Fourth Trimester Podcast Episode 18: Dad Real Talk – How Dads Can Become The Father They Want To Be
Becoming a father
Episode 18 is the Fourth Trimester Podcast episode that is all about Dads. We talk with a stay-at-home Dad, Andrew Gentry-Law, who shares his personal experiences with newborn twins, and about his work in helping other new dads in their roles as fathers. He is also a licensed marriage and family therapist.
“You’re always becoming a parent,” Andrew tells us. But where do the Dads go to talk about becoming the Dads they want to be? Andrew helps men in a “dudes group” answer a lot of questions such as:
- Who offered to help and who do I actually want to help out?
- What do I ask them to do?
- How do we prepare our relationship with our partner for being parents together and handling stress in a way that doesn’t lead to disconnection?
“Dude’s Group”
At the mens group, dads share tips, tricks, and horror stories, and they provide mutual support from one man to another. But the main goal is to provide fathers with the example of watching another man take care of a baby. One dad will have to stop to feed a baby, or soothe a crying baby. Most impactful for most dads is the silent example of seeing that they aren’t alone in being a Dad. “The idea that Dads would meet with other dads and talk about being parents with their children present feels pretty fresh,” Andrew tells us.
How a friend or family member can help a new parent
On a practical note, friends and family often ask new parents what they can do to help. Here’s Andrew’s quick list of how our community can help us as new parents:
- Walk the dog
- Pick up groceries and leave them on the porch
- Take the dad out for a beer
- Take the mom out for a beer
- Come wash some bottles
- Take my older child out to the park
- Make us some dinner
- Help out with a load of laundry
This episode is a wealth of information for new and expecting parents. Andrew raises a number of topics worth consideration, including the emotional side of coping with parenthood.
Enjoy! Sarah & Esther xo