Being a Dad Podcast

The first school shooting I remember watching on the news was the 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech. I was in Mr. Walker's art class and in the 15 years since, nothing has seemed to change. 2 days after the school shooting at Robb Elementary, I was scheduled to interview a man I admire so much, Mike Chu. I wanted to ask him about his experience of being a dad as an entrepreneur, what it's been like to raise 2 young girls in today's day and age, and how he's been showing up as a dad since the passing of his father. I wanted to pick his brain about all of this and more but all I could think about in the short time leading up to our interview were the families who lost their kids earlier in the week. All of my questions felt insignificant to the matter. Mike, however, is a powerful leader and coach. Knowing that, I wanted to know how he's been showing up for his fiancé and daughters in the time since the shooting and how he's showing up during these uncertain times. We don't talk about anything political. We talk about being a dad. If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

Owner of GameChanger Fitness and entrepreneur, Joe Meglio, talks about his experience of raising 2 kids and creating a lifestyle where he can be the father he wants to be, as well as pursue his goals with business. Today you'll find out: -The importance of setting boundaries and protecting your time, so you can be the dad you want to be -How sports and coaching helped prepare Joe to be a dad who leads with value -Why you can focus on what is important to you and prioritize those things, so that you live a life you enjoy -And much much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

Director, producer, and screenwriter Brian Baugh joins us on the Being a Dad podcast to talk about his experience being a father and raising kids while away from his family for weeks at a time. Today you'll find out: -How to create great communication with your kids -The challenges Brian faces as a father who works weeks at a time away from his family (and how he overcomes those challenges) -The values Brian and his wife use to help guide their family -And so much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

What would you do if you were a police officer and your daughter was protesting against police brutality at the end of your driveway? How do you parent them and respect that? Today I'd like you to meet one of my coaching clients and all round good man, Michael Collier. Mike is raising 2 teenagers with his wife, running an online business, and working as a cop, full-time. Today you'll find out: -How Mike and his wife are raising teenagers with different political views -How to parent as a police officer amidst the current police and racial climate -How to raise kids with different personalities and interests so you have a great relationship with them -How to create a great relationship with your kids with a police officer's work schedule -And so much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

Are you about to become a father to twins? Is this your first time having kids? I'd like to introduce you to a man who had became a father to twins during the height of the pandemic and persevered several challenges; such as an ectopic pregnancy, having one son stay in the NICU after being born, and coming home to raise twins as first time parents. His name is Jose Hernandez and I'm blessed to call him my brother in law. Today you'll find out: How to show up for your wife and kids when one of your kids is in the NICU How to overcome and persevere the challenge of raising twins for the first time How to show up for your wife before, during, and after and ectopic pregnancy And so much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

I didn't have much time with my dad growing up, so I figured that a great dad needed to be home every day. This was not the case with Matt. As I was speaking with Matt in our previous episode, he mentioned his dad was a firefighter and that he has a great relationship with his dad. In the United States, most firefighters work on a schedule where they live in the firehouse and are off from work for a certain amount of days of the week. If you're interested in seeing how an irregular schedule can still help you be a great dad, watch this.

Have you and your partner been trying to have a baby, but you seem to not be able to? Are you concerned about your baby being born prematurely and staying in the NICU? If you are trying to have a baby and don't know what to expect, I'm happy to introduce you to Matt Morse. I met Matt in 2018 and he runs Baseball Education Center with my good friend Paul Reddick. Matt is a really good man and he shares his experience of being a dad to his 1 year old son, the journey to becoming a father, and the challenges he's faced and overcome with his wife as a new dad. Today you'll find out: How to remain consistent and positive when trying to get pregnant for over a year Why being in the moment and enjoying each step of your child's life is something you will treasure for the rest of your life How being around other dads who have more experience than you will help you prepare and be a better dad How to balance running businesses and being a new dad And much much more… If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

I am grateful to share today's episode with you because it is with a mentor of mine who has helped me grow tremendously this past year. I met John Patrick Morgan in 2021 when I was looking for a new coach, and I've learned so much about how to BE the man who creates everything that I want. Today I'd like to share with you what John has taught me with being a father, and I will lead with a powerful idea he shared with me 30 minutes in: If there were no cultural rules that say you should be a certain way as a dad, how would you show up if you could be any dad that you wanted to be? In this episode, you'll find out: -How using YouTube as a distraction negatively affected his sons -How to John and his wife keep their kids entertained without the iPad -How John deals with shame as a parent -And so much more… If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

