We’ll be honest with you, listeners. When we sat down to record this episode, we had a completely different topic in mind, but with the heavily publicized murder of an innocent woman on Charlotte’s (our hometown) light rail, and the political violence that has spread like wildfire, neither of us felt like we could ignore what’s going on.

In today’s episode of Millennial Dads, we decided to address some of the current events happening in our community, both locally and nationally, and how it relates to our never-ending efforts to be the best fathers we can be. It’s not easy raising kids even in the best of circumstances, but the general tone and feel of our current moment seem to add an extra layer of doubt and anxiety.

We talk about how we’re feeling about it all (not great!), while also discussing the many reasons why people of our generation are choosing to not have kids, resulting in an unsustainably low birthrate in the US. 

References:

• CBS: The trends behind the historically low US birth rate

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Millennial Dads Podcast

03:10 Celebrating Children's Victories

05:52 Facing Parenting Challenges

09:00 Navigating Sickness as Parents

12:06 Bedtime Struggles with Young Children

15:11 Current Events Impacting Parenting

19:07 Raising Children in a Complex World

23:00 The Fear of the Future and Parenting

27:10 Discussing Violence and Safety with Kids

30:08 Finding Balance as Parents

34:02 Navigating Tough Conversations with Kids

39:04 The Reality of Parenting in Today's World

41:57 Declining Birth Rates and Societal Impacts

55:18 The Challenges of Modern Parenthood

01:02:47 Finding Hope Amidst Adversity

Ever-shifting gender and family roles have brought upon the rise of the “Stay at Home Dad,” or a father who is raising their child as the primary caregiver during the working day. While generations before us have become accustomed to the mother often finding herself on baby duty, more and more, dads are taking on the responsibility themselves.

While neither Brian or Andy are stay at home dads themselves, it’s a trend they haven’t let go unnoticed. On today’s episode of Millennial Dads, we dive into the rise in daily daytime dad duty, some of the reasons for that rise, and also our own experiences having to be the primary caregiver in the family, if only temporarily.

Check any kid’s itineraries in 2025 and you’ll see there’s no end to: summer camps, sports, traveling athletic leagues, practices, showcases, and literally a million other things that need to be planned and paid for. But some parents of a certain generation are yearning to give their kids the one thing they could count on during the summers of their own youth: boredom.

Having grown up in an era before cellphones and 9/11 meant having a degree of freedom, and a lack of programming, that doesn’t seem to exist for many middle-class kids these days. Millennial parents are trying to replicate that for their kids, but is it even possible? If it is possible, is it even a good thing? Brian and Andy dive into the topic on this week’s episode of Millennial Dads!

Links:

• Millennial parents want to give their children a ‘90s kid summer. What does that mean? [USA Today]

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to Millennial Dads

01:16 Navigating Parenthood Challenges

03:30 The Nostalgia of Parenting

09:40 The Over-Scheduling Dilemma

14:24 The Importance of Boredom

18:45 The 90s Kid Summer

24:30 Cognitive Bias and Parenting

29:45 The Return to Analog Experiences

35:19 Generational Differences in Nostalgia

40:54 Instilling Values in the Next Generation

46:43 Driving Lessons and Technology

52:39 The Changing Attitudes Towards Driving

56:00 Reflections on Parenting and Nostalgia

As any father knows, being a parent isn’t easy. It’s something that you have to have a vision for, work for every day, and be proactive about finding solutions and avoiding pitfalls. Parenting, however, isn’t the only place that describes.

Owning a small business shares many similarities with parenting: You are solely responsible for bringing something to life and giving it a chance to succeed, there’s no manual or guidebook on how to do it, and those who do it best are often the most devoted and consistent.

Our guest on today’s episode of Millennial Dads is CEO of Stern Security and cybersecurity expert, Jon Sternstein. Jon is also the parent of three, a nine, seven and three year old. 

We talk with Jon about balancing the needs for running a business with being a dad. Jon talks about leaving the corporate world at the same time as he and his wife found out they were expecting their first child. Brian also shares some stories about he and Jon’s time growing up in New York.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Millennial Dads Podcast

02:52 Entrepreneurship and Family Life

05:55 Balancing Work and Family

08:56 The Transition to Entrepreneurship

12:01 Daily Routines of a Busy Dad

14:51 Navigating Parenting Styles

18:05 Involving Kids in Work

20:55 Reflections on Parenting and Growth

23:48 The Humor in Parenting

27:12 Closing Thoughts and Advice

40:55 A Serendipitous Meeting

44:45 The Butterfly Effect of Relationships

45:48 Creating a Family Band

49:59 Parental Worries and Responsibilities

52:44 The Simple Joys of Parenting

56:00 Navigating Screen Time and Attention

59:57 The Importance of Connection

01:02:07 Ending on a Light Note

One of the biggest challenges any parent at almost any stage faces is making travelling with their kids as smooth and as incident-free as possible. On today’s episode of Millennial Dads, Brian and Andy shares stories from their past travels, including Andy and Oliver’s trip to Chicago (Ollie’s first plane ride!), and Brian talks about his upcoming trip to Disney.

