The Dudela family is growing.

Michael and Abigail are expecting baby girl number two, due on Christmas Day.

And pregnancy feels a little different the second time around.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John sits down with Michael to talk about what pregnancy number two has actually been like, what he learned the first time, and what he is intentionally doing differently as a husband and dad this time around.

Because during your first pregnancy, everything is new.

You are tracking the baby's size every week. You are Googling symptoms. You are trying to figure out which appointments matter. You are buying baby gear you have never heard of. You are wondering how much everything is going to cost. And somewhere in the middle of all of that, you are trying to figure out what your pregnant wife actually needs from you.

The second time, you know a little more about what is coming.

Michael shares what has been different during Abigail's second pregnancy, including more nausea, earlier body changes, food aversions, cravings, preparing their toddler Riley to become a big sister, moving into a bigger home, and realizing just how quickly the second pregnancy seems to move.

We also talk about why the halfway point of pregnancy can be such an important moment for dads.

Around 20 weeks, the pregnancy can suddenly start feeling very real. There is a growing belly. You may be feeling the baby move. The anatomy scan gives you an incredible look at your child. And the countdown toward labor, delivery, and newborn life starts getting a whole lot shorter.

That is when preparation matters.

Michael shares why dads should prioritize important ultrasound appointments, how to support your wife when her body starts changing quickly, why you need to become a better listener instead of trying to solve everything, and how taking things off your wife's mental load can make a huge difference.

We also get into the reality of preparing financially for another baby, planning a babymoon, getting ready for sleepless nights again, deciding which baby products are actually worth keeping, and figuring out how to give your first child the attention they need when a newborn enters the family.

And if you are nervous about becoming a dad?

That is okay too.

You do not need to have fatherhood figured out before your baby arrives.

You just need to start becoming the kind of dad who wants to figure it out.

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Michael is not just talking about this pregnancy after the fact.

We are documenting it as it happens.

The Womb Watch follows Michael and Abigail through pregnancy number two in real time.

Every few weeks, John and Michael sit down for shorter conversations about what is happening right now, including appointments, ultrasounds, milestones, what Abigail is experiencing, what Michael is learning, and what dads coming behind him should know.

If your wife recently got pregnant, you can essentially follow along with another dad who is just a little farther down the road.

The Womb Watch is exclusively available inside the Spit Up Society.

You do not have to figure out fatherhood alone.

For $5 per month, the Spit Up Society gives you access to The Womb Watch, exclusive Dudela content, and two live calls with us every month where you can bring whatever questions you are dealing with right now.

Pregnancy.

Birth.

Postpartum.

Marriage.

Money.

Newborn life.

Fatherhood.

Bring it.

Join the Spit Up Society here:

https://thedudelaco.com/join/spit-up-society/

Not sure what you should actually be doing right now?

Head to Dudela and choose where you are in the pregnancy journey.

We have resources designed to help dads understand what matters at different stages so you can spend less time Googling and more time actually preparing.

https://thedudelaco.com/

If you just found out you are going to be a dad, start here.

https://www.thedudelaco.com/guide

Our free Dad Prep Guide covers the things we wish someone had told us before becoming dads and gives you practical ways to start preparing for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and newborn life.

Want to take preparation seriously?

https://dudelaco.gumroad.com/l/dudela-prep-kit

The Dudela Prep Kit gives first time dads a practical framework for preparing for fatherhood, including your relationship, emotions, finances, labor and delivery, postpartum, family identity, and life after your baby arrives.

Because knowing more is helpful.

Doing something with what you know is what actually prepares you.

Are you somewhere in pregnancy right now and have a question?

Maybe you just saw the positive pregnancy test and have no idea what happens next.

Maybe you are heading into the anatomy scan.

Maybe your wife is miserable and you do not know how to help.

Maybe you are excited about becoming a dad but also quietly terrified.

Send it to us.

Leave John and Michael a voicemail through the Dudela website. We listen to every message, and your question may become part of a future podcast or live conversation.

https://thedudelaco.com/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the_dudela_official/

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@the_dudela_official

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheDudela-Official

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Dudela-61566037880710/

If your wife is pregnant, ask yourself one question:

What is something she is carrying right now that I can carry for her?

Do not ask her to create a list for you.

Look around.

Maybe it is dinner.

Maybe it is laundry.

Maybe it is getting up with your toddler on Saturday morning so she can sleep.

Maybe it is researching the car seat.

