The Dad Vibes: Parenting Truths

For dads the perinatal period can be challenging, to say the least, but unfortunately, there’s a distinct lack of support for dads during this period, especially here in the UK. Today I’m joined by Kieran Anders who is Operations Manager for Dad Matters UK. Dad Matters work tirelessly to help dads to have successful relationships with their families and provide support for anxiety, stress and mental health issues. As well as supporting dads with their mental health, they place significant importance on attachment and bonding, which traditionally dads haven’t discussed.

This week's SNIPPET is from episode 5 of the podcast with dad of 3, Russ Buckner. At one point in time, Russ’ kids were aged 3 and under, and when his wife was in hospital having their second in 2020, the world went into complete lockdown. In this clip, Russ shares what that was like, and their new baby in the neonatal unit, Russ was handed a letter to say that only one parent was allowed in the hospital at any given time.

My guest today is Chris Beavers, founder of FatherFitPT.com and a dedicated father of two. Chris' mission revolves around supporting dads in maintaining their fitness, but what sets his message apart is his emphasis on the holistic benefits of leading a fit and healthy lifestyle. Chris looks beyond the physical appearance and encourages dads to focus on their fitness to unlock the mental health benefits it brings.

Throughout the episode, we unravel practical strategies for parents to initiate small yet positive changes in their lives. Additionally, we tackle the common challenge of motivation, and if you find yourself struggling to stay motivated, Chris offers valuable insights and actionable steps to reignite your commitment to personal well-being.

Tune in to discover how embracing fitness as a parent can pave the way for a transformative journey towards a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle.

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Lee Heard joins me to chat about Drowning Prevention Week. Lee is the charity director of the Royal Life Saving Society, the RLSS is on a mission to get everyone in the UK and Ireland enjoying the water safely.
Getting our little ones competent and confident in the water is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. It could potentially save their life. But of course, they can take time, patience and in some cases a fair amount of money.
“In the UK, on average, one person a day drowns, which is more than domestic fire deaths.”
Lee shares advice on how you can start getting your child confident in the water, and we chat all about drowning prevention week which is running all week long, so stay tuned and find out how you can get involved.

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This week's SNIPPET is from episode 4 of the podcast with James Hunt from Stories About Autism. In this clip, James explains how they discovered their first, Jude, might have had autism, and how they received a diagnosis when he was just 15 months old. James also explores how he started to let go of the expectations he had when becoming a dad, and how he realised his journey would be much more challenging than he had expected.