It is our final pod of the year and we are looking back at a wild first year of fatherhood. John and Michael share favorite moments, travel wins and fails, and three big lessons that changed how we show up at home. Presence beats performance. Grace is not optional. You cannot pour from an empty cup. Expect real stories, honest laughs, and practical ideas you can use tonight.

We talk baby milestones and the walking phase, Costco runs with double carts, bottle stations that take over the kitchen, and a few stats from our Dad Wrapped that will make you smile and maybe gag. We also preview what is coming in 2026 including Dad Prep Week, the Dad Reset, and coaching options for dads who want community and accountability. If you are a new dad or a dad to be, this episode will help you feel seen and ready for the next season.

In this episode

If you have ever searched

This episode is for you.

Callouts:

new dad, first year of fatherhood, dad wrapped, presence over performance, grace in marriage, dad mental health, baby travel tips, bottle washing, diapers, walking milestone, community for dads, fatherhood podcast, new dad tips, work life balance dads, dad prep week, dad reset

What happens when two tiny humans arrive early and your whole world becomes monitors, milk schedules, and a love you did not know your heart could hold

In this episode we sit down with Viv to tell the real story of our first year with twins. From high risk appointments and a calm C section at thirty four weeks to those first hours in the NICU, we share the choices we faced and the grace that met us. We talk about split emotions when one baby is calm and the other needs everything right now, the bottle station that takes over the kitchen, and the simple habits that helped us keep joy at the center.

This conversation is warm, honest, and unfiltered. It is the field guide we wished we had on day one and the pep talk we still need on the tired days.

🍼 Here is what we cover

🎯 If you have ever searched

This episode is for you.

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Money talk that does not make you want to hide. John and Michael unpack the first financial moves that help a young family breathe. Start a 529 and let compounding do the heavy lifting, learn why Colorado offers a match and how fifteen a month per child gets the ball rolling, and see how friends and grandparents can contribute with a simple link. Hear how a whole life policy for each child can build cash value for their future down payment or other needs, and why a larger term life policy for dad can eliminate debt and carry the family through a hard season. We compare credit cards to a home equity line, talk through simple budgeting habits, and share holiday ideas that favor experiences and future savings over more plastic stuff. The theme is clear. Start small and stay consistent. Your future self will thank you.

• What a 529 is and why tax free growth matters

• Pick one action and start today

• Colorado CollegeInvest site for 529 setup

This Episode is for you if you've ever searched: new dad, fatherhood, family finance, 529 plan, college savings, whole life, term life, budget, debt payoff, HELOC, baby budget, holiday ideas for families, faith and fatherhood

What should I actually be focusing on right now?

That was the question a dad to be emailed us this week, and if you have ever been in that waiting season, excited and overwhelmed, wondering what really matters before the baby comes, this one is for you.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John and Michael share a real, two part answer shaped by their first year as dads. From nesting chaos and diaper debates to emotional connection and personal growth, this conversation is funny, honest, and packed with practical takeaways.

You will hear stories about the reality of helping during nesting mode, what it means to show up for your partner when you cannot fix everything, and how defining the kind of dad you want to be changes everything once your baby arrives.

This is equal parts reflection and field guide, real talk for new and expecting dads trying to prepare for a role no one can truly prepare you for.

• Why focus on your partner is the single best advice for every dad to be

how to prepare for fatherhood

This episode is for you.

🧡 Resources Mentioned:

What do you do when you realize you're trying to lead a family without ever having been shown how? Where do you go when you want to be a strong husband and father, but you're running on empty?

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, we sit down with Matt Thomas — father of four, leadership coach, and founder of Marrow — to talk about the life-changing power of mentorship, male friendship, and intentional community. Matt opens up about what happens when dads isolate, why we are not built to go it alone, and how real growth often starts in the places we’re most tempted to hide.

This conversation is part storytelling, part challenge, and all heart. From young fatherhood and failed plans to mountain retreats and hard-won wisdom, Matt offers a vision of fatherhood that is full of strength, surrender, and support.

Here’s what we unpack:

If you’ve ever searched:

how to be a better dad

This episode is for you.

📱 Follow Matt Thomas and Learn More About Marrow - linkedin.com/in/matthomasco

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What happens when a routine-driven fitness guy becomes a new dad and suddenly the schedule gets thrown out the window?

In this episode we sit down with Ryan George: husband, dad to an 11-month-old, and the voice behind a growing fitness and fatherhood presence online. Known for his passion for routines, workouts, and goal setting, Ryan opens up about how becoming a dad forced him to pivot, communicate better with his wife, and give himself grace.

We talk about routines, marriage, fitness, grace, and how to still pursue goals when life looks nothing like it used to. This conversation is real, practical, and encouraging for any dad navigating the early years.

Here’s what we cover:
• Why the first three months of fatherhood can feel like a funk
• How Ryan and his wife align their fitness goals and schedules
• What it looks like to build an environment at home for success
• The role of grace when workouts, meals, and routines fall apart
• Communication habits that keep a marriage steady in the chaos
• The value of goal setting for fitness, family, and business
• How to celebrate wins and not get buried by setbacks
• Why being a present dad is more important than a perfect routine

If you’ve ever searched:
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grace in early fatherhood
marriage communication with kids
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This episode is for you.

📱 Follow Ryan George
Instagram: @Ryan_Jos3ph
Instagram: @MariaaGeorge (his wife)

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A space for dads who are showing up, learning, and doing their best every day
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What happens when a driven hard working man trades the hustle of the outside world for the daily rhythm of home life?

In this episode we sit down with Bryan Romeo, husband, father of three, and the voice behind @thedomesticdadlife. Formerly known online as The Catholic Dad, Bryan has since rebranded to reflect his calling as a full time, in the trenches, domestic dad. We talk about identity, ego, humility, marriage, and what it looks like to truly lead your family not just by providing but by being present.

