Single parenthood is a common phenomenon and it occurs for a number of reasons, the most common of which is divorce. In the United States alone, an estimated 2.4 million divorces take place each year, many of them involving children. Seth Romano, a Los Angeles-based musician and single father of one joins the Modern Dadhood conversation to share his personal story of realization that he wasn't happy as a married person, and how he and his daughter's mother, and their families have worked together to create a positive situation where their seven-year-old can thrive. Also, Adam and Marc own up to another batch of "Confessions!"
 

Episode 31 of Modern Dadhood opens with a story of frustration, confusion, and resolution in the Checket household. Before long, Adam and Marc transition to a conversation about the amount of time parents are able to spend with their children as they grow up. Prior to Covid, many of us found ourselves in a very structured routine which awarded us little time with our kids during the week. The guys discuss feelings of guilt and a fear of missing out on important milestones in the lives of their young children.

Adam and Marc welcome Seth Romano into the conversation. Seth is a professional musician and a single father of one seven-year-old daughter. Seth shares his story of moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in music, falling in love and getting married, being amazed by the miracle of the birth of his first daughter, and realizing that being in a marriage wasn't right for him. He explains that despite the difficult and hurtful situation they found themselves in, they have landed on their feet in a situation that works. With the support of their families, their daughter Sydney is growing up in loving and nurturing environments with parents who respect and care for each other. Other topics of conversation include:

•  The idea that marriage is something you're "supposed to do."
•  There is no single definition of "family"
•  The experience of seeing your first child being born
•  How having a child changes your perspective on life
•  Managing your time as a single father

[Episode Transcript]
 

Links:
Seth Romano Livestream Concerts
The Trip
90s Rock Show
"Gonna Save You" on YouTube
Seth Romano on Instagram
Seth @ Rockstars of Tomorrow Musicians Academy
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

Remember life before kids? We did things a certain way, we went places, we stayed up late, had hobbies, and some of us were even thrill seekers. Did that change when kids came into the picture? Or were you able to strike a balance between caring for kids and doing things for you? Peter Shankman, a best-selling author, entrepreneur, Ironman triathlete, and single dad, joins the show to talk about his experiences with balancing things in his “Faster Than Normal” life. Plus, in a new installment of So That’s a Thing Now we learn about the latest questionable thing Marc has inadvertently taught his kids to say. (Or perhaps it wasn’t so inadvertent after all.) Stick around until the tail end of this one for a special treat.
 

Episode 30 of Modern Dadhood debuts just shy of a week after Halloween, which for most of us, looked very different in 2020 than any Halloween we’ve experienced in the past. Marc and Adam begin by discussing their socially distanced fright nights and Adam’s pathetic, insatiable sugar addiction. Adam poses to Marc: “Growing up, did your parents have hobbies or habits that, even as a kid, you recognized were dangerous?” Marc goes on to share about his father’s woodworking hobby, and the machinery sounds which haunted a young Marc as he tried to fall asleep. When the discussion turns to risky or dangerous hobbies that we ourselves enjoy, Adam shares about his love for skydiving, a daredevil activity which he has abstained from since becoming a father. The guys welcome Peter Shankman to the Modern Dadhood conversation. Peter is a father to a seven-year-old daughter in addition to being a social media expert, a keynote speaker, an author, a podcaster, and yes, a fellow skydiver. Peter shares his technique for balancing work, play, and fatherhood, while remaining clear-headed and productive all the while. Other topics include:

•  Making time for what’s important to you
•  Making ADHD work to your advantage
•  Skydiving and dopamine
•  Coming back from the dead to haunt people
•  The danger of complacency (in all aspects of your life)
•  Eliminating choice
•  Finding effective routines
 

Post-interview, Marc shares a proud dad moment in a mad-as-a-hatter installment of “So That’s A Thing Now.” You might stick around until the tail end of the episode to hear the theme song that accompanies Marc’s groin-themed story.
 

