Carrying The Weight

In this episode of Just Four Dads, the guys welcome a special guest — Brent Tipton, a high school football coach, middle school principal, husband, and dad who spends his days leading students and his nights showing up for his family.Brent joins the podcast as our honorary “5th Dad” substitute while Ryan recovers from surgery, and the conversation dives deep into what it really looks like to balance leadership, responsibility, and fatherhood when your job constantly pulls you away from home. From coaching football and mentoring young men to coming home and being fully present for his kids, Brent shares the reality of navigating dad guilt, time management, and the pressure of leadership in multiple areas of life.The guys also discuss:• The challenge of being present when work demands so much of your time• Why coaching and mentorship can be a calling beyond wins and losses• Dad guilt and how to mentally transition from work mode to dad mode• The importance of humility and owning mistakes as a leader and father• Supporting your spouse when life gets chaotic• Practical ways dads can create intentional time with their kidsAlong the way, the episode includes the usual segments:🔥 Fathers in the Fire – Shoutout to Dakota from Kansas City📞 Dads in the Wild – A surprise call with a fellow dad sharing wins and losses🏆 Dad Wins & Dad Hacks – Real-life moments and practical advice for everyday dadsOne of the biggest takeaways from this episode:Sometimes the most important thing a dad can do is pause before walking through the door and intentionally shift from work mode to dad mode.If you're a dad trying to juggle work, leadership, and family life — you're not alone.👍 If you enjoyed this episode:• Like the video• Subscribe to the channel• Leave a comment with your latest Dad Win, Dad Loss, or Dad HackYour support helps other dads find this community.🌐 Join the community:Visit Just4DadsPod.com to connect with other dads, join the forum, and share your story.

Welcome back, dads! The "Ry Guy" is back from the Bahamas, and the whole crew is finally back together for an early-morning recording session. In this episode, we’re unpacking the "Dad Essentials Kit"—not the clichéd white New Balance sneakers or cargo shorts, but the real tools, habits, and mindsets that define us as fathers right now.We also introduce two brand-new segments that might just become your favorites: "Dads in the Wild" (where we cold-call a dad live on the show!) and a hilarious (and slightly embarrassing) round of Dad Wins & Losses involving Taco Bell mishaps and midnight diaper disasters.In this episode, we cover:​🌴 Bahamas Debrief: Ryan shares stories from "Pig Island" and surviving a family vacation with zero undershirts.​🌮 Dad Loss of the Week: Michael’s Taco Bell fail that proves "fine" never actually means fine.​📞 Dads in the Wild: We make our first-ever live cold call to a listener (shoutout Collin Wrede!) to hear a real-time win and loss from the trenches of fatherhood.​🎒 The Dad Essentials:◦Ryan: The "Dad Pack," Ricoh camera, One-on-one trips and connecting with a daughter who is basically his "female version”.◦Nick: "Tickle Time," sports balls of any kind, and fart songs on the aux.◦Noah: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on repeat, a 9mm under the seat, and the lifeline that is the diaper bag (plus... mango jerky?!).◦Mikel: Disco Ball, D&D Bedtime Stories, Video Game Controller, Dumb PhoneWhether you're packing a diaper bag or just trying to survive the middle school years, this episode is about identifying the unique tools you need to be the best dad you can be.Weekly Challenge: Identify your own "Dad Essentials." What are the 3-4 things (objects, habits, or mindsets) that you cannot parent without? Share them with us or just take stock of what keeps you going.Support the Pod: Like, comment, and subscribe! And if you know a dad who needs a laugh or some encouragement, send this episode their way.Join the Community: Create an account at JustFourDadsPod.com to connect with other dads and jump into the conversation.Follow us on Instagram: @just_four_dads