Maybe it is making the appointment.

Maybe she just needs you to listen without trying to solve anything.

Find one thing.

Own it.

Because preparing for fatherhood is not just about knowing what happens next.

It is about becoming the kind of man your family can count on when it does.

What do moms actually wish dads understood about pregnancy, postpartum, and becoming parents?

This time, we decided to stop answering for them.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John and Michael are joined by their wives, Vivian and Abigail, for an honest conversation about pregnancy, postpartum, marriage, motherhood, careers, community, and what support from a husband actually looks like when life gets hard.

And there is some pretty big Dudela family news.

Michael and Abigail are expecting baby number two, another girl.

That means Dudela is officially going through another pregnancy in real time.

We talk about what this pregnancy has looked like so far, pregnancy nausea and food aversions, preparing for a second baby, and what Abigail needs from Michael during pregnancy that she does not always know how to ask for.

But this conversation goes much deeper than pregnancy.

Viv opens up about how difficult the postpartum season was after having twins and what it felt like to lose part of herself during those early months of motherhood. She shares why patience, grace, friendship, and having people around her mattered so much while she figured out who she was becoming.

Abigail shares what it is like balancing motherhood with a career she genuinely loves, the guilt that can come with being a working mom, and why having a husband who encourages her career instead of making her feel guilty about it has mattered so much.

We also get into something every expecting dad needs to hear.

Your wife may not always be able to tell you exactly what she needs.

Sometimes supporting her means paying attention.

Take the baby.

Handle bath time.

Figure out dinner.

Give her permission to rest.

Encourage her to spend time with friends.

Make the decision she is too exhausted to make.

Create room for the parts of her identity that exist outside of being a mom.

And during postpartum, understand that the woman beside you is experiencing one of the biggest physical, hormonal, emotional, and identity changes of her life.

She may not seem exactly like the woman you married for a while.

That does not mean something has gone wrong.

She is becoming someone new too.

This conversation is about learning how to become parents together, how to build a village around your family, and how husbands and wives can give each other grace while everyone figures it out.

Whether you are trying for a baby, expecting your first, preparing for the fourth trimester, or already deep in toddler life, there is something in this conversation for you.

• Michael and Abigail announce baby number two

• What this pregnancy has actually been like so far

• Pregnancy nausea, exhaustion, and food aversions

• Preparing for a second baby versus preparing for your first

• What pregnant wives actually need from their husbands

• Why your wife may struggle to ask you for help

• Learning to anticipate your partner's needs

• Why decision fatigue is so real for moms

• Giving your wife permission to rest without guilt

• What dads need to understand about the postpartum season

• Giving your wife grace during the fourth trimester

• What it feels like when your spouse does not seem like herself after baby

• Postpartum identity changes and becoming a mom

• Supporting your wife's career after having kids

• Working mom guilt and balancing career with motherhood

• Why friendships and community matter so much after having kids

• Building your village before you desperately need one

• Why parenting alongside friends makes the hard seasons easier

• Understanding that toddler behavior is communication

• How dads can respond differently to tantrums and difficult behavior

• Why your child's behavior is not always about you

• Creating meaningful family moments out of ordinary days

• Learning your strengths as a mom and dad

• Becoming a team instead of keeping score

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For this episode, we handed part of the microphones over to the women who have been beside Dudela from the beginning.

Abigail is a Board Certified Behavior Analyst with a background in Applied Behavior Analysis. She works with children on developmental skills, communication, behavior, and helping families understand why behaviors happen in the first place.

One of her biggest reminders for dads in this episode is simple:

Behavior is communication.

When your toddler is screaming, hitting, melting down, or doing something that drives you insane, it is easy to take that behavior personally.

But your child may simply be trying to communicate something they do not yet have the language or skills to express.

Vivian is a mom of twins, entrepreneur, and wedding planner behind The Alpenglow Edit. Her love for creating meaningful moments has carried directly into motherhood and the way she and John intentionally create traditions, adventures, and memories with their girls.

She also gets honest about the harder side of becoming a mom, including the postpartum season and eventually finding parts of herself again through starting her business.

Together, they give us something we want more of on Dudela:

The mom's side of the story.

With Michael and Abigail expecting their second daughter, we have been documenting this pregnancy behind the scenes.

The Womb Watch follows their pregnancy in real time through appointments, conversations, questions, preparation, and Michael figuring out what it means to go through pregnancy as a dad for the second time.

