Dad

Our guest today is Anna Seewald, M. Ed, a wife, a mom, an author, a speaker, a photographer, a podcaster, an educator, a lifelong learner and the founder of Authentic Parenting. Authentic Parenting is her business and podcast and it's all about parenting from the heart. Anna lost her mother in a severe earthquake in Armenia in 1988 when she was only 13, and her father became her sole caregiver. She always had a great relationship with her father who was very emotional, encouraging, and understanding, but through this tragedy, they grew even closer. Anna came to America when she was 27 with her father's full blessing, after receiving a scholarship from the U.S. State Department. Her father remains a supportive champion in her life to this day. She described her father's parenting style as authentic and from him and through her studies and casework Anna developed her business and podcast, Authentic Parenting, where she is a divorce mediator who also teaches parenting classes, both selective and court-ordered. L

Our guest today is Robert Bullock. Robert grew up on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi giving him his southern roots.  At an early age, Robert possessed a strong interest in anything fashion related and with his drive and passion he became a successful designer, with an expertise in draping, pattern making, and sewing. His current company, Robert Bullock Bride, has been his most fulfilling business to date, both personally as well as professionally. Robert has lived in NYC for the past 30 years. He is an activist for human rights and equality. He also volunteers at Best Friends Animal Shelter, being an advocate for the animals who need him to fight for their rights as well. Jonathan and Robert discuss the unusual and amazing connection between the death of Robert's father and his future son. After his father's passing, Robert was looking for a place to just relax and have a few minutes by himself. It was at a local restaurant where Robert met Oscar, who would later become his son. They discuss how Oscar showed up

Our guest today is Karen Lock Kolp, a child development expert, and parent coach. Her podcast, We Turned Out Okay, has been downloaded more than 300,000 times by parents who just want to know that, really, everything is going to be alright. Jonathan and Karen talk about her upbringing and the role her father played in her life. They also talk about modern parenting and how we adopt some of the traits of our parents while simultaneously learning to trust our own instincts. Karen opens up about a difficult childhood memory, her own chronic illness, and how almost losing her father helped bring even more perspective to her life. Links: Karen's podcast, We Turned Out Okay Karen's YouTube Channel Karen's Twitter, @weturnedoutokay Karen's Instagram, @weturnoutokay We Turned Okay on Facebook  

This week we get a more up close and personal glimpse into our host Jonathan’s life.  He shares his background as a son and father, the passion behind this podcast, and why he wanted to pay homage to his own parents and open up the discussion to encompass all aspects of fatherhood, family life, and even difficult topics such as loss and grief. He shares how fatherhood compares to his expectations and visions of how it would be, and the differences between how he grew up and the way he is raising his own children.   Key Takeaways [1:31] Dads are more than welcome to enjoy the podcast of course, but this show is not just for men or fathers. It’s an exploration of the meaning of parenthood, loss, expectations and much more, and the guests will range from mothers, daughters, fathers, grandfathers, etc. [1:58] Jonathan is the single father of two teenagers — one 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter. He is now working full-time as a writer and podcaster and enjoys the freedom of a flexible schedule. [9:22]

Today’s guest is Craig Johnson, an old camp buddy of Jonathan’s. Craig has an extremely busy and full life; he and his wife Liz have been married for 20 years and are both attorneys. Together they have three children — Ben, 16; Sam, 13; and Lucy, 8. Craig shares the lessons he has learned from coaching his own kids, how his career experience as an attorney, lobbyist, and State Senator has shaped his approach towards parenting, the challenge of balance and enjoyment of his kids’ success and the evolution of Craig’s own father as a grandfather. The guys also admit to being a little overeager when texting their kids, and why they can’t be too upset when there is empty ice cream in the fridge.   Key Takeaways: [1:24] Jonathan and Craig met at Camp Taconic. Here they learned a lot about independence (for both the children and the parents) and he now sends his own kids to camp. [3:20] He and his wife Liz have been married for 20 years and he is very grateful for their partnership both as husband and wife and as co-

