Dads Group Podcast

This week we have the pleasure of chatting with Dads Group leader Alex Dugdale about his journey into fatherhood. Alex shares about the routine he and his wife have implemented into their parenting, and how they have seen the benefits play out in their family culture. Practical and impactful, we hope this episode will encourage and inspire you!

This week we have the pleasure of chatting with Dads Group leader Raj Pillay about his journey into fatherhood. Raj shares about the valuable lessons he learned along the way, offering insights that we believe will resonate with all parents. Join us for an honest and inspiring conversation on the joys, challenges, and growth that come with being a dad, and practical tips that might just help you tackle the same challenges! #DadLife #FatherhoodJourney #ParentingPodcast #DadsGroupPodcast #DadWisdom

Join us as we delve into vital conversations with Dr. Michael Herd, a renowned psychologist and trainer at Triple P. We're shining a light on perinatal mental health, aiming to break the stigma and spread awareness. If you or someone you know is seeking additional support, don't hesitate to visit the 'Get Support' tab on our website, dadsgroup.org, or reach out to Helpline. Tune in for an enlightening chat that's not just informative but also a beacon of hope and understanding in the world of fatherhood!

In todays interview we get the opportunity to chat with Dads Group leader Andrew Marmont, who is a part of the Dads of East Malvern group in Melbourne.  Andrew is an influential business coach and mentor, and there have been many dads that  have been built up and supported through Andrew's involvement with dads group. Today Andrew shares with us how he navigates the ups and downs that come with fatherhood. I hope this chat builds you up at the way it did for me.

Today on the podcast we are joined by the one and only Steve Willis, who you may also know as "Commando Steve.” He is a well-known Australian fitness trainer, television personality, author and former commando in the Australian Special Forces. Steve is an incredible motivational coach in leadership, fitness, and personal development and were honoured to have him share his wisdom on the podcast this week. Steve touches on the damage that comparison can do to your parenting journey, and shares encouragement that we are not trapped in old parenting habits or patterns from our parents, but that we can change and learn as parents as we grow into our roles. We hope your are encouraged by this chat with commando Steve.

For as far as we've come as a society in framing fatherhood more positively, there's still bias and "norms" against dads. Michael Ray experienced this first hand. A single dad to his daughter, Charlie, he wasn't permitted to go back stage at his daughter's ballet recitals - even when every other child had a parent (i.e. mother) present. Michael's determination to be backstage and support his daughter spawned a bigger fight to enable dads to be primary caregivers. Michael's passion is explosive, as he leads the charge for dads to break the mould and challenge stigmas to become hands-on parents.  “When society talks about fatherhood in the same glowing terms as motherhood, inertia will be broken. When men are recognised and admired for their nurturing and raising of the next generation instead of their income, position, or power, a paradigm will finally shift.” ~ Michael Ray

There isn't a handbook for parenting - but that doesn't mean hundreds of experts, authors, researchers and mummy-bloggers haven't attempted to write the handbook. So, when you find out your pregnant (or when you wait until after the birth and try to catch up then), and you're standing in the bookstore or scrolling through Amazon, you quickly add "parenting book???" to the list of things overwhelming you! Which is why we do the podcast, and why we seek out incredible interviewees, like this week's guest Maggie Dent. While she openly admits to writing some of the aforementioned parenting books, she also knows how to cut through the guff and get to the heart of the conversation. In this episode we learn about a man's journey through various life stages and the many differences between boys and girls.

When you have a baby, you begin hearing about all the different things that could go wrong with bub's health. You start hearing about all sorts of doctors, therapists and specialists - it can be intimidating. Here's the good news: all of those people working in all those different roles are there for you and your family, to work alongside you for the best outcomes for your child. Take Carly and Pippa for example, our latest guests and the specialists behind the Brisbane Feeding Clinic. They've brought their skillsets in speech pathology and occupational therapy to help families through fussy eating and problem feeding. As you hear in this episode, their service is just that - a service. In the same way you'd go to a mechanic for their automotive expertise; you'd book in with Pippa and Carly for their extensive knowledge and experience in the mechanics of eating.

Something we've pointed out a few times on the Dads Group podcast is that you don't have to be a dud-dad to access a parenting program. The importance of such programs were the focus of our latest episode featuring Dr Matt Sanders. Matt is the mind behind Triple P - the Positive Parenting Program - which evolved out of research he commenced in 1978. Fast forward 45 years and Triple P has spread to over 30 countries, backed by more than 740 Australian and international trials, studies and published papers. It works. And the reason it works, as Matt explained in our interview, is that parenting isn't linear. As fathers, we'll be challenged to adapt to changes and shifts within our kids and families, and having more tools under our belt will help us give our best.