The Womb Watch is exclusive content for members of the Spit Up Society.

The podcast is where we talk about fatherhood.

The Spit Up Society is where we get to talk with you.

For $5 per month, you get access to two live Dudela Q&A calls every month, The Womb Watch, exclusive content, behind the scenes conversations, early access to Dudela resources, and a community of dads figuring this stuff out together.

Our live calls happen on the first Tuesday and third Thursday of every month.

Bring your questions about pregnancy, birth, postpartum, newborn life, marriage, finances, fatherhood, or whatever you are dealing with right now.

Can't make the live call? Members get access to the recordings too.

Join the Spit Up Society here:

https://thedudelaco.com/join/spit-up-society/

Preparing for your first baby?

Start here:

https://www.thedudelaco.com/guide

Our free Dad Prep Guide gives expecting dads practical advice for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and becoming a father.

Want to go deeper?

https://dudelaco.gumroad.com/l/dudela-prep-kit

The Dudela Prep Kit is our complete roadmap for first time dads preparing for labor, delivery, postpartum, and life with a newborn.

It includes 33 pages, 6 pillars, and 9 printable tools designed to help you stop wondering what you should be doing and start preparing for what comes next.

Have a question you want us to answer?

Maybe your wife is pregnant and you have no idea what she needs.

Maybe you are struggling through the newborn stage.

Maybe your toddler is losing their mind and you cannot figure out why.

Maybe you just need another dad's perspective.

Leave us a voicemail directly through the Dudela website. We listen to every message and may answer yours on the podcast or during one of our live conversations.

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/the_dudela_official/

TikTok

https://www.tiktok.com/@the_dudela_official

YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/@TheDudela-Official

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/p/The-Dudela-61566037880710/

Ask your wife one question:

What is one thing I could take completely off your plate this week?

Then listen.

And if you already know the answer, do not make her manage you through it.

Take the kids.

Make dinner.

Handle bedtime.

Clean the kitchen.

Give her an hour alone.

Make the decision.

Whatever it is, own it from beginning to end.

Being a steady dad is not always about knowing exactly what to say.

Sometimes it is simply noticing what your family needs and showing up before someone has to ask.

Trying should be the fun part, right?

Trying for a baby is supposed to be the fun part. Then the ovulation strips show up, the fertile window turns into a deadline, and sex starts feeling like something you're clocking into.

Nobody really preps dads for that.

In this episode, John and Michael sit down outside in Dillon, Colorado (concert crowd noise included) to talk honestly about trying to conceive: John and Viv's five months, Michael and Abigail's six to eight, and every emotion that showed up in between.

They get into the stuff most guys never say out loud. The pressure of being "the star of the show" — if you don't perform, there's no baby. The mindset shift of scheduled sex, and how to actually make it fun instead of clinical. What it felt like when a pregnancy test came back negative and not realizing until that night how much the moment meant to his wife. The golf trip Michael was on when Abigail got a negative test the morning of his sister's baby shower, and what he learned about not being emotionally present for it.

They also cover the practical side: tracking ovulation, timing morning sex around testosterone levels, why hot tubs are a fertility myth worth knowing about, and when it's worth getting your own levels checked. And the mental side almost nobody addresses — the eight inches between your ears that start asking "is this ever going to work" after a few negative tests in a row.

But the bigger point isn't the biology. It's that the trying season, hard as it is, is a chance to build the communication and partnership that carries you into parenthood. John's twins were conceived on Leap Day, an accident neither of them expected, after months of turning a stressful window into something they looked forward to together.

If you've been trying for one month or two years, this is a reminder you're not the only one white-knuckling the two-week wait, and you don't have to carry it alone.

🍼 In This Episode

🎯 If You've Ever Searched

This episode is for you.

🧡 Resources for Dads

Free Dad Prep Guide - https://www.thedudelaco.com/guide

Dudela Prep Kit - https://www.thedudelaco.com/kit

🎙️ Ask Another Dad

Leave John and Michael a voicemail at thedudelaco.com/voicemail, or email [email protected]. We listen to every one and respond when we can.

🤝 Join the Spit-Up Society

The Spit-Up Society is $5 a month and gets you two live Q&A calls with John and Michael every month, a private community, and early access to merch and guides.