[Episode Transcript]
 

Links:
Peter Shankman [website]
Peter on Facebook
Peter on Twitter
Peter on Instagram
Peter on YouTube
Shankminds
Faster Than Normal [website]
Faster Than Normal [book]
FTN Instagram
Caspar Babypants
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

We all have them: Those kids’ books we were gifted or we picked up on a whim because the title was intriguing or the characters were familiar. But then we crack them open, and BAM— total schlock. With the sheer amount of content for children out there, it's increasingly difficult to find the good stuff; the content that inspires wonder. The types of shows, movies, and books we remember loving as kids. Jon Klassen, father of two and celebrated author and illustrator of I Want My Hat Back, joins us to talk about his thoughts on creating books that kids and parents love. Stick around for the end, where Marc, Adam, and their kids fire off some personal book endorsements and condemnations.

The guys open the episode with a conversation about television shows and movies that are made for kids. In an age where the amount of content seems to grow exponentially, it becomes equally difficult to parse through it all to find the really good stuff. The hidden gems seem to be few and far between. Sometimes it’s the tried and true movies or books that stand the test of time and still fill our kids with excitement and wonder, but frequently the best recommendations come to us through people we trust. The guys philosophize a bit as they discuss a couple of their kids’ current favorites, before they introduce Jon Klassen into the conversation. Jon is a father of two sons, and an artist and author who gained worldwide notoriety in 2011 with his picture book “I Want My Hat Back,” the success of which spawned two more books in what would become the “Hat Trilogy.” Jon continues to write and illustrate children’s books in addition to frequent collaborations with authors such as Mac Barnett, Sara Pennypacker, and Lemony Snicket. The guys discuss Jon’s inspirations, his thought process and artistic process for creating books that can be enjoyed by kids of any age, and how his approach to his work has changed since he became a father. Other conversation topics include:


•  Creating work that sticks out in the age of self-publishing
•  How his work in animation influences his art
•  Finding your inner third-grader
•   The value of simplicity and minimalism
•   Reading alone vs. being read to
•   “Quintessential” children’s books
•   The importance of independent bookstores


Before closing out the episode, Adam and Marc take turns swapping some rapid-fire book recommendations and… unrecommendations?

[Episode Transcript]
 

LINKS
Jon Klassen Twitter
Jon Klassen Instagram
Mac Barnett
Go! Go! Cory Carson
Bluey
Chrri & Chirra
Sylvester and the Magic Pebble by William Steig
Frog and Toad
Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, by Oliver Jeffers
One Morning in Maine by Robert McCloskey
Toot by Leslie Patricelli
A Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip and Erin Stead
Bob the Artist by Marion Deuchars
Katy Hudson, Too Many Carrots
Powell's Books, Portland, OR
RiverRun Books, Portsmouth, NH
Water Street Books, Exeter, NH
Longfellow Books, Portland, ME
26 Independent Bookstores
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee
Caspar Babypants

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

The Dad Bod: Is it a myth? A legend? A joke? Does it happen to all dads? How can we avoid it? Or better yet, how can we effectively combat if we choose to? Modern Dadhood welcomes its first female guest, Courtney Wyckoff, to the conversation. Courtney’s success as a Certified Personal Trainer and the creator of MommaStrong/PappaStrong gives her unique insight into some of the real underlying issues that spawn postpartum changes in dads’ bodies. Spoiler alert: it’s more than just having a “beer gut.” Plus, we survey our favorite fatherhood Facebook group to hear first hand what factors led to their dad bods.
 

Episode 28 of Modern Dadhood wastes no time getting into the theme of the conversation: the common shift in male physique that occurs in the months or years after becoming a father—a phenomenon widely known as the “dad bod.” Adam and Marc explore definitions of the slang phrase while swapping stories of their own challenges making health a priority upon becoming fathers. Adam welcomes the first woman (and mom) to the podcast; the phenomenal Courtney Wyckoff, creator of the MammaStrong and PappaStrong exercise programs, mom of three, and total badass. Courtney challenges the idea that the “dad bod” is just about allowing ourselves to eat too much junk or drink too much beer, but rather that there are physical, mental, and emotional stressors that come with fatherhood which can manifest physically—and that returning to exercise, even in 15 minute-per-day increments, can help facilitate a return to strength and health. Other conversation topics include:

•  Body image in men vs. women
•  Redefining what it means to be “strong”
•  Common structural issues in men
• Anchor points of the body
•  Do men have a “pelvic floor?”
•  The secret to habit building
•  Finding the motivation to start
•  Ignoring the “bully voice” in your head
 

The guys check in with their favorite fatherhood-themed Facebook group to take a poll on the driving factors of their change in physique. Unsurprisingly, the most cited reasons centered around time management and food consumption. (Surprisingly, there were many other unexpected answers as well!)

