Modern Dadhood | Unpacking Fatherhood + Parenting for Dads (and Moms!)

2023 has come to and end and Adam & Marc reflect on the guests, topics, and great conversations from the past year. The guys each present their Top 3 clips from the various episodes, and Marc closes out the episode with an utterly explicit edition of "So That's a Thing Now." 

The guys open Episode 95 of Modern Dadhood by catching up briefly on health, fatherhood, and Christmas before jumping right into their "Top 3" lists of their favorite soundbytes from 2023 episodes. The episodes referenced in the top 3 lists are:

Ep 081 - Interabled Parents-To-Be | Shane Burcaw
Ep 083 - The Brick Wall That Is Fatherhood | Chris Gethard
Ep 084 - Being Cool With Not Being Cool Anymore | Chris Gethard
Ep 087 - Raising Privacy-Conscious Kids in the Digital Age | Marc Groman
Ep 091 - The Art of Explaining Farewells | Victor M. Sweeney
Ep 093 - Reviving Empathy Through Images of Real Leadership | Pete Souza

LINKS:
Modern Dadhood Instagram
Modern Dadhood Facebook
Modern Dadhood TikTok
Modern Dadhood YouTube
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal Music

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In our holiday 2023 episode, we landed an interview with Father Christmas himself, Santa Claus. This episode is designed for parents and kids to enjoy together, as we ask Santa some hard-hitting questions which are on the minds of children around the world... and Santa delivers! Happy Holidays from our families to yours. We are grateful for you!

Episode 94 of Modern Dadhood is a unique one-- it's meant to be enjoyed by both parents and kids, as the guys got VERY lucky and booked an interview with Father Christmas himself, Santa Claus. Adam asks Santa a number of questions which many young people wonder about in hopes of shining a bit of light on some of the bigger mysteries of Santa's superhuman capabilities.

After the interview, Marc shares about an illness he's been dealing with and how his wife Jamie has risen to the occasion to make the holiday season special for the boys even though Marc's been unable to contribute.

Adam closes out the episode by sharing a preview of his almost 10-year-old's progress playing the recorder. (Spoiler alert, she's gotten very good very quickly!)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS from our families to yours. Thank you for listening. We appreciate you and wish you a happy, healthy, entertaining, and prosperous 2024.
 

LINKS:
NORAD Santa Tracker
Modern Dadhood Instagram
Modern Dadhood Facebook
Modern Dadhood TikTok
Modern Dadhood YouTube
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal Music

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There are certain qualities, like leadership, empathy, kindness, respect, and compassion, that we all aspire for our children to embody as they grow. In this episode, Adam and Marc get a bit deep with Pulitzer Prize winner and Official White House photographer for two presidential terms, Pete Souza, who had the remarkable opportunity to capture these qualities in iconic moments throughout the Obama presidency. The guys chat with Pete about dangerous situations, split-second decisions, and the tremendous responsibility of working in the highest office in the land, documenting the values we wish to see in our leaders and our children.

Episode 93 of Modern Dadhood opens with a conversation about storytelling and what features make for a strong spoken word story. The guys waste no time welcoming Pete Souza into the chat. Pete's credits an accolades include International Photography Hall of Fame Inductee, Pulitzer Prize winner, documentary film subject, and Chief Official White House Photographer for both terms of Barack Obama's presidency. He has taken some of the most iconic photos in history over his decades-long career, and while he still stays very busy putting out books, public speaking, and teaching photography workshops, his main photography subject matter... has become his grandkids.

Pete opens up about his method for capturing authentic moments with a leader who exemplifies traits that all parents hope to see in their children. Topics include:

•  Pete and his wife Patti's marriage and children
•  How Pete's "always on" work schedule impacted his personal life
•  The choice to work under physically dangerous circumstances
•  The shift from film to digital photography
•  The qualities that make a photo "authentic"
•  And more!

LINKS:
Pete Souza (official)
Pete Souza (Instagram)
Pete Souza (Twitter/X)
The Way I See It (Documentary on Amazon Prime Video)
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee
Caspar Babypants
Stuffed Animal

PETE'S BOOKS  (please buy locally if you can!)

Obama: An Intimate Portrait
Shade: A Tale of Two Presidents
Dream Big Dreams Photographs from Barack Obama's Inspiring & Historic Presidency Young Readers
Rise Of Barack Obama
The West Wing and Beyond: What I Saw Inside the Presidency

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Is there a "right" way to reach our children to be independent and self-reliant? If we always do everything for them, they may never learn to own their responsibilities. But it can be emotionally trying (and short-term inconvenient) to allow them to fail and learn from their mistakes. B Kim joins us to discuss his family's approach to instilling a sense of personal responsibility in their two teenage kids, allowing them to fail safely, and preparing them for adulthood. Don't miss a "squeaky" new installment of So That's a Thing Now! at the end of the episode.