Join at https://www.thedudelaco.com/join/spit-up-society

📱 Follow Dudela

💪 Your Challenge This Week

If you're currently trying for a baby, have one conversation with your partner that has nothing to do with timing, ovulation, or whether this is "the month." Ask her how she's actually doing with all of this. Then tell her how you're doing too. No fixing it, no strategy, no calendar. Just talk.

Before you're mom and dad, you're still the two people building this family together. If trying has started to feel like work, find one way this week to make being together feel like the two of you again.

Every dad has strengths.

Every dad has weaknesses.

The question is whether you know what yours are.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John and Michael revisit one of our most popular conversations about what dads should be focusing on and take it one step deeper. Instead of talking about checklists and preparation, we talk about the man behind the dad.

Because becoming a great father is not about pretending you're perfect. It's about knowing yourself well enough to build on your strengths, recognize your blind spots, and intentionally become the dad your family needs.

We share honest stories from the past two years of fatherhood, from potty training twins and emotional reactions to the simple moments that reveal who we're becoming. We talk about learning to pause before reacting, giving yourself grace after you mess up, communicating honestly with your spouse, and remembering that your kids are watching far more than they are listening.

Your children will copy your habits long before they understand your words.

The way you treat your wife.

The way you respond to stress.

The way you talk about yourself.

The way you apologize.

The way you lead.

Those are the things they'll remember.

Whether you're expecting your first baby or you're already chasing toddlers around the house, this episode will challenge you to take an honest look in the mirror and become a more intentional, emotionally steady father.

• Why every dad needs to know both his strengths and weaknesses

• The difference between reacting and responding

• How planning ahead helps you stay calm under pressure

• Potty training twins and learning patience in real time

• Why your kids copy everything you do, even the things you don't notice

• Building healthy communication with your spouse through regular check ins

• Giving yourself grace after losing your cool

• Why apologizing to your kids matters, even when they're too young to understand

• Leading your family with intention instead of emotion

• How dads and moms naturally bring different strengths to parenting

• Practical ways to become proactive instead of reactive

• Why becoming a better husband helps you become a better father

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This episode is for you.

🧡 Free Dad Prep Guide

https://www.thedudelaco.com/guide

A practical guide packed with the essential things every expecting dad should know before baby arrives.

💪 Dudela Prep Kit

https://dudelaco.gumroad.com/l/dudela-prep-kit

Our complete fatherhood preparation framework covering pregnancy, birth, postpartum, finances, emotions, communication, and practical tools like the Brain Dump and One Word Check In.

🎙️ Ask Dudela

Have a question about fatherhood, pregnancy, marriage, or newborn life?

Leave us a voicemail directly on our website and we may answer it on a future episode.

🤝 Join the Spit Up Society

Join our live community of dads for just $5 per month.

You'll get access to two live Q&A sessions every month where we answer your questions, share practical fatherhood advice, and build community with dads who are in the same season of life.

Join here:

https://www.thedudelaco.com/Join

Patreon

or

Ko fi

📱 Follow Dudela

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Facebook

Ask your spouse one simple question:

"What's one strength you see in me as a dad, and what's one area where I could grow?"

Listen without getting defensive.

Then ask yourself one more question:

Am I becoming the kind of dad I hope my kids remember?

Growth starts with honesty. And every great dad is still growing.

Everyone tells you to put your kids first.

But one of the best things you can do for your kids is invest in the relationship that started your family.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John and Michael share what happened when they each took their first kid free trips with their wives after becoming parents. From airport freedom and uninterrupted dinners to missing their toddlers and rediscovering what it feels like to simply be husband and wife again, this conversation is an honest look at why healthy marriages create healthy families.

Leaving your baby for the first time can feel exciting, terrifying, and even a little guilt inducing. Is it too soon? Will they be okay? Should we even go?

We unpack those questions along with practical advice on when to plan your first overnight trip, how to lean on grandparents and your support system, why staying home isn't always enough for a real date night, and how stepping away from your daily routine helps you reconnect as a couple.

We also talk about something many new parents experience but rarely say out loud. After months of diapers, bottles, nap schedules, and surviving on little sleep, it's easy to forget the people you were before becoming mom and dad. Taking time away isn't about escaping your kids. It's about strengthening your marriage so you can come home refreshed, connected, and ready to lead your family well.

Whether you're expecting your first baby or you're deep in the toddler years, this episode is a reminder that your marriage deserves intentional investment too.

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🧡 Free Dad Prep Guide

https://www.thedudelaco.com/guide

Prepare for pregnancy, birth, postpartum, and your baby's first year with practical advice built specifically for expecting dads.