[Episode Transcript]
 

LINKS
PappaStrong
MammaStrong
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

Every parent hopes to cruise through potty training so they can be rewarded with the sweet liberty of a diaper-free lifestyle. But sometimes the toilet training journey is less of a cruise and more of a crawl… or worse yet, a series of fits and starts. Marc and his wife Jamie know this journey all too well as they’re currently navigating the harsh (and sometimes messy) terrain with their twin boys. Guest Evan Ozimek-Maier, along with his wife and two-year-old daughter, on the other hand, are just buckling in. Will they discover the perfect technique? Will they encounter regression road blocks? Or will they careen down a YouTube rabbit hole? Evan joins the Modern Dadhood conversation to share his perspective, and to get down and dirty on the journey of potty training.
 

Episode 27 of Modern Dadhood begins with an acknowledgement that the past two episodes have been heavy. “Heavy topics for heavy times,” as noted appropriately by Marc. The guys have decided to lighten things up with a topic that every parent goes through: Potty training. As it turns out, the Checkets are currently fully immersed in the potty training adventure with their twin boy toddlers, so Marc, in particular, has plenty in common with guest Evan Ozimek-Maier. Evan is the Associate Director of Creative Services at the prestigious Berklee College of Music, and is a father of a two-year-old daughter Louis.

Evan shares about his family’s journey training Louis (who he and his wife Alyssa affectionally call Lulu) to ditch the diapers and commit to using the toilet. The guys discuss various techniques that they’ve read about, heard about, and tried themselves, and they share what has been most successful in their own experiences. Other topics include:
 

•  The value of including your child in the conversation
•  Letting your kid take the initiative vs. encouraging it based on age
•  Associating feelings of negativity with the toilet/peeing or pooping without a diaper
•  Parents’ reactions to their child successfully using the toilet
•  Incentivizing potty use
•  Being influenced by peers who are potty trained
•  Embarrassment/shame around pooping
•  Regression
•  The Respectful Parenting Method
•  The "Oh Crap!" method
•  Potty training books/videos/resources

[Episode Transcript]

LINKS:
Evan Ozimek-Maier
Oh Crap! Potty Training
RIE / Respectful Parenting Method
Caspar Babypants
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

Social-emotional learning, mindfulness, soft skills, emotional intelligence— call it what you want. Learning how to understand and deal with emotions plays a significant role in our ability to handle all varieties of problems we face throughout our lives. In this episode, we get into the nitty-gritty with Scotty Iseri, father of a 7-year-old son and fellow podcaster, on the true value of social-emotional learning (SEL) in school and at home. Also, we test out a new drinking game and encounter a commode-themed mystery in the Flaherty household.
 

Episode 26 of Modern Dadhood opens with a conversation about the emotional effects of quarantine on our kids. Adam shares about his daughters spent their Summer, and how their experience likely differs from that of an only child. Despite kids, generally speaking, being resilient little beings, the current state of the world is different than anything they (or we) have ever experienced, so it shouldn't be a surprise that there could be some behavioral side effects.

The guys welcome to the conversation Scotty Iseri, a father of one 7-year-old son. Scotty works at Committee for Children, and hosts a podcast called The Imagine Neighborhood, among many other unique talents and experiences. And he also deeply understands the importance of social-emotional learning. Scotty teaches us that the social-emotional conversation impacts everyone regardless of age, sex, or whether they're a child or parent. Topics of conversation include:

•  It's just as important for us as fathers as it is for our kids, to understand and manage our emotions
•  Learning how to redirect our energy
• Teaching ourselves to be okay with big emotions
•  Social-emotional growth and strengthening isn't inherent - it takes work
•  How schools are starting to place importance on these skills
•  Tips for dads when these conversations don't come naturally
•  The rise of kindness and empathy
 

Adam shares a So That's a Thing Now concerning his daughters' deuces before the episode comes to close.
 

