We're all back?

We’re all back?

I'm back,

We're all 'back'?

Back in the office?
Back to school?
Back to the coffee shop - which is where I'm typing this - hello Bromley...
Back to coordinating kids activities, car shares and trying to maintain some sanity.

and most importantly trying to be kind to ourselves, "good enough is good enough".

Our daughter Freya is only 4 days into secondary school and I know it will get easier, but thinking about the new tech, calendars, and working out how to be in 2 places at once is draining.

Of course the summer holidays went too quickly in a whirlwind of 'staycation' breaks, some child care and trying not to neglect the kids while keeping on top of the Inspiring Dads mission.

Two particular highlights for me - watching our daughter dance with the local English Youth Ballet performance of Swan Lake and taking our son to Crystal Palace's first full capacity Premier League home match since March 2020.

I don't think I'll ever underestimate the sheer joy and connection that comes from in-person, mass events, long may they continue to be safe enough.

Here are some work highlights I wanted to share since I last wrote.

• Finalising the first licensing of The New Dads Accelerator course content.

• Co-presenting at Aberdeen Energy Industry's Axis Network webinar - "Why Men’s Work Life Balance Matters to Everyone" (and smashing industry standard engagement and attendance percentages)

• Running a two hour live in person (!) workshop for management consultants

  
  How to use ‘DISC’ personality preferences to fast track your influencing and collaboration skills
  
  

• Plus planning events for a eclectic mix of clients ranging from Ralph Lauren to Credit Suisse and NHS commissioning groups in in Wiltshire and Essex

Busy is good right?

--------

The Lockdown Dads Podcast

If you are back on the commute, now is a perfect time to explore the 46 Lockdown Dads podcast episodes James Millar and I recorded over the last 15 months.

You can listen or watch a variety of fascinating guests including

CBeebies presenter - Nigel Clarke (Ep32)
Scottish Conservative Party leader - Douglas Ross (Ep7)
Coldplay drummer - Will Champion (Ep35)

and for political balance...

former Labour MP James Frith (Ep4)

All the links to listen or watch here:

https://www.inspiringdads.co.uk/lockdown-dads

Photo Credit Jen Theodore via Unsplash @jentheodore

How to build meaningful relationships with your partner and your children

How to build meaningful relationships with your partner and your children.

Are you concerned that you and your partner aren’t on the same page?

Do you wonder if your family think it is “all” worth it?

Written for the Dadvengers Community

It’s easy to get complacent, to think your family life is running smoothly. Then you turn around and discover too late that the solid foundations you thought you were building, aren’t as solid as you had hoped or expected.

Which is why it’s so important to build meaningful relationships that support your family life.

The good news is, it’s never too late to reflect on what your version of “Christmas Future” looks like and make changes. This is especially true if the answer to either of those questions is Yes.

Getting it right matters as friend of mine, let’s call him Toby, illustrates evocatively about his relationship breakdown:

“If there’s one thing I wish we’d done better, it would have been to have those really honest discussions – rather than the more off-hand comments and observations – about the work life balance for both of us, including as a couple and as parents.  

But hey – we live and learn, eh?!”

Head over to the Dadvengers website to read the rest of the piece, including these topics:

• Meaningful relationships require open and honest conversations.  

• Meaningful relationships need shared purpose.

• Meaningful relationships require equality at home.

• How to build meaningful relationships with your children

Plus you can watch Nigel and I on the Dadvengers’ “Dad Chats Live” over on Instagram. We talked about the content, shared stories and answered Q&A with the viewers.

Our conversation starts at 9min and you can catch up and watch here:

Photo Credit @nate_dumlao via Unsplash

TV presenter Nigel Clarke Chats about The Baby Club and Dadvengers

TV presenter Nigel Clarke Chats about The Baby Club and Dadvengers

There’s just not enough time!

Nigel Clarke, CBeebies presenter, explains how Dadvengers started from an all Dads episode of The Baby Club, the groundbreaking show for mums, dads and carers with babies under 18 months old. The Baby Club reflects the important CBeebies mantra that “Everyone’s Welcome”.

We talk about a