Issue #4: Join Us On Our Journey to Dadlightenment
Date: January 29th, 2025

In This Issue

• Dadding 101: Tips and Tricks for Baby Registry

• Radical Marriage: Anecdotal Evidence

• Radical Mental Health: Handling Burnout

• Radical Fitness: The 20-Minute Dad Workout

• Radical Finances: The Budget Breakdown

• Radical Faith: JUST TRY HARDER

• DAD in the News: Heroic Dad Saves Son

DADing 101: Tips and Tricks for Baby Registry

Fatherhood doesn’t come with a manual, but that doesn’t mean we can’t figure it out together. This section is all about navigating the joys, challenges, and daily adventures of being a dad, with tips to help you thrive - not just survive.

HELP!! My wife just asked for my advice on our “Babylist” and I don’t know what to say!

One of the best parts about becoming a father is getting to play with all the new baby gear. Here’s some tips to maximize all the free gifts:

Quick Facts:

• The average registry is over 100 items so no, you and your partner aren’t being greedy, get that bag.

• I’m sure there’s a millions places to make a registry. Some of the general big names: Babylist, Amazon, Target, and Walmart. More on how to use this to your advantage later. Here’s a pros and cons list!

Do’s:

• Be involved! Don’t make your partner make the whole thing by herself.

• Do your research! There are A LOT of products out there. Not all are as safe as advertised.

• Prioritize quality items in neutral colors that will LAST for multiple kids. Apparently there’s no such thing as a “second baby registry.”

Don’ts:

• Don’t assume that something is so obvious you don’t need to put it on there. ANYTHING you want/need, put it on there. Running to the store for diapers on day 1 is…not fun.

• Don’t forget to put newborn clothes on there! “Newborn” is an actual size. Most babies pop out too small for 0-3 month clothes.

You’ve been asking for it and we’re finally delivering. Here’s some tips from a #RADMOM:

• Make an Amazon baby registry and add EVERYTHING you want to it, but don’t pass it around. Once the shower is over, Amazon will give you 15% off anything you didn’t receive.

• Just by creating a Target baby registry, they will give you a FREE welcome kit with over $100 in value.

• Depending on your health insurance and breast pump brand, you can get brand new pump parts and milk bags every few months.

What is your #1 Baby Registry MUST HAVE? Shoot us a DM on Insta!

Radical Marriage: Anecdotal Evidence

Parenting starts with partnership. Whether you’re newly married, dating, or years into it, this section is here to help you strengthen your marriage and relationship, communicate effectively, and keep the spark alive - even when life gets messy.

If you know me…pretend like you don’t.

I’d like to share a lesson I learned/was reminded of the hard way this week in my own marriage. I love to pour into others by using stories from my own life (cue multiple people’s eye roll.🙄)

Okay so a week ago I was sitting in my car alone in the parking lot of Aldi, gripping the steering wheel trying not to have a full blown panic attack. Life was overwhelming. I was overstimulated to the max. I’d been in live fires less stimulating than my current life. Everything was happening all at once with everyone everywhere. Screaming baby, sleepless wife, work stress, dogs barking, guns going off, the whole 9 yards. And through it all, I just kept telling myself, I had to grin and bear it. I just had to try harder. My wife’s counting on me, my baby girl is counting on me. The coworkers on my team are counting on me, even my wife’s cat is counting on me. I somehow kept breathing, drove home with the groceries, and smiled to my wife like my mental health couldn’t more stable.

Fast forward a few nights later and boom. 2am, screaming baby, crying wife, snappy husband. Definitely not radical. Thankfully, my parents were in town and they watched the baby the next day. For the first time in MONTHS my wife and I went on a kid free date. And the next day, the same thing. It was just 2 hours in total, but those were the two hours we were missing. We both expressed the same thing to each other: We feel like each of us is giving so much of our individual self to the family as a Collective, our individual self is drowning. We came up with a gameplan. If you’re in my inner circle I’ll keep you posted, for the rest of you, here are the takeaways:

1. If you’re not okay, she’s probably not okay. If you’re feeling some type of way about life, she’s probably feeling a similar way. The reasons why may be different…ie breastfeeding vs. a sales quota, but the effect it causes is the same.

2. Teamwork, baby. If you feel like you’re doing some part of your marriage, family, or even your life in general, alone, you’re probably doing it wrong. My wife and I realized we were working super hard individually and doing terribly at working together. Sure delegation is efficient, but efficiency isn’t the goal of marriage.