💪 Dudela Prep Kit

https://dudelaco.gumroad.com/l/dudela-prep-kit

Our complete fatherhood preparation system with practical tools covering emotions, finances, communication, birth, postpartum, routines, and everything we wish someone had taught us before becoming dads.

🎙️ Ask Dudela

Have a question about pregnancy, fatherhood, marriage, or newborn life?

Leave us a voicemail directly on our website and we may answer it in a future episode.

🤝 Join the Spit Up Society

Join our live community of dads for just $5 per month.

Twice every month we host live Q&A calls where you can ask questions, share wins, learn from other dads, and build real community.

Join here:

Patreon

or

Ko fi

📱 Follow Dudela

Instagram

TikTok

YouTube

Facebook

Pull out your calendar.

Find one date with your spouse.

Not "sometime next month."

An actual date.

Maybe it's dinner.

Maybe it's coffee.

Maybe it's one night away while grandparents watch the kids.

Put it on the calendar and protect it.

Because one day your kids will grow up and leave home.

The marriage you're building today is the relationship you'll still have then.

Everyone talks about the registry.

At Dudela, we believe part of being a steady dad is being a prepared one. That means having the money conversation before the bills show up, not after.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John and Michael break down the true cost of bringing a baby home, from the moment you see the plus sign through the first year of life. This is the conversation most guys don't have until they're staring at a credit card statement wondering where it all went.

The reality is that baby costs hit you in waves you don't see coming. Diapers alone will run through a box in under a month. Insurance deductibles reset the second you move from an individual plan to a family plan, which means you can hit your out of pocket max once during pregnancy and then hit it again when the baby arrives. Hospital bills show up weeks later with numbers that don't match what anyone told you at the appointment. And that's before you've bought a single onesie.

In this episode, we walk through real numbers. What a crib, dresser, and rocking chair actually cost. What a good car seat and stroller run you. What the average vaginal birth and C-section cost on insurance, and what the hospital will actually bill you if things go sideways. What a full first year costs excluding childcare, and what childcare itself adds on top of that. We also get into what nobody explains clearly, like why your out of pocket max resets, why five different people at your insurance company can give you five different answers, and why you need to ask the same question more than once before you trust it.

We also talk about the tools that help long term. Setting a household number you're both aligned on, even if it's arbitrary. 529 plans. The newer Trump Accounts for kids born within the eligible window. And why "set it and forget it" savings beats obsessing over a balance you can't change yet.

Most importantly, we talk about mindset. This isn't about scaring you. It's about giving you the landscape so you can plan instead of react, and so you and your wife are aligned before the first bill lands instead of blindsided by it.

🍼 In This Episode

🎯 If You've Ever Searched

🧡 Resources Mentioned

💪 Your Challenge This Week

Sit down with your wife and agree on a rough monthly number you're aiming to spend on baby expenses. It doesn't have to be right. It just has to be shared.

Then ask yourselves:

You don't need the perfect number. You need to be aligned on one.

Everyone talks about the baby's emotions.

Everyone talks about mom's emotions.

Almost nobody talks about dad's.

At Dudela, we believe one of the most important jobs of a father is becoming emotionally steady. Not emotionless. Not perfect. Steady.

In this episode of The Dudela Podcast, John and Michael dive into one of the most overlooked parts of fatherhood: your emotional health.

Whether you're expecting your first baby, navigating pregnancy with your partner, or already in the thick of diapers, sleep deprivation, toddler meltdowns, and family responsibilities, this conversation is for you.

The reality is that fatherhood can be emotionally exhausting. You're carrying work stress, financial pressure, relationship dynamics, family responsibilities, and the weight of wanting to be a great dad. Most guys respond the same way. They bottle it up. They push through. They tell themselves they'll deal with it later.

But eventually, later shows up.

In this episode, we unpack what it means to become a steady dad emotionally. Not a perfect dad. Not a dad who never struggles. A dad who understands what he's feeling, processes it in healthy ways, and shows up for his family with consistency instead of chaos.

We share practical tools from the Dudela Prep Kit, including the Brain Dump exercise and the One Word Check In. We talk about finding safe places to process emotions, building friendships that can handle real conversations, and why getting your emotions out of your head and into the open changes everything.

Most importantly, we talk about giving yourself grace. Fatherhood is hard because you care. The fact that you're thinking about these things means you're already doing more than most.