[Episode Transcript]
 

LINKS:
Scotty Iseri (YouTube)
The Imagine Neighborhood
The Imagine Neighborhood (Apple Podcasts)
The Imagine Neighborhood (Instagram)
Committee For Children
Social-Emotional Learning
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

Entering into a new school year is anxiety-inducing as it is. This year, for many parents it feels like teetering on a precipice— each way down lined with more questions than answers. We sit down with Jon L’Ecuyer, a high school Government teacher and dad to a second grade daughter, to discuss the choices that his family is contemplating. We talk navigating hybrid learning models, juggling homeschooling with working from home, getting creative with hands-on assignments, and the myriad other back to school considerations. Also, find out whether Marc’s kids share his preferred method of eating an ice cream cone.
 

Episode 25 dives with reckless abandon into a discussion on the concerns,  contemplation, and contention around the fast-approaching school year. Adam and Marc discuss their own arrangements before welcoming guest Jon L'Ecuyer, a father of one 7-year-old daughter and a freshman Government teacher at a school of 3,300 students in New Hampshire.

Jon candidly shares his his personal opinions regarding the return to school for both younger and older students, as well as his district's plans for a safe return. The conversation touches on topics including:
 

•  The challenges of being a two-teacher family
•  Being forthright with our kids about the dangers of the virus
•  The moment the news came in about remote learning in March 2020
•  Expectations for the remainder of the 2020 school year
•  Expectations for the future of learning
•  Why remote learning is often harder for teachers
•  The importance of socialization for high school students
•  What most classrooms look like now
 

Marc shares a recent unusual exclamation in an installment of Did I Just Say That Out Loud?  before closing out the episode.

We would like to sincerely wish all parents and students a smooth and safe transition back to learning, whatever that may look like.
 

[Episode Transcript]

LINKS:
Caspar Babypants
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

Expecting your first child can be both exciting and unsettling. There’s so much to learn, do, prepare, and buy before you take on the single most important job you’ve ever had. Becoming a first time dad in 2020, when it feels like the whole planet could just fold in on itself at any given moment, is a different kind of unnerving. Thankfully, Chad Richardson is feeling optimistic and focused on the silver linings as he prepares to take on fatherhood in three short months.

Chad Richardson grew up in rural Wisconsin and gained plenty of experience with babies and small children as he was a teenager when two of his younger sisters were born. Now he lives with his wife Katie in their home outside of Boston, and in non-pandemic times, they both commute into the city for work. Chad and Katie also happen to be host Adam Flaherty's brother- and sister-in-law, and in three months, they’ll introduce a new little member into the family. While on vacation together recently, Chad and Adam retreated to the back porch to enjoy the scenic mountain vista, a cold pop, and a conversation about Chad’s hopes, fears, and dadhood goals. They broached topics including:
 

•  Dad humor
•  Having a baby during a worldwide pandemic
•  How to handle visit requests when the baby is born
•  The positives of working from home during the pregnancy
•  Redirecting kid meltdowns and tantrums
•  Threatening your child with consequences
•  The different styles of dad-to-be resources
•  Taking pride in teaching your kid life skills
• The importance of a coffee maker with a programmable timer

Before the conversation concludes, Chad commits to making himself available for a follow up conversation in the baby's first two weeks of life. Adam is excited to capture genuine and unadulterated brain fog, and the prospect of witnessing a full grown man be reduced to tears due to lack of sleep.

[Episode Transcript]

LINKS:
I’ll Tell You What! Podcast
Chad Richardson on Instagram
The Expectant Father
The New Dad's Survival Guide
Caspar Babypants
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

Imagine, if you will, you’re a young Latino man in your late twenties living in Los Angeles. You’ve just had your first child and you’re pounding the pavement, working your ass off to land any acting gig you can get. And then one day the telephone rings, and the opportunity of a lifetime presents itself… three thousand miles away. That’s the beginning of Emilio Delgado’s journey as both a father and an esteemed actor best known for portraying the beloved Luis Rodriguez on Sesame Street. Emilio joins us on Modern Dadhood to discuss being a father to his son, stepsons, and adopted daughter—and a role model and father figure to millions of kids across the world.