3. Prioritize kid free dates. They don’t have to be long and they don’t have to be that often, but make kid free dates a priority. Even an hour every couple of weeks can make all the difference.

4. Open communication. I could have saved my family days if not weeks of heartache had I openly communicated my struggles from the git-go. BUT it is so easy to just put your head down and grind. By the time you look up, you realize how far off you are. This is why #3 is so important.

Stay Tuned for next week: Putting your marriage on a PIP

Radical Mental Health: Handling Burnout

Taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your family. Here, we explore ways to manage stress, cultivate resilience, and find balance in the chaos of dad life.

"How I Learned to Balance Work and Life Without Falling Apart"

In 2023, I burned out - hard. I started having panic attacks on Sunday, dreading the next day. I was ashamed and felt like something had to be wrong. I was working for a company that was gearing up for a sale, chasing advancement, and clawing my way up the corporate ladder. I worked until midnight every night and felt guilty if I didn’t. I made work my number one priority and everything else hit the floor… especially my marriage. 

At first, I told myself it was worth it. I had a ton of conviction that it would all ‘pay off’ and then I could take my foot off the gas.  As the months went by, though, I started to fall apart. I became unsatisfied at work, dreaded getting out of bed every morning, and had days where I couldn’t seem to breathe. I was burning out, in every area of life, and the negative emotions and bitterness seemed to overflow from me into my friendships and marriage. 

I didn’t realize this then, but burnout isn’t just about exhaustion or desertification; it’s about losing your sense of priority in the chaos. I had no priorities - I had work. Thankfully, that has meaningfully changed. If you’re feeling like you’re in a similar spot, here’s what I learned that helped me climb out.

How to Recover From Work/Life Burnout

1. Reassess Your Priorities

   • I realized my life was out of alignment. I was pouring everything into work and leaving nothing for my family, friends, or even myself (30 pounds later baby).

   • Advice: Write down your top 5 priorities in life. Are your actions reflecting those priorities? If not, it’s time to make adjustments.

2. Set Boundaries Like Your Sanity Depends on It

   • For me, that meant logging off at a set time and not checking emails at night. It was hard at first, I felt guilty, but eventually, I stopped associating my self-worth with being “always on.”

3. Focus on Small Wins

   • During my toughest days, even small victories felt monumental. Whether it was taking a 15-minute walk or actually enjoying dinner with my wife without distractions, those wins gave me hope.

Burnout Recovery Checklist

Here are a few practical things that helped me get back on track:

• Daily Reflection: Spend 5 minutes journaling to process emotions and reset for the next day. Orry recently gifted me the Daily Dad and it has been an amazing start to each day. 

• Physical Movement: Even light exercise (like a walk or push-ups) can help release built-up stress. Move. Move. Move your body. 

• Reconnect with Your People: Schedule time to catch up with your family or friends. Their support can be grounding and should never be neglected during the dark times.

• Therapy: If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talking to a professional can be life-changing. I spent over two years in therapy and learned more about myself and my patterns than I could imagined. 

Working hard is important. Building stability for your family is important. Losing yourself and your priorities amidst the chaos of life is bound to happen. Burnout happens to us all. We’re here if you need to chat, truly. 

Radical Fitness: The 20-Minute Dad Workout

Fatherhood is a marathon, not a sprint, and your body needs to keep up. This section dives into how to stay strong, healthy, and energized—so you can chase both your goals and your kids with confidence.

 "No Gym? No Problem: The 20-Minute Dad Workout"

Overview:
Busy dads don’t need hours at the gym to stay fit. This simple, full-body workout can be done at home or (if you’re bold) at the office. (LOL)

Workout Plan:

1. Warm-Up (2 Minutes): High knees or jumping jacks.

2. Circuit (15 Minutes):

   • Push-ups (1 min)

   • Bodyweight squats (1 min)

   • Plank hold (30 sec to 1 min)

   • Repeat 3 rounds with a 1-minute rest between rounds.

3. Cool Down (3 Minutes): Stretching (hamstrings, chest, and shoulders).

Adjustments:

• Adjust intensity by adding weights or increasing reps.

• Involve your kids! Let them count reps or join in for fun.

• Consistency matters more than perfection - 20 minutes a day adds up. So does the donuts. 