Welcome back, Dads! In this special episode, our regular host Ryan is away in the Bahamas (sending selfies from underwater), so we brought in our very first guest: Ryan Farrell. Ryan is a firefighter, a former bandmate, and a dad with an incredible story of resilience and faith.We sit down to hear Ryan’s difficult road to fatherhood. After experiencing three consecutive miscarriages and receiving a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility," Ryan and his wife Olivia faced a season of grief and questioning. Ryan opens up about the emotional toll this took on him as a husband, admitting he went from "hero to zero" and realized he couldn't fix the situation on his own.In this episode, we discuss:The Adoption Journey: How Ryan and his wife moved from heartbreak to hearing God’s call to adopt, eventually meeting a birth mother who changed their lives.Meeting Quentin: The humbling moment Ryan held his son for the first time and realized that despite the suffering, his son was exactly where he was supposed to be.Marriage First: Ryan explains his philosophy on prioritizing his marriage, telling his son, "I love you, but I love your mom a little bit more".Men & Grief: We talk about why men struggle to show emotion and the importance of swallowing your pride to find a support group because life is not designed to be done alone.Plus, the usual Dad chaos:Dad Win: Michael shares a hilarious Advent mishap involving his son reading the word "sharted" instead of "starred".Dad Loss: Ryan (the guest) watches his son faceplant immediately after his wife warned him it would happen.Dad Hack: Nick admits to being an "idiot" for double-booking recording night with his wife's book club—use a calendar app, guys!.Tools for the Toolbox: If you are struggling or in a dark valley, do not do it alone. Ryan challenges every dad to reach out, find a community, and get people to pray for you when you can't pray for yourself.Note: The "Bowen Boys" crash the studio at the end to give their football predictions!.Support the Pod:Like, comment, and subscribe to join the Just 4 Dads community!

Welcome back, dads! We’re picking up right where we left off in Part 2 of the "Juggling Act." If Part 1 was about defining the load we carry, Part 2 is about what happens when that load gets too heavy—and where we go to cope.In this episode, the guys get incredibly vulnerable about the "Silent Struggle." We talk about why men instinctively hide their pain and why we often run to unhealthy coping mechanisms (like food, isolation, or worse) when the pressure hits. But it’s not just about the struggle; it’s about the solution. We break down how to stop trying to fix everything overnight and start making "micro-adjustments" that actually last.In this episode, we cover:- D&D Dad Life: How fantasy worlds can help you connect with your kids in the real world.- The Silent Struggle: Why we bottle things up and the "identity trap" that keeps us stuck in bad habits.- Micro-Adjustments: Why "going cold turkey" usually fails and how small wins snowball into big changes.- The "Wife Audit": A terrifying but game-changing exercise to get on the same page with your spouse.- Mental Health: Normalizing therapy and finding the root of the problem, not just fixing the fruit.- Real Life Happens: Watch (or listen) as real-life dad duties literally pull one of us out of the recording chair mid-episode!We also dig into the "Daddy Hack" regarding habit stacking and why the journey matters more than the destination. If you feel like you've been white-knuckling it through fatherhood, this conversation is the breath of fresh air you need.Weekly Challenge: Take stock of your life this week. Write down:1. Where am I thriving?2. Where am I suffering?3. Who can I tell about it? (Don't keep it silent!)Resources Mentioned in this Episode:- Dad Tired and Loving It: Stumbling Your Way to Spiritual Leadership: https://a.co/d/1ihLMzE- Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones: https://a.co/d/3hgWeArJoin the 5th Dad community: Create an account at Just4DadsPod.com to connect with other dads, drop questions in the forum, and break the silence.Support the Pod: Like, comment, and subscribe!Let us know below: What is one "micro-adjustment" you are going to make this week?

Welcome back, dads! In Season 2, Episode 3, we’re diving into one of the realest conversations we’ve ever had — the juggling act of fatherhood. From being a present dad and a loving husband to holding down a job, staying healthy, and not losing yourself in the process… it’s a lot. And most of us are carrying more than we ever admit.In this episode, the guys open up about:• Why men struggle silently and bottle things up• What it really looks like to juggle fatherhood, marriage, career, health, and finances• Redefining what “strength” actually means as a dad• The guilt cycle that keeps us feeling like we’re failing• How small, realistic habits can help you build momentum again• Why community matters and why you can’t do this aloneWe also share personal stories — from birth-room chaos to trampoline-park meltdowns — that show how messy, emotional, and meaningful fatherhood can be. This episode is all about giving yourself grace, taking one small step at a time, and realizing you’re not meant to carry the load by yourself.🔥 Weekly Challenge:Try saying, “I need help with ____,” instead of pretending you’re fine — or spend 10 minutes on something that fills your tank instead of scrolling.👥 Join the 5th Dad community:Create an account at Just4DadsPod.com to connect with other dads, drop questions in the forum, comment on episodes, and get plugged into our growing community.👕 Giveaway:Sign up on the website for a chance to win our first-ever exclusive Just 4 Dads T-shirt (we don’t even have them yet!).If you're a dad trying to keep all the plates spinning — this one’s for you.Part 2 is coming next, where we’ll dive deeper into the silent struggles dads face and how to make micro-adjustments that actually stick.👍 Like, comment, and subscribe to support the pod.💬 Drop your Dad Win, Dad Loss, or Dad Hack below — we may feature it in a future episode!

