Everyone told you being a Dad would be hard, right? Many probably even said, “Nothing can prepare you…” And, man, they were so right. There’s nothing we can tell you to make the transition to being a new Dad a smooth and easy one, but we can help you figure out how to be more involved, more present, and more engaged as a parent and a partner. That’s what we’re aiming to do in this series of Daddy Downloads from The Man Rules podcast.

In this episode, Dan shares some thoughts on how Dads can get back into the parenting game when they feel like they’ve been sidelined. When you and your partner have a baby, the focus often quickly and completely shifts away from your relationship and toward the needs of the baby. How can you begin to balance the baby’s needs, your partner’s needs, and your own needs, while being the best possible Dad you can be? It’s not easy, but it’s possible through honesty, open communication, and humility.

Practical & Tactical Tips

1. Include yourself in the narrative. When people ask how your partner and the baby are doing, go ahead and mention how you’re doing as well. You are an equally important part of the story.
2. Pay attention to your feelings. When you start to feel resentful or disconnected, talk to your partner or a trusted friend about it.
3. Make time for yourself. Not at the expense of the child, or your partner, but just enough to re-energize and bring your best self to parenthood.
4. Identify at least two men in your life with whom you can talk openly and honestly about the ups and downs of being a Dad.

About Dan

Dan Griffin, M.A., is an internationally recognized author, thought leader and expert on men’s relationships and masculinity. Dan’s work and life is dedicated to exploring and redefining what it means to be a man in the 21st century. Dan is dedicated to helping men be better men by understanding the impact of the Man Rules on their lives and finding the success in their personal lives they are striving for in the professional lives. Dan’s book, A Man’s Way through Relationships, is the first book written specifically to help men create healthy relationships while navigating the challenges of the “Man Rules,” those ideas men internalize at very young ages about how to be real boys and men.

Dan’s professional background includes over two decades in the mental health and addictions field. He is also the author of A Man’s Way through the Twelve Steps, the first trauma-informed book to take a holistic look at men’s sobriety. He co-authored Helping Men Recover, the first comprehensive gender-responsive and trauma-informed curriculum for addiction and mental health professionals. Dan earned a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Kansas where his graduate work was the first qualitative study centered on the social construction of masculinity in the culture of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The post Daddy Download – What About Me? appeared first on Dan Griffin.

Everyone told you being a Dad would be hard, right? Many probably even said, “Nothing can prepare you…”  And, man, they were so right. There’s nothing we can tell you to make the transition to being a new Dad a smooth and easy one, but we can help you figure out how to be more involved, more present, and more engaged as a parent and a partner. That’s what we’re aiming to do in this series of Daddy Downloads from The Man Rules podcast.

Parenting is full of surprises. Some expected but a lot of them unexpected. The majority of the surprises we have no control over. That can lead to a lot of different feelings! So what do we do as fathers? What do we do when we can get this little creature who doesn’t respond to reason or argument to stop crying? How do we take care of our own frustration and not let it get in the way of our connection with our child?

We talk all of the time on The Man Rules podcast about anger. And, of course, it’s one of the few feelings that men are allowed to have in this society. What about all of those other feelings though? All of those same feelings our little beings embody every moment of the day? If you are not a man used to noticing how you get triggered by others’ feelings this podcast could help. A baby is completely defenseless, vulnerable, and unpredictable. Do any of those sound like qualities that The Man Rules embrace or prepare men to be able to handle?

We aren’t going to pretend it’s easy but we do give you some really effective tools that you can use right away – none of which cost you any money whatsoever to access.

About Dan Griffin

Dan Griffin, M.A., is an internationally recognized author, thought leader and expert on men’s relationships and masculinity. Dan’s work and life is dedicated to exploring and redefining what it means to be a man in the 21st century. Dan is dedicated to helping men be better men by understanding the impact of the Man Rules on their lives and finding the success in their personal lives they are striving for in the professional lives. Dan’s book, A Man’s Way through Relationships, is the first book written specifically to help men create healthy relationships while navigating the challenges of the “Man Rules,” those ideas men internalize at very young ages about how to be real boys and men.

Dan’s professional background includes over two decades in the mental health and addictions field. He is also the author of A Man’s Way through the Twelve Steps, the first trauma-informed book to take a holistic look at men’s sobriety. He co-authored Helping Men Recover, the first comprehensive gender-responsive and trauma-informed curriculum for addiction and mental health professionals. Dan earned a Master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Kansas where his graduate work was the first qualitative study centered on the social construction of masculinity in the culture of Alcoholics Anonymous.

The post Daddy Download – Don’t Get Mad, Get Glad appeared first on Dan Griffin.

Everyone told you being a Dad would be hard, right? Many probably even said, “Nothing can prepare you…”  And, man, they were so right. There’s nothing we can tell you to make the transition to being a new Dad a smooth and easy one, but we can help you figure out how to be more involved, more present, and more engaged as a parent and a partner. That’s what we’re aiming to do in this series of Daddy Downloads from The Man Rules podcast.

You can listen to each episode in the same amount of time it takes your toddler to color the cat’s paws with permanent marker, drop your phone in the toilet, break your favorite coffee mug, and give herself a black eye by stumbling into a doorknob. (i.e. about five minutes.) Dan offers three no-nonsense tips on how to define your role as a Dad, and be the kind of father you want to be.

In this, our first Daddy Download, Dan dives into the issue of true co-parenting. Dads these days are likely to be much more involved in their children’s lives than their fathers were. But, sometimes stigmas about who should perform childcare duties (i.e. the woman, or the “more feminine” partner) still leave many Dads feeling left out. Dan shares three tips on how to stay engaged as both a parent and partner after you’ve had a child.

About Dan Griffin

The post Daddy Download: 3 Co-Parenting Tips for New Dads appeared first on Dan Griffin.