In Episode 92 of Modern Dadhood, Adam and Marc open with a discussion of Marc's idyllic, spontaneous neighborhood gathering which resulted in Marc being moderately "lubricated" for our episode. The guys chat about the first month of school for their kids, including their morning routines, and how each family navigates moving things along in the morning to ensure that everything gets done before their kids are off to school for the day. They welcome in Bunthol "B" Kim, and the conversation pivots from "what happens if they miss the bus?" to "what happens if they run out of money?" B shares his family's approach to instilling a sense of personal responsibility, ways in which he has allowed his kids to "fail safely," and times that his kids have pleasantly surprised him with their self-reliance.

Listen to the end where Adam shares about his fourth grader's current music class lesson that will bring back memories for most listeners!

Links:
Creatives Not Robots (B's creative social gathering)
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal Music

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

There are a million idioms about death: It's "the only certainty in life." It's "the end of the road." It's "the great equalizer." But even as adults, death can be impossibly difficult to understand and process, let alone to know the best way to explain death to our kids. Mortician Victor M. Sweeney joins the conversation to share his wisdom on how to answer our kids' questions, and why it's important to include them and be honest with them rather than try to shield them or protect them from grief. Stick to the end for a segment on good and bad death scenes in children's movies!

Episode 91 of Modern Dadhood gets right down to business with Adam and Marc chatting about discussions they've had with their kids around the concept of death. They share about their own experiences with attending funerals, and how they've broached the subject when their kid have brought it up. They introduce Victor M. Sweeney into the conversation. Victor is a dad of 4 who has worked in the funeral industry for the last 15 years, earning the reputation of a sought-after funeral director and mortician. Victor opens up about his career, the relationship between his line of work and his family, and some ideas on how to include young people in the death process.

Post interview, Marc names a number of death-related scenes in kids movies and the guys rate them on a "helpful or hurtful" scale, debating whether the scenes could support a kid's understanding of death, or simply traumatize them.

Links:
Wired Segment 1
Wired Segment 2
Wired Segment 3
Wired Segment 4
Victor M. Sweeney (Instagram)
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal

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The guys make a formal apology for ghosting listeners for a short late-Summer stretch before talking "back to school" season with friend and dad of two, Scott Mazuzan.

Episode 90 of Modern Dadhood starts with a rapid-fire catch up between Adam and Marc in which they each share several quick life updates in just a few words with no additional context. As you might expect, hilarity ensues! The guys welcome Adam's friend Scott Mazuzan into the conversation. Scott is a dad to a fourth grader and second grader, and the guys waste no time getting into topics like:

•  Dealing with feelings about returning to school
•  Back to school shopping and fashion
•  Making new friends, and the sibling dynamic
•  School bus etiquette
•  And more!

Links:
Modern Dadhood (homepage)
Modern Dadhood on Instagram
Modern Dadhood on Facebook
Modern Dadhood on YouTube
Red Vault Audio
Spencer Albee
Caspar Babypants
Stuffed Animal

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

"Work-Life Balance" is a buzzworthy phrase that has taken on new meaning since 2020. And it's a funny one, because it essentially divides your time into two camps: Work... and everything else. As parents, we all strive to set boundaries such that when we're NOT working, we can be present with our family or rediscover our sense of self... but it's rarely as simple as it sounds. In fact, Young Han, an entrepreneur, business consultant, and father who has ownership in over a dozen companies, would argue that human beings aren't even programmed to segment our lives in that way. Young shares his method for prioritizing both the work he is so driven to do with the family he loves so much... and the challenge of staying present and focused throughout. Stick around until the end to hear Marc's misophonia-themed installment of "So That's a Thing Now!"

Episode 89 of Modern Dadhood opens with a discussion between Marc and Adam about the challenges of being present with your family when work is busy. They discuss how they individually manage their time, and the pros and cons of working from home, including setting appropriate expectations with co-workers and clients. Adam shares a recent conversation he had with Young Han, an entrepreneur who owns stake in over a dozen businesses via his business consulting agency Owners Club. On his podcast, The Girl Dad Show, Young interviews successful businesspeople about how they structure their lives to prioritize what's most important to them. Young shares his philosophy that work-life balance is a myth, and they discuss other topics including:

•   A mutual appreciation of coffee
•  The struggle to be a better dad than your own
•  The importance of self-care
•  Modeling behavior to be benchmarks, not to raise clones of ourselves
•  Why Young considers work-life balance a myth
•  And more!


LINKS
Owners Club
The Girl Dad Show
Forever Young Agency
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal

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One of the most important things we must drive home to our children before putting a device in their hand, according to Privacy Professional Marc Groman, is that what they share on the internet should be treated as public and permanent... even if they only intend for one person to see it. Groman, who served in the Obama administration as chair of the Federal Privacy Council and Senior Advisor for Privacy in the White House, joins us to discuss kids and online privacy. This is part 2 of a 2 part episode.
 