• Why fatherhood is an emotional rollercoaster before and after baby arrives

• What it means to be a steady dad emotionally

• Why dads tend to bottle up emotions instead of processing them

• Finding healthy outlets before bringing stress home

• The power of friendship and honest conversations between dads

• How exercise, movement, and getting outside help regulate emotions

• The Brain Dump exercise and why it clears mental clutter

• The One Word Check In and how it reveals emotional patterns over time

• Why emotional awareness creates a calmer home environment

• Giving yourself grace during difficult seasons of fatherhood

• What to do when you feel isolated, overwhelmed, or stuck

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• Free Dad Prep Guide

• Dudela Prep Kit

Our complete fatherhood preparation framework featuring the Brain Dump exercise, One Word Check In, and practical tools for navigating pregnancy, birth, and the first year of fatherhood.

• Ask Dudela

• Follow Along

Try a Brain Dump.

Set a timer for five minutes and write down everything taking up space in your head.

Work stress. Financial stress. Relationship stress. Home projects. Random to dos. Everything.

Then ask yourself:

What actually deserves my attention today?

What can wait?

What am I carrying that I don't need to carry anymore?

You might be surprised how much lighter you feel.

Most parenting resources focus on moms.

Most dads are told to just figure it out.

That's exactly why Dudela exists.

In this special rewind episode, John and Michael look back at where Dudela started, how two first time dads found themselves navigating emergency C sections, NICU stays, difficult pregnancies, sleepless nights, and the overwhelming transition into fatherhood, and why they felt called to build something specifically for dads.

What started as a joke on a family vacation became a podcast, a community, and now a growing collection of resources designed to help dads show up with more confidence during one of the biggest transitions of their lives.

John shares the story of bringing premature twin girls into the world after a high risk pregnancy, months of uncertainty, and a month long NICU stay. Michael opens up about an emergency C section that completely changed the birth plan in a matter of minutes. Together, they reflect on what they learned, what surprised them, and what they wish every expecting dad knew before stepping into the delivery room.

But this episode is not just about looking back.

It's about where Dudela is headed next.

We introduce the Dudela Prep Kit, a practical guide built from everything we've learned through our own experiences, conversations with experts, and questions from hundreds of dads. We also share our vision for the future of Dudela, including workshops, community support, resources for new fathers, and creating a place where dads can ask honest questions without feeling judged.

Whether you're expecting your first baby, preparing for delivery day, surviving the newborn stage, or simply trying to become the dad you want to be, this episode is for you.

Here's what we cover:

• The unexpected story behind the name Dudela

If you've ever searched:

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This episode is for you.

Resources Mentioned:

• The Dudela Prep Kit

Homework:

And if Dudela has helped you in any way, share the podcast with another dad. That's how this community grows.

Ready to feel more prepared for fatherhood?

Grab the free Dad Prep Guide and check out the Dudela Prep Kit at thedudelaco.com.

You do not get to pick the family you are born into. But you do get to build the family you lead.

In part one of our Family Matters series, John and Michael talk about the me to we shift that happens when you go from single guy to husband to dad. Your priorities change fast. Time gets tighter. Opinions multiply. And if you do not define your family values, routines, and traditions, something else will.

This episode is a practical starter kit for designing your family on purpose. We talk dinner table culture, small traditions that your kids will remember forever, and the conversations you need to have with your spouse before outside expectations start steering your home. We also unpack how different family backgrounds collide once you get married, especially around holidays and extended family. One spouse may be used to big loud gatherings, the other may be used to quiet holidays with just a few people. Neither is wrong, but you have to talk about it before it becomes tension.

You will hear simple ideas you can start this week like highs and lows at the table, pancakes and Disney mornings, Sunday snuggles, and an outdoor goal that gets everyone moving. We also give you one of the best questions a dad can ask when he feels unsure. What do you want your kids to say about your home when they are grown. Because you are writing that story right now.

Here is what we cover

If you have ever searched

This episode is for you.

Homework

Callouts

family culture, family values, family traditions, new dad, fatherhood, marriage communication, dinner table routine, toddler routine, holiday boundaries, in laws, screen time boundaries, outdoor family time, intentional parenting

Solo episode from John. Just two minutes. We built the thing we wish we'd had in the third trimester and I want to tell you about it. If your partner is anywhere between week 28 and 40 and you've been feeling like you're missing something you can't quite name, this one's for you.

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