Welcome back, dads! In this episode, the guys dive deep into “The Weight of Our Words” — how what we say (and don’t say) shapes our kids, our families, and even our own growth as fathers.You’ll laugh through gym name mix-ups (“Malachi?!?”), Halloween chaos, and $70 Chick-fil-A runs — but you’ll also hear some real talk about the power of words, navigating parenting alongside your spouse, and how to handle those “dad fail” moments with grace.Topics this week:The importance of what we speak over our kidsBalancing correction and encouragementHow our own dads shaped who we are todayOwning mistakes, offering forgiveness, and leading with presencePlus, a Dad Hack you won’t forget: the “Daddy Pack” (yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like)Stick around for stories that are equal parts hilarious, honest, and heartfelt — all about doing fatherhood the best way we know how.👉 Next episode teaser: “The Dad Juggle” — balancing marriage, work, and fatherhood without sinking the ship.📱 Connect with us:Instagram | Spotify | YouTube | Wherever you listen to podcasts💬 Join the conversation:Drop your dad hacks, stories, or just let us know you’re listening! (Seriously — we think there’s at least one listener out there… Bruce, is that you?)

Join the Dads in today’s episode as they discuss finding stillness and pockets of peace in a chaotic, busy everyday life. Four dads, zero filters. Real talk on fatherhood, marriage and life in the trenches.Get connected with the The Four Dads:⁠@mikel_hawks⁠ ⁠@nickbowen10⁠ ⁠@noahmarvin⁠ ⁠@ryanmaderic⁠Like and Subscribe! That will help us reach out to more Dads.Follow US: Instagram - @Four_The_DadsYoutube - Four The Dads Podcast

Join the Dads in today’s episode as they discuss the weight of life as a father and a leader of the household. What does it take to achieve your financial goals as a family? How do we carry the weight of finances as a father? Four dads, zero filters. Real talk on fatherhood, marriage and life in the trenches.Get connected with the The Four Dads:⁠@mikel_hawks⁠ ⁠@nickbowen10⁠ ⁠@noahmarvin⁠ ⁠@ryanmaderic⁠Like and Subscribe! That will help us reach out to more Dads.Follow US: Instagram - @Four_The_DadsYoutube - Four The Dads Podcast

In this special live episode of Four The Dads Podcast, we took the show on the road to Maple Tree Book Shop & Coffee House for an unforgettable day of coffee, conversation, and community. We were joined by six incredible guests from the 5th Dad Community, each sharing their unique perspective on fatherhood, and the journey of leading their families well.From real talk about balancing work and family to the importance of brotherhood among dads, this episode is packed with wisdom, laughter, and encouragement. Whether you were in the audience or tuning in now, you won’t want to miss this powerful discussion. Grab your coffee and join us for Episode 7!🎙️ Listen now and be sure to follow Four The Dads Podcast for more real, raw, and relatable conversations about fatherhood!

What is your biggest fear in fatherhood?Join the Dads in today’s episode as they discuss their biggest fears in fatherhood.Four dads, zero filters. Real talk on fatherhood, marriage and life in the trenches.Get connected with the The Four Dads:⁠@mikel_hawks⁠ ⁠@nickbowen10⁠ ⁠@noahmarvin⁠ ⁠@ryanmaderic⁠Like and Subscribe! That will help us reach out to more Dads.Follow US:Instagram - @Four_The_DadsYoutube - Four The Dads Podcast