Radical Finance: The Budget Breakdown

Meta tagline "Master Your Finances with the 3-Category Dad Budget"

As dads, we often juggle a million things like our kids’ futures, family outings, and keeping the fridge full. Add financial planning to the mix, and it can feel overwhelming (and candidly can lead to some imposter syndrome). What if I’m doing it incorrectly or making poor decisions or not educated enough. I’ve been there, I’m still there, it’s okay to feel that way. Let’s simplify it into three buckets that focus on what truly matters: 3-Category Dad Budget

The 3-Category Approach

1. Family Essentials (50%)

   • These are your non-negotiables: mortgage/rent, utilities, groceries, insurance, and childcare costs.

   • Tip: Review recurring expenses every six months to trim what’s unnecessary. Did you really need that new guitar that you never play?

2. Future Savings (30%)

   • This bucket secures your family’s long-term stability. Include emergency funds, retirement contributions, and investments. 

   • Pro Dad Move: Set up automated transfers for savings—your future self will thank you. Apps like Acorns or Betterment can help you invest without overthinking it.

3. Fun & Flexibility (20%)

   • Life’s too short not to enjoy it. Use this for date nights, family vacations, hobbies, or golf. It’s meant to be spent and meant to be enjoyed.

   • Fun Idea: Allocate a portion of this bucket to “family fun money” and let your kids have input - pizza night or movie tickets? (Don’t forget our recent post about teaching your kids about money)

Your Radical Finance Challenges of The Week:

• Pick a Budgeting Tool: Whether it’s an app (YNAB, Mint, Empower) or a simple spreadsheet, find what works for you. I started in a spreadsheet, switched to Mint, and switched to Empower. It takes time, but start now! 

• Involve Your Partner: Sit down together once a month for a “money date” to align on financial priorities. Some of the biggest fights in marriage stem from finances. 

• Check In Weekly: Review expenses briefly to avoid surprises - consistency beats perfection.Have questions? We’re not financial advisors but we definitely recommend setting up time with one. Not sure who or where? Feel free to shoot us an email and we can chat! 

Radical Faith: JUST TRY HARDER.

Life is full of questions, and faith can be a powerful foundation. This section encourages exploration, growth, and grounding—no matter where you are on your spiritual journey.

We should just try harder to be better Christians right?

It’s so easy to fall into this trap. Just wake up earlier in the morning, grind a little more, pull yourself up by your bootstraps. I’m going to try harder to not lose my temper, try harder to not be prideful, try harder to read my bible, tray harder to make time to pray. It sounds nice, and to be honest…it feels right. Input = Output right? BUT trying harder is not part of the gospel. The answer isn’t more effort, it’s more JESUS. We know this, but we still like to treat our relationship with Christ like we can David Goggins it. Why? For me its control. If I tell myself I can achieve xyz by trying harder, it means I’m in control. Admitting to myself that trying harder doesn’t mean I will get the results I want…is scary.

Let’s look at two passages…Matthew 11:28-30 and Proverbs 3:5-6. Open a new tab and look them up. In Matthew we see reliance on Jesus provides rest for our souls, an easy yoke, and light burden. Notice, Jesus does NOT say there will be NO yoke or NO burden. In Proverbs we see that TRUST and SUBMISSION to God will make our paths straight. That path doesn’t disappear, nor do we magically end up at the end of the path. But the path will be straight aka a clear way forward! The key here is that faith allows us to take action with Jesus, while our humanity tries to convince us we have to take action alone to achieve faith.

*This week don’t be a control freak. Take action with Jesus from a posture of faith!

DAD in the News: Heroic Dad Saves Son from Mountain Lion

Comparable to the more well known Doona (at least according to our wives)

It can be hard to find wholesome news that is inspiring and refreshing. BUT we try hard to find news stories that highlight other RAD DADs. Each week we will bring you a new dad that embodies everything about radicalness.

Okay the caption pretty much says it all but here’s the deets:

• A family was relaxing at Malibu State Creek Park in Calabasas, CA

• A mountain lion grabbed a “5-year-old boy by the head and started to run”

• The boys father ran over and fought the mountain lion until it released the boy

• The boy was airlifted to the hospital and later released with non life threatening injuries

I don’t usually recommend the NY Post…but check out the full article here!

WHAT. Nothing screams RADICAL FATHERHOOD like literally fighting off a mountain lion to save your son! So go ahead and channel this unnamed dad’s energy this week. What mountain lions can you fight off for your children?? 💪

TBH heroic wholesome dad stories are harder to find than they should be! DM us your favorite heroic dad story for a chance to have it featured in DAD in the News!