While discussing what they want to provide for their kids on these journeys, both hosts realize that sometimes what the kids want is just the time and attention of their parent, and not the sing-along breakfast with Mickey Mouse that we parents sometimes convince ourselves is the top priority.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Millennial Dads Podcast

03:05 The Transition to Parenthood

06:02 Challenges of New Parenthood

11:58 Navigating Family Dynamics

17:59 Traveling with Kids: The Experience

23:55 Lessons Learned from Traveling with a Newborn

30:12 Planning Future Travels with Kids

33:51 Traveling as a Family: Tips and Tricks

40:39 The Chaos of Family Road Trips

43:41 Planning the Disney Adventure

46:20 The Cost of Disney Magic

50:40 Alternatives to Disney: Finding Value in Experiences

56:15 Understanding Kids' True Desires

01:00:34 Being Present: The Key to Parenting

01:04:48 The Importance of Connection Over Cost

If you’re single and able-bodied, there’s rarely any obstruction to being able to get around in any city, suburb or even rural area. Most likely, you can get anywhere you need to go whenever you want without the use of specialized equipment. 

However, once you have a child, all that changes. Strollers, car seats, changing tables in the men’s room - all of a sudden all the things you never thought twice about are front and center in ways you can’t ignore.

Joining us on this episode of Millennial Dads is urbanist Barry Greene Jr., aka Density Dad. Barry is the father of two children, a three year old girl and nine month old boy. He is also the founder and executive director of Transit First CLT, and a member of the Public Transportation Advisory Committee in Charlotte, NC.

Barry joins Andy and Brian to discuss what some of the common oversights he sees in public design, why it’s important to design useable built spaces, and what the average person can do to advocate for change.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Parenting Challenges

09:51 Advocacy for Transportation and Infrastructure

16:59 The Role of Special Interests in Urban Planning

24:09 The Importance of Parent Advocacy

31:50 Common Sense in Built Environments

36:54 Urban Family Needs and City Adaptation

38:05 Public Transportation Challenges for Families

39:25 Creating Child-Friendly Public Transit

43:05 Advocacy for Urban Family Needs

47:43 Traveling with Kids: Prioritizing Family-Friendly Experiences

51:43 Founding Transit First CLT: A Vision for Better Transit

58:43 Hopes for Future Generations and Urban Freedom

No matter how you become a parent, it’s one of the most pivotal times in anyone’s life. Gone are the carefree days of being able to make yourself the undisputed top priority, now you must put someone else’s life above your own. Brian and Andy talk about how they became first time parents, and how their worlds changed when it happened.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Early Conversations

02:13 Transition into Fatherhood

05:26 Intentional Parenting Decisions

08:27 Building Relationships with Stepchildren

11:27 The Journey of Adoption

14:25 Personal Reflections on Fatherhood

17:21 Unexpected Parenthood

20:00 Final Thoughts and Future Aspirations

25:07 Facing the Unexpected: The Journey to Fatherhood

29:53 Embracing Community: The Importance of Support

33:21 The Humbling Experience of Newborn Parenting

41:21 Relying on Community: Building Relationships for Parenthood

45:52 Teaching Resilience: The Value of Boredom in Childhood

50:02 Documenting the Journey: The Evolution of Fatherhood

One of the reasons we called this podcast “Millennial Dads” is because we believe our generation has a different approach to being parents than previous generations. But why do we believe that and what experiences did we have growing up that informs this new perspective? Brian and Andy discuss how they approach being dads, what their goals are for their children, and what we’ve learned from our parents.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Millennial Dads Podcast

02:47 Parenting Styles and Challenges

05:48 Navigating Newborn Challenges

08:52 Long-term Parenting Vision

11:37 Influences of Childhood on Parenting

14:51 Sibling Dynamics in Parenting

17:47 The Role of Older Siblings

20:49 Conclusion and Reflections on Parenting

22:55 Parenting Styles and Personal Reflections

27:25 Navigating Technology and Parenting

30:44 Emotional Availability in Parenting

36:35 Aiming for Better Futures for Our Kids

42:46 Closing Thoughts and Future Plans

Welcome to Millennial Dads! If you're and 80's or 90's baby and you're now chasing around a young one of your own, this podcast is for you!

In our first episode, get to know your hosts, Andy Goh and Brian Solomon.

NOTE: We didn't have a name for this show when recording this episode, so you'll hear us refer to the name of the podcast as "Elder Dads." Clearly, we settled on a different name, "Millennial Dads." Thanks for listening!