This conversation is warm, honest, and unfiltered. His toddler even interrupts the episode (and we left it in) because that’s what real life looks like.

🍼 Here’s what we cover:

• The transition from career ambition to finding purpose at home

• Bryan’s journey from Catholic Dad to Domestic Dad

• Why showing up at home is its own kind of difficult

• How to lead with love and loosen your grip on control

• Making space for faith in daily fatherhood

• What spiritual leadership in the home can look like

• The small daily habits that shape long term legacy

• Finding new rhythms in marriage parenting and prayer

• Letting go of perfection and choosing presence instead

• Embracing interruptions and finding joy in the moment

🎯 If you’ve ever searched:

how to be a present dad

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Christian fatherhood

leading your family with faith

how to show up at home

letting go of ego in marriage

faith based parenting

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real life dad podcast

modern stay at home dad

raising kids with purpose

being home with toddlers

fatherhood identity

husband and father roles

parenting with grace

redefining success as a dad

This episode is for you.

📱 Follow Bryan Romeo

@thedomesticdadlife

🫶 Join the Spit Up Society Discord

A space for dads who are showing up learning and doing their best every day

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Episode 7: Showing Up Present: Sobriety & New Dad Life with Corey Davis

Becoming a dad changes everything—and for Corey Davis, it also meant launching a new business, deepening his sobriety journey, and redefining what it means to be fully present as a father.

In this honest, thoughtful, and deeply helpful episode of The Dudela Podcast, Corey shares his story of getting sober at 22, building Soba Golf (a wellness-driven, sober-friendly golf community), and raising two daughters just 13 months apart. We talk about the real struggles of new parenthood, how to build presence in the chaos, and why community may be the most important part of the journey.

Whether you're a new dad, a girl dad, a sober dad, or just trying to be more present—this one hits hard in the best way.

Here's what we covered:

• Corey’s journey to 15 years of sobriety—and what made him finally get help

• What Soba Golf is, who it’s for, and how it’s changing the game

• Why community is essential for dads, not just for sobriety

• What to do when parenting feels intense and overwhelming

• Finding peace when you miss your kid five minutes after bedtime

• How to stay connected to your wife through the chaos of parenting

• The tension between being a dad and being your own person

• Why it’s okay to not feel present—and what you can do about it

• Practical advice for the newborn phase, night shifts, and sleep

• What your kids learn from how you treat yourself and your partner

If you’ve ever searched:

how to be present as a dad, how to stay sober as a parent, sober dad community, what to do when parenting feels overwhelming, postpartum marriage advice, how to stay connected after baby, how to be a good dad, parenting with purpose, dad guilt at night, sobriety and fatherhood, golf without drinking, dad community support, mindful parenting podcast, sober podcast for men, how to survive the first year of parenting, present parenting tips, spiritual parenting for dads, dad burnout, when both parents are exhausted

This episode is for you.

Want to connect with Corey or learn more about Soba Golf?

Follow him at @sobagolfco and visit soba.golf

✨ Want more connection and community like this?

Join the Spit-Up Society Discord where we’re talking real fatherhood every day:

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Deadlifts to Diapers: Your Dad Fitness Plan

No time to work out? Lower back always sore? Kids always screaming? Welcome to dad life. In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, we’re joined by Jordan Murphy—former college football player, certified strength coach, and full-time dad of two—for the ultimate guide to realistic fitness for real dads.

From sneaking in 36-minute workouts to building a home gym with nothing but a kettlebell and a dream, Jordan gives actual strategies that work when your hands (and arms) are full of kids.

Here's what we break down in this episode:

• How to work out with no time and no gym

• The 36-minute dad workout formula

• Creating a home gym setup on a budget

• Why your lower back is your most valuable asset as a dad

• Simple meal prep hacks (including life-saving breakfast burritos)

• How to bounce back after vacation, illness, or burnout

• Why fitness is about longevity—not six-packs

• How your kids learn about health by watching you

• Ways to support your wife’s fitness without being “that guy”

• Plus: cold showers, protein bars, and the now-famous curl belt at stoplights

If you’ve ever Googled:

dad workout plan, how to get fit after baby, home workouts for new dads, dad bod recovery, tired dad fitness, fitness after twins, how to stay fit with kids, quick workouts for busy dads, stay-at-home dad workout, husband workout routine, dad health hacks, mental health for dads, dad energy tips, how to support wife postpartum, dad diet plan, parenting and fitness, home gym on a budget, realistic fitness goals for dads

This episode is for you.

Want the actual workout circuits Jordan uses?

Join the Spit-Up Society Discord and check the new workout channel

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We'll be posting weekly workouts, dad hacks, and wellness tips from real dads doing their best in the chaos. No shame. Just gains.

Dad Guilt? Feeling Like You’re Failing as a Father? This Episode Is for You.

We’re joined by Elliot from @TheHusbandDad, and we’re diving DEEP into what it means to be a dad in 2025, and how to show up for your kids and your partner without burning out.

From fatherhood guilt and dad pressure, to marriage after babies and the evolving role of husbands...this episode is a must-listen for every modern father.

Whether you're a first-time dad, twin dad, stay-at-home dad, working dad, or just doing your best with zero sleep, Elliot shares actionable tips and honest stories that every dad (and every couple) needs to hear.

Here's what we covered:

• What is dad guilt and how do you manage it?

Listen now if you've ever searched:

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🔗 LET’S CONNECT!

•Follow Elliot: ⁠@thehusbanddad⁠

•Join the Spit-Up Society: ⁠thedudelaco.com/join⁠