Today’s guest is Rob Schiffmann, actor, improviser, musician and most importantly - father. Rob and Jonathan grew up together and reminisce about their Tuesday baseball games and what it taught them to be great fathers of their own. They also talk about the unique path Rob had growing up with two great parents and stepparents, and examine the relationship of weekend parenting. Rob now has two daughters and they examine the delicate balance between staying involved and letting your children have space to do their own thing.   Key Takeaways: [2:07] Jonathan and Rob reminisce about their Tuesday baseball at Plaza Park. One of the staples of the recurring meet-up was watching the dads (and sometimes moms) participating. [5:33] Rob’s parents went through a divorce, but it resulted in him having two great stepparents, and his parents remaining good friends. [12:46] Even in his 80’s, Rob’s dad is constantly learning and is very interested in arts, continued education and current events. [13:25] They explore the dad’

This week’s episode features father of two, husband, and City Dads co-founder Lance Somerfeld. Lance frequently contributes to the conversation about modern fatherhood and has appeared on local and national television, including CNN, Fox News, Today, and Katie. Lance talks about living in New York City as a father, how he went from public school teacher to a stay-at-home dad, the formation, growth, and purpose of City Dads and how they are single-handedly helping thousands of men become more confident and involved fathers.   Key Takeaways: [1:50] Lance Somerfeld shares the background of how he went from public school teacher to stay-at-home dad. He and co-founder Matt Schneider started City Dads in November 2008 and it has been going strong for 10 years with 34 cities in the U.S. and nearly 11,000 members. They wanted a place for dads to go to feel welcome and able to connect with other fathers and kids in a fun and meaningful way. [18:02] City Dads works with brands in a long-lasting personal relationship on

Today we jump back in with Part 2 of Jonathan’s conversation with Alison Donnelly. Alison is a stay-at-home mom living in Brooklyn and is married to one of Jonathan’s long-time best friends Dan. She and Jonathan talk about what it is like to lose a parent, compare end-of-life stories of their parents and any regrets they may still have, the mixed emotions of watching your children grow up and even slip in the best Barbie cake story you may ever hear!   Key Takeaways:   [1:11] Alison tells the story of getting the tough phone calls during her father’s death. Jonathan waited almost a full year before he talked to his friends about his mom’s death and finds technology a useful tool when dealing with breaking the news to people. [14:21] Alison’s number-one memory of her dad is the help and work he did for her school. Her second one involves an odd incident with a Barbie cake at her eighth birthday. [23:21] Most people find themselves repeating the exact same mannerisms and sayings that annoyed them most about the

Today Jonathan is joined by Alison Donnelly. Alison is a stay-at-home mom living in Brooklyn and is married to one of Jonathan’s long-time friends Dan. Alison talks about her blog Formerly Fat Mom, which chronicled her journey of getting back into shape with a dose of humor and self-deprecation. She and Jonathan also talk about what it is like to lose a parent, give a eulogy, compare end-of-life stories of their parents and any regrets they may still have, the mixed emotions of watching your children grow up and even slip in the best Barbie cake story you may ever hear!   Key Takeaways: [:31] Jonathan’s guest today is Alison Donnelly. Alison is married to one of Jonathan’s oldest friends, Dan, whom he met and befriended at a tennis and surf club. She is a stay-at-home mom to their 10-year-old son, Thomas. [1:59] Alison’s father Aubert passed away in May 2016, when he was 86. Jonathan had a similar loss, as his father passed away 13 years ago at age 67. [7:28] One of the messages in Jonathan’s writing that tou

Today’s guest is actor, writer and director Benjamin King, who you may know from his roles on shows such as Liv and Maddie, Grey’s Anatomy and Weeds. Jonathan and Benjamin started as childhood buddies at Camp Taconic before they reconnected on Facebook as adults and new dads. Benjamin now has two girls and shares what it is like to go from a “dad in waiting” to a real life father, the biggest personal challenges of fatherhood, why having a great partner and spouse makes things infinitely better, and his passion for helping people with Crohn’s and Colitis.    Key Takeaways:  [0:28] Jonathan welcomes today’s guest, Benjamin King. Benjamin is an actor, writer and director, known for many projects and roles including Liv and Maddie (2013), Grey's Anatomy (2005) and Weeds (2005).  He is also one of Jonathan’s oldest friends from camp. He has two girls, ages 10 and 12 and has been married to Laura King since 2004.  [4:22] Benjamin shares the birth story of his oldest daughter, Morgan, and the relationship that deve