There's more than one way to become a dad. Many men play the role of father figure as a stepdad, foster father, uncle, grandfather, teacher, coach – the list goes on. Regardless of how we find ourselves in the fatherhood space, we have a responsibility to shape the lives of the children in our care. Enter Tommy Maloney. Besides being a parenting coach, podcast, speaker and author, Tommy is a Bonus Dad - because what does the “step” in step-dad really mean? We talked about his origin story – his journey into marriage, fatherhood and then re-marriage. His story is filled with insights and guideposts for every dad. Visit https://blendingthefamily.com/ to learn more about Tommy's work, listen to his podcast or order his latest book, “My Dad's Advice at 5:04 a.m”.

This week we interview parenting expert and author, Michael Grose. Michael chats with us about his work on 'birth order' and how this order impacts the way your kids may relate to the world.

Tim is an entrepreneur, executive and business owner, CEO and a father 2. Tim chats with us about his fatherhood journey and balancing family and business.

In this episode, we're peeling back the curtain and diving deep into the future of Dads Group. If you've ever wondered what's on the horizon for this dynamic community of fathers, this episode is a must-listen. If you would like to support new dads and young families then check out www.socklessheroes.com

Our guest this week is Simon Richardson from Safe on Social, where he speaks on the pleasures, perils and pitfalls of social media. As a high school teacher he was all too familiar with the impacts unhealthy social media exposure had on his students. As a nine-year Mayor of Byron Shire, a hotspot of virulent and strident political opinion and activism, Simon experienced extreme levels of cyberbullying and social media engagement. Now he also faces the very real task of raising teen and tween daughters solo and helping them navigate the online world- perhaps his most challenging task.

Join us for an inspiring episode featuring Jason McEwen, the Chair of the Board at Dads Group, as he takes us on a heartfelt journey through his passion for this remarkable organisation. In this engaging conversation, Jason delves into what fuels his unwavering dedication to Dads Group and sheds light on the transformative shifts he's witnessed in Australia's landscape of fatherhood support. As a pivotal figure in the Dads Group community, Jason brings a unique perspective to the table. He not only shares his personal experiences but also explores the broader context of how fatherhood has evolved in Australia. Tune in as we uncover the deep-rooted passion behind Dads Group's mission and gain valuable insights into the changing dynamics of fatherhood support in our society. Jason's story is one of commitment, progress, and hope, and it's sure to leave you inspired.

In the latest episode of the Dads Group podcast, we chat with Geoff Brailey: a social researcher, strategic advisor and Director of Solutions at the internationally recognised McCrindle. Geoff helped us imagine what the world will look like in the future for our kids, covering everything from education to family life and relationships, employment and work to society and culture. It's a fascinating topic, which Geoff grounds in his own experience as a father.

In this episode, we welcome our new co-host, Psych Sarah, a qualified Psychologist who brings a wealth of wisdom and experience to the podcast.

Steve Biddulph is an Australian author, activist, and psychologist who has written a number of influential best-selling books on parenting, and boys' education. He is married and has two children and grandchildren.

In this episode, we talk to Tom Cencic about his experience of becoming a dad while working a corporate job and having a baby in lockdown. Tom shares the challenges he faced, as well as the joys, and offers advice to other dads who are going through the same thing. We discuss topics such as: The challenges of working from home with a newborn How to balance work and family life The importance of communication with your partner The impact of lockdown on new parents The joys of becoming a dad Tom's story is both inspiring and relatable, and it offers hope to other dads who are feeling overwhelmed. If you're a new dad, or you're expecting a baby, this episode is for you.

What are the conversations we can be having with our partners through the tough periods

Dan is father, a little bit further along the journey with some teens and tweens, and he's the co-host of the Direct Advice for Dads podcast. In our chat, we sort of bounced around a few different topics, but its really a conversation about what fatherhood is about today. Dan was really gracious in sharing his stories and experiences as a dad and I think the value he brings in this episode is from the countless conversations he's had through his podcast, as well as his own story.

Finding the right school for our kids can be extremely overwhelming. Ross Muir shares with us some tips and tricks on finding the right school for our kids

Dave Jorna is the founder of Project Hatch. Dave goes into schools and helps kids do life even better.

In this episode, Blair and Arran share how they fill their cups. How do we care for ourselves?

Burnsey chats with Dr Billy Garvey, a Developmental Paediatrician. Basically, his area of expertise is supporting children (and families), especially through tough transitions in emotional development. He expands more on what that looks like at the start of the episode. I first heard about Billy through his own podcast, Pop Culture Parenting, where he and his co-host Nick draw parenting insights from popular movies.

"Support for Fathers" is a program that helps dads and father figures by giving them advice and resources about being a good parent and partner, as well as building strong relationships with their children.