Have you ever wanted to be close to your family? Have you struggled with the doubt that you and your kids are going to have a close relationship as you get older? If so, I'm happy to introduce you to a man who has a close relationship with each of his 4 kids, his 15 grandchildren, and his 9 great grandchildren!! Ed Lassiter is a man who defines his success, not by what he's done in his career, but mostly how he sees himself as a husband and father. Today you'll find out: -4 questions to help you stay close with anyone and everyone you want -How to have your kids WANT to call you instead of "having" to call you -What to do when your kids and grandkids don't call you but you want to talk to them more regularly -And much much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

ATTENTION STEPDADS: If you are struggling with your relationship with your step child, or you have trouble with their dad, you need to read every single word. Being in a relationship has its own challenges. Add in other people's exes and children and the challenge sometimes feels impossible. There is no roadmap to being a dad and we all know too well that being a man isn't enough to be called a Dad. I am not going to reinvent the wheel and learn what it's like to be a dad on my own, so I'm constantly reaching out to other fathers. However, when I come across a father I'm thinking about connecting with and learning from, I ask myself: "Are they a good example of the kind of fatherI want to be?" When it comes to Jason Soto, the answer to that question is an automatic YES. I invited Jay onto the podcast again because I wanted him to specifically share his experience as a stepdad. Today you'll find out: -How he approaches his relationship with his (step) daughter's biological father -How he meets his daughter where she's at and parents her from that place -What he does when his daughter is missing her biological dad -And much much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

Have you ever felt like you were 3rd or 4th place to your dad's love? Did you ever feel like he loved his work more than you? Do you feel this way about your significant other? If you are or have been in this position, you need to listen to every single word. It can be tricky balancing what you want to pursue personally while being a father. I know I felt like I didn't have my dad's attention at times, and a fear that I have is that my wife and kids may feel the same with me. Today I am honored to introduce you to a man who's been on both sides of the coin of having no work-home balance and having balance. Bhavik Patel is a man who loves business. Bhavik is also a loving and caring man, husband, father, and coach. Today you'll find out: -What it cost Bhavik to choose work and business over time with his kids (when they were very young) -How being over-leveraged in his businesses took a toll on his marriage and home life… -The struggle he faced between choosing business and work over time with his kids… -The shift Bhavik made to feel great about spending more time at home while also pursuing his business goals… -And much, much more… If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

When your kids are screaming at the top of their lungs because they want more TV time, do you: A) Feel that you keep your peace show up in a calm way or B) Find yourself ordering and shouting even louder than them? Do you ever worry sometimes that your kids are not going to grow up to be good people? You are not alone and that's why today I am honored to introduce you to a man who teaches my family every week, Pastor Jared Kirk. My wife, Maria, and I met at our local church in Jersey, and moving up to Boston meant we needed to find a new church to call home. A few weeks after moving we came across Renewal Church and it was one of the greatest gifts we received since getting married. In the eight months that I've known Jared, I've grown exponentially as a man, as a husband, and as a servant. Reflecting on what his leadership has done for me, I knew I had to pick his brain on how he approaches fatherhood. Today you'll find out:

Did you know that when female eagles are ready to mate, they fly high above with a branch, drop it from the sky, and wait for a male eagle to catch it and bring it back to her? They do this over and over again until the male eagle has proven that he wont let the branch fall to the ground, and then they make sweet eagle love. Why is this? As the babies are growing up, dad will fly in with food for his kids and instead of feeding it to them, this eagle will place the food on the edge of the cliff. And sometimes the babies fall of the cliff… …and that's when dad swoops in to pick them back up. Why go through this to raise your kids? Aleksandar explains perfectly that one of his missions is to teach his kids to go to their edge. To push them selves to grow no matter how uncomfortable it is. I'm really excited for you to find out Aleksandar's approach on how he shows up as a dad. Today you'll find out:

Are you setting up your kids to follow a purpose in life? Are you worried that your kids will grow up to feel lost as adults? Today I'd like to introduce you to an incredible coach and dad, David Yudis. David is a man who isn't afraid to challenge you so that you do the thing you want to do, but are afraid to do. In today's conversation, David talks about: -Getting your kids on a mission so that they find and follow their purpose in life -How to balance pursuing your purpose with work and your work as a parent (as well as the struggles with wanting to do both -How to teach your kids how the value of responsibly while they're young so that they're prepared for adulthood -And so much more!!