Episode 88 of Modern Dadhood opens with the guys catching up about their recent outing to Boston to see recent guest Dustin Nickerson perform, and a chat about sexting before they pick up with part 2 of a conversation about privacy, social media, and digital footprints with Privacy Professional Marc Groman. Topics of conversation include:

•  The surprising responses from people over 20 when asked about their first devices
•  The responsibility of parents AND industry to teach privacy protection
•  Privacy protection legislation currently being developed by Marc and others
•  Privacy concerns with online gaming
•  The "wrong question" most parents ask about devices and screen time
•  How AI forces us to recalibrate our "bullshit meters"
•  And more!

Stick around until the end for a new installment of "Instant Regrets!"

Links:
Their Own Devices (Marc's phenomenal podcast)
Marc @ Family Online Safety Institute
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal
 Mr. Boodaddy "No Shirt Like My Dad"

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We've all heard (or experienced) the horror stories around cyber bullying, the consequences of sexting, or kids accidentally blowing through thousands of dollars on a popular video game. And as dads, contemplating how (and when) to grant our kids access to certain types of technology can be overwhelming. But even beyond which social media accounts or how much screen time we allow, it's imperative that they understand privacy. It's a big, loaded word, and thankfully there are experts like Marc Groman who can help us understand the important benefits of protecting one's privacy... and the very real threats when we don't. Listen to the end for a hilarious Father's Day-themed quiz! [This is part 1 of a 2 part episode.]

Episode 87 of Modern Dadhood kicks off with some shared stories between Marc and Adam about their kids' struggles with listening, and a great recommendation from Marc on how to entice your kids to be self-accountable. The conversation transitions to privacy and technology when Adam asks Marc about how he intends to address privacy protection when his twin five-year-olds are old enough to start really interacting with internet enabled devices. Spoiler alert: neither dad has a great plan!

The guys welcome privacy professional Marc Groman into the conversation. Among many other privacy-related jobs, credentials, and accolades, Marc was the first chief privacy officer of the US Federal Trade Commission, and he served in the Obama administration as chair of the Federal Privacy Council and Senior Advisor for Privacy in the White House. Marc and his husband David Reitman have a 17 year old son who they no longer monitor on social media, and trust that he has a good understanding of privacy-related issues! The conversation covers a LOT of ground, including:

•  Kids' inability to perceive potential consequences of their actions
•  Why smartphones should not be called "phones" at all.
•  How social platforms stoke FOMO which is very harmful to kids
•  The question that's far more important than "what's the right amount of screen time?"
•  What you post is permanent
•  The vital importance of being familiar with the platforms and games your kids are using
•  And more!

If you've made it this far, you're in for a treat: Marc has cooked up some Father's Day themed trivia!

Subscribe to Modern Dadhood to be alerted when Part 2 of this episode drops on Friday 7/7.

Links:
Their Own Devices (Marc's phenomenal podcast)
Marc @ Family Online Safety Institute
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal
 

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

It was never all that easy to predict the future, but it always felt like there were at least a few things you could rely on. However, these days, the fate of even some of the more historically steadfast institutions is murky at best: for example, the notion of attending college to get a degree so you can venture out on the path to your career. What will any of that look like in five or ten years? Will affordable higher ed even exist? Will AI scoop up all the jobs? Will our kids live with us until they have kids? Comedian, podcaster, husband, and dad of three Dustin Nickerson can tell you that regardless of the ambiguity the future may hold, modeling a strong work ethic can have a net positive effect on the kids who witness it. Listen in as Adam, Marc, and Dustin wax philosophical about standup comedy, raising kids, strong work ethic, and the permission to laugh. 

Episode 86 of Modern Dadhood opens with a quick catch-up about the recent podcast siesta and a few laughs about recent celebrity dad news before the guys welcome Dustin Nickerson into the conversation. Dustin is a stand-up comedian, a husband, a father of three (including two teenagers!) an author and a fellow podcaster. The guys hit it off quickly, covering topics such as:

•  The challenges of touring with three kids at home
•  Touring alone vs. with family
•  The craziness of teaching your kid to drive
•  The shift in work ethic and motivation to leave home
•  The uncertain future of higher education
•  Finding true happiness in your career
•  And more!

LINKS
Dustin Nickerson (official)
Dustin Nickerson (YouTube)
Dustin Nickerson (Instagram)
Dustin Nickerson (TikTok)
How to Be Married to Melissa (book)
Don't Make Me Come Back There (podcast)
Red Vault Audio
Caspar Babypants
Spencer Albee
Stuffed Animal

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