Dr Justin Coulson is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel 9's "Parental Guidance", the founder of happyfamilies.com.au, and one of Australia's most trusted parenting experts. Over the past decade he has helped innumerable families with his 6 books about raising children, his hundreds of media appearances (including all of Australia's major news outlets, and even the Washington Post and the New York Times), and two viral videos that have been viewed a combined 80 million times!

In this podcast episode, we will be hearing from Mark Matthews, a big wave surfer, who shares how his intense training and mental preparation for surfing have helped him become a calmer parent. Mark walks us through the hard work and dedication that goes into being a professional athlete, both physically and mentally. This interview sheds light on the valuable lessons we can learn from the world of sports and how they can be applied to our everyday lives.

Lael has done everything under the sun regarding children and supporting families. Lael has experience in being a birth educator, worked with people with trauma and counsellor. Lael was a co-founder of a podcast called Aware Parenting. Aware Parenting is a model of parenting teaching us on how to be an aware parent.

We interview our Dads Group legends from around Australia as they share with us their fatherhood journeys

Tom Fagernes shares how he learnt to work through his anxieties of being a new dad.

Today we are hearing from Dads of Ashgrove legend, Simon Hepson. Simon is a Financial Planner and is passionate about helping new and expecting parents reduce financial stress by reducing uncertainty.

Today we hear from the former Australian Ministry of Health, Greg Hunt. Greg was responsible for Australia's pandemic health response which would have been a full-on role. In this episode, he shares his journey of balancing a very demanding job and being a father.

In this episode, Arran MacDougall will be chatting with us about how to find your identity as a Dad

Today we hear from Dads Group legend Josh Docking who is the group leader from the Dads of Albury Wodonga crew. In this episode, we will get a glimpse of the fantastic work happening all around Australia through the impact of our Community Groups that are run by such passionate leaders.

In this episode, you will hear more about what Dads Group is about and the different projects and programs.

Today we hear from Dads Group legend Adam Burn, who will share how his relationship with his dad impacted him but did not define his fatherhood journey. Your relationship with your father may not need to define who you will be as a father. His weakness may not have to be yours.

In this episode, we will be listening to Dr Chris May, who has studied nursing, specialises in paediatric nursing, and midwifery and has worked as a paediatric diabetes nurse educator.

Today Simon shares with us the importance of connecting with your kids a prioritising time with them.

In this episode, we will be listening to Sam Gledhill who is a Nuclear Medicine Technologist by training and has more than twenty years of experience in the healthcare and research sectors. He is currently working as As Global Director & Digital Health at Movember.

Come and listen to Tom, Blair and Adam, who are part of the Dads Group team, as they share about their fatherhood journeys and how that drives them to encourage & support other fathers.

Sam is a stepfather/father figure, and we love the encouragement we receive from him.

In this episode we will be listening to the CEO of SMS4Dads, Richard Fletcher. SMS4Dads is simple but powerful. Text messages are sent straight to dads phones – with tips, information and links to other services to help fathers understand and connect with their baby and support their partner.

This episode is PART B of our interview with one of our Dads Group legends Nic Bonastre. If you haven't heard PART A before, please go check that out first

We interview our Dads Group leaders and other Dads Group Champions from around Australia as they share with us their fatherhood journeys

This episode we are interviewing the CEO of PANDA, Julie Borninkof. PANDA is dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of expecting, new and growing families.  If you would like to find out more about Dads Group, join a Digital Dads Group Session which is where these podcast episodes are recorded or connect with some of our amazing partners for support, check out our website at www.dadsgroup.org.  Please remember to like, subscribe and review, and please share with any dads and families that may benefit from hearing this podcast If after listening to this episode you would like to contact PANDA's helpline, please call 1300 726 306, or if you feel like you would benefit from extra support, please go to our Get Support page on our website.

Thomas and Adam are interview the CEO of Healthy Male, Simon von Saldern. Healthy Male are a provider of information for men's health. They facilitate action on men's health in collaboration with others, advocate for change, empower men and boys to take action on their health, build the capabilities of the health system and workforce, and prioritise their efforts to close the health and wellbeing gaps in specific groups. Before we start, I would like to acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands we all meet on today. I would like to pay respect to elders past, present and emerging and any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

Welcome to the first ever Dads Group Podcast episode. This episode is a great place for us to start as you get to hear from the CEO & Founder of Dads Group, Thomas Docking as he shares about the heart of Dads Group and how it all began. If you would like to find out more about Dads Group, join a Digital Dads Group Session which is where these podcast episodes are recorded or connect with some of our amazing partners for support, check out our website at www.dadsgroup.org. Please remember to like, subscribe and review, and please share with any dads and families that may benefit from hearing this podcast If after listening to this episode you would like to contact PANDA's helpline, please call 1300 726 306, or if you feel like you would benefit from extra support, please go to our Get Support page on our website.