Did you become a dad at 18? Have you tried to provide for your kids through selling drugs or stealing cars? Do you struggle to find a role model of what a good dad looks like? If you answered yes to any of the above, I'd like to introduce you to a man who was in a similar spot as you, Jason Soto. Jason is a man with more life experience than most people that I know, and today he talks about: -His challenges with becoming a father at 18 years old -What raising 5 kids across 20 years has taught him -Being a stepfather to his girlfriend's daughter since she was 4 years old -And so much more!! In the short amount of time that I've met him, Jason has taken a special place in my life and I'm really excited for what you're going to get out of his experience. If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

What do you think your life would look like if you had 5 kids? What about 6? What about 7?! Today Jon Shetrit shares with you and I his experience of raising 7 kids. Jon is a stoic man who works so hard to provide for his family. Not just with his finances, but with his time and love. “When people talk about becoming a dad, you always hear how hard it is, but not how amazing you're going to feel when you're little princess looks up at you” Today you'll find out: -What Jon does to create trust and openness with each of his kids -How to give each of your children the attention and love they need (especially when you have many kids) -A powerful shift in how to think about time with your kids. ESPECIALLY when you're busy and your schedule is tight -And so much more!! If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

One of my fears is that I'm not going to connect or relate to my kids. I worry that we are going to be complete opposites and that it may lead to them feeling misunderstood, or worse yet, unloved. There is no rulebook when it comes to this fear but if there were one to be written, I would ask Ben Kolp to write it. Like many dads, Ben is the complete opposite of his kids. Early on, Ben recognized that his sons were their own people with their own interests. He couldn't force them to like the things he liked, or do the things he was interested in doing. 21 years later, Ben has an outstanding relationship with his kids and he is known as “one of the best dads I know,” according to his wife (totally unbiased

There's a very special man I'd like you to meet today. He's a dad who continues to show up no matter what adversity he's faced with. It's an honor to call him family and I'd like you to meet Eric Rodriguez, my cousin Andrea's husband. Today he'll talk about

Are you a dad who isn't ready to be a dad? Are you a dad who wasn't ready to be a dad when you became one? Were you raised by someone who wasn't your biological dad, and wondered why? “There are going to be dads who are in situations like this… I wish I could have heard someone talk about this candidly when it was happening to me” Not being in a child's life is a touchy subject with a lot of opinions. I have my own experience with it firsthand and I'm really grateful for the chance to speak with a dad who went through the experience of handing over his parental rights. Today I speak with a man who is wiser beyond his years, Joey Bergeron. Joey and I coach incredible people into creating businesses that provide for their families. I've been waiting with anticipation to share the story of this intelligent and kind man with you all.

Have you ever wanted your kid to achieve the things you couldn't? It could be in sports, business, anything, you just want to give them the experience and advice that you wish you got when they were age? However, has it ever feel like you were pulling teeth just to get them to do something in that sport, business, etc?! Today I speak with a dear friend, mentor, and brother in my life Pito Guardarrama. Pito is a pastor at Today's Church NJ and today he talks about his experience, his challenge, and the gift of raising 3 wonderful kids with his wife Karina of 20 years. Today you'll learn more about -The cost of pushing your son through sports he doesn't want to do -Staying together after cheating -How his near death experience reshaped how he shows up for his wife and kids -And much much more If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

After losing my job in 2018, I felt lost and overwhelmed. I judged myself harshly for my mistakes and was filled with doubt as I worked towards becoming a real estate agent, until I met Jay Arissó. Confused, alone, and feeling like a loser, my cousin's husband (cousin in law?) Eric invited me to join him at Today's Church. I sat in the dark auditorium of Elizabeth High School after waiting for service to start and for the next hour it felt like Jay was talking to me and only me, and this has continued since all these years later! Over the last 4 years Pastor Jay has shown me what a man, husband, and father looks like when he comes from a place of kindness and knowing who he is. To interview him for this podcast is a blessing, and if you haven't met Pastor Jay yet, today you'll get a glimpse of what he's learned and continues to learn from raising 3 kids. Such as: -Lessons learned from his dad's food truck -The importance of standing for something over nothing at all -How his dad showed up for him is reflected on how he shows up for his kids -And much much more Listen to the podcast and if you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

Joey is a father of 2 and we talk about the importance of having quality time with your kids, overcoming infidelity, and more. If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.

My mission is to help dads repair their relationship with their kids. While I coach men with this, this podcast is in service of that mission by giving us the opportunity to learn from the dads who are doing it well. I've interviewed a bunch of men for this and have noticed several similarities across the board. What has been so meaningful to them, what they regret, what they are doing differently than their parents, and more. If you have any questions, anything you'd like me to pass on to the dads who've been interviewed, or if you're a dad who would like to be on here, send me an email to AndresLifeCoach@gmail.com.