The episode opens with a conversation about paternal influences on kids. Adam shares about how he was not only shaped by his own father’s personality, but by a family friend with a very different parenting style. The guys discuss the communal activity of gathering around the television as kids, and some of the actors who played trusting paternal characters on network television, serving as role models to young people.

Adam and Marc welcome actor Emilio Delgado into the conversation. Emilio is most well known for his role as Fix-It-Shop owner Luis Rodriguez, a Latino actor who joined the cast in 1971 and earned the impressive superlative of “longest running role played by a Mexican American actor in a television series.” The characters of Luis and his wife Maria portrayed the Mexican Americans realistic/accurate/real realistically, which was rare at the time on American television. Emilio’s character literally introduced the Latino culture to millions of American-born children, exposing many to their first Spanish words and providing a launch ramp for further exploration of the many cultures of the world.

Emilio shares fond memories of his time on the set of Sesame Street, the camaraderie with the cast and crew, and working with Jim Henson. Simultaneously, off camera, Emilio was raising his own children and step children, frequently traveling between Los Angeles and New York to keep up with a rigorous filming schedule. We discuss topics including:
 

•   Being a role model to young people
•   Becoming “part of the family” to viewers
•   The familial set culture on the show
•   Working with child actors
•   Recognizing the impact of Sesame Street
•   Learning what it means to be a father, a husband, and a man
•   Bringing his son Aram to the set of Sesame Street
•  Raising his daughter Lauren later in life
•  Being a mentor to newer cast members
•  The stress of being away from home for months at a time
•  Knowing Jim Henson

To close out the show, Marc describes in detail saving his naked toddlers from disaster in an installment of “Did I Just (Have To) Say That Out Loud?”

[Episode Transcript]
 

LINKS:
Emilio Delgado on IMDB
Emilio Delgado on Wikipedia
Emilio’s Instagram
Baa Baa Bamba
Quixote Nuevo
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast

How often does your kid do something so funny, cute, smart, or outrageous that you wish you could capture it and share it with the world? (And how often do you follow through on that?) Multi-talented content creator and father of one, Andre Jalil, is a master of documenting life with his-two year-old daughter Lyric Sanaa on video. The result is a treasure trove of hilarious and heart melting content that leaves no doubt that Andre, who grew up without his own father, embraces and adores his role as Lyric’s dad.

Most episodes of Modern Dadhood center around topics or themes that hosts Adam and Marc have some degree of experience with… but not this one. Episode 22 finds the guys welcoming guest Andre Jalil, father of one daughter (2 year old Lyric Sanaa), content creator, influencer, music producer, writer, musician, and emcee, to talk about growing up without a father at home, and how Andre uses his social media platform to show aspiring dads how fulfilling and fun fatherhood can be. The guys discuss:

•  The perception and narrative of the Black father
•  Absentee fathers
•  The desire to be present and involved when Andre had kids
•  Inspiring other dads and dads-to-be via social media
•  Protecting your kids without being overprotective
•  Building a family legacy
•  The importance of introducing prominent Black artists and historical figures to our kids
•  Rewriting the history books
•  Developing a plan before having kids. And staying present and available even if you don’t yet have a plan.

A second installment of hit mega-hit Talkin' With Toddlers carries Adam through a range of emotions including giddiness, excitement, pride, confusion, disbelief, and rage... and pleases Marc to no end.

[Episode Transcript]

LINKS:
Andre Jalil on Instagram
The Dad Chronicles on YouTube
Andre’s song “It’s You”
Andre Jalil on Spotify
Andre Jalil Visual Art Store
Joy Marilie
Caspar Babypants
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee

#moderndadhood #fatherhood #parenthood #parenting #parentingpodcast #dadding #dadpodcast