an outlet.
• If you don’t have one, then you probably need to find one.
• It can be anything, as long as you enjoy it and you feel more relaxed and destressed during and after the “me” time you take.
• I am not saying moms dont need this too, but this isn’t a mommy blog. So dads, if you get your “me” time and you have your outlet or outlets to relax, let your wife have her time to do the same.
• Now back to US.
• Find that outlet. It might be golf, going to the gym, watching sports, going for a drive, taking a walk (being outside is always a good one), sitting on your porch and just listening to mother nature. Heck it might be working on a hobby, listening to the Girl Dad. Dad Bod. Podcast. (and maybe some others), watching TikTok videos, having a glass of bourbon, smoking a cigar, learning a new skill or language...it can be anything.
• I have a few different outlets, and this podcast is one. It is a new one for me, but it is a way for me to express myself and let some of these crazy jumbled conversations that i have with myself out (if you know me, you know..and you probably just chuckled to yourself right there).
• I also like to enjoy a glass of bourbon, preferably with a friend

GDDB 002 - The Bond Between Us

In this episode I'm going to discuss the bonding differences that I had compared to my wife when she was pregnant. It always seemed like she wanted me to be ‘closer’ to the little human growing inside of her, but I really just didn't feel that way.

• In my defense, Part of this is biological. Women’s oxytocin levels surge during birth and pregnancy to facilitate bonding. And, while there’s growing evidence that men bond with babies during pregnancy too, studies suggest their oxytocin levels only truly surge once they spend time caring for their children.
• It’s not like I didn’t already love my kid, inside my wife’s belly… I mean i read her books all the time, we talked to her - you know, all the normal going-to-be-a-dad stuff.
•  I knew that I would have the connection with her, and that it would most likely be the moment I held her for the first time.
• I even told my wife this. All she could probably think was “I hope so!”
• At the time, I didn’t have a lot of friends who were dads. We didn’t hang out with friends very often where I knew the dad more than my wife knew the mom. So...I always hung out with the ‘guy’ group but didn’t have a connection with them really. Now that we are a little older, we hang out with a bunch of friends and family who have kids. 
• I think this helps the bond with my kids. It allows me to see how other dads handle situations and it also puts how I handle situations in front of other dads.
•  Then the moment came, day of delivery. That was the day that everything stopped, and the spark or connection, whatever you want to call it, happened. She was my daughter, and I am her dad, and nothing else mattered at the moment.
• I was actually the first one to hold our first daughter - not my wife! Ha! Ha! 
• I immediately knew that I was now bonded with her, the connection was there. I knew nothing would keep me from holding her….except my wife. She had to have her time! Lol
• Well, and now that she’s a 3yr old, or as I like to call it, 3 going on 16...those moments are less often, but in my heart I wrap my arms around her every moment I can.

• Thanks for joining me! The next episode, we’re going to get into a topic that most moms probably will roll their eyes at, but that dads NEED an outlet to relax, decompress and destress. Not that moms, nannies, grandparents or anyone else doesn't need an outlet, but I think that the topic gets pushed aside in many relationships because the dad isn’t seen as a partner in the relationship and in parenting, when in todays world we are becoming more involved in taking care of our kids than ever - and we get stressed and have a weight on our shoulders too.

GDDB 000 - Episode Zero - Introduction to GDDB Podcast - The Why, The What & The Who

Hey Dads, welcome to the Girl Dad. Dad Bod. Podcast. This is episode ZERO, an introduction to the Girl Dad. Dad Bod. Podcast covering the WHY, the WHO and the WHAT... 

The WHY:

• I am creating this podcast to connect and interact with YOU, dads. 
• My feeling is that dads don’t have outlets to voice their perspective, their challenges, struggles, moments of pride, accomplishments and emotions (be it good, bad, happy or sad); because we are under the pressure to maintain a certain persona as a dad that we have everything under control and that everything is “alright”. That isn’t always the case, and I want us dads to squash that stigma, become stronger, create a more honest and loving relationship with our spouse and especially our kids so that we can live a life of happiness, and create happy lifelong memories to look back on many years from now.
• This is THE outlet for me, and for you, to connect and build dad-to-dad relationships, working together to help the dad life be as fun, enjoyable, meaningful and memorable as possible.
• I feel like there aren’t many outlets for dads to express themselves and let out the real life thoughts and feelings we have.
• Like moms, Dads have a lot of responsibility too!:
• Be strong for our kids
• Be a protector
• Be a provider
• Making sure the family is safe
• Have patience
• All of this is lot of weight on my shoulders, i’m sure it is on yours too
• The Mission of the Girl Dad. Dad Bod. Podcast. is “to share real dad life, and to grow your love, understanding and passion of fatherhood while creating lifelong memories with your family”
• The goal of the Girl Dad. Dad Bod. Podcast. is to provide perspective and share resources to all dads, parents and friends of dads to help live the most gratifying life as a dad.
• I am here to help you grow your love, understanding and passion of fatherhood while creating lifelong memories with your family.
• The WHAT:
• We are going to talk about everything, from taking it back to the initial conversations of wanting to start a family, what each pregnancy was like as a dad, going from a dual income family to a single income family, to today’s world of being in the middle of a pandemic and beyond.
• We will talk about the everyday struggles as a dad, and how you can overcome them to be the best dad to your kid or kids and spouse.
• We will grow over time together in the episodes. I encourage you to reach out and have conversations with me and let me know if there are topics you want to get into or if there are challenges you are having and want my perspective on.
• The WHO the heck am I?:
• Ok...so about me: This is a podcast from me, your host and creator of the Girl Dad. Dad Bod. Podcast. I’m Wil. 30 years old. A girl dad, with a dad bod to two daughters. An amazing wife. Two rescued animals, a cat and a dog. Texas. 
• I feel like dads need “me” time...an outlet, if that is going to the gym, playing video games, spending an hour (which turns into two...or three) on tiktok, sitting out back and smoking a cigar, having a glass of bourbon (i’m having a glass of bourbon right now), whatever it is…
• This podcast if from my perspective, i still have a lot to learn, but thats the beauty of it - i can create this platform to help you, help other parents to see another side of the dad life that I don’t think is seen often enough.
• I wouldn't trade the dad life for anything in the world, b/c when your daughter or son comes to you and tells you they love you, or need you, or want you to put them to bed...it is a feeling that you can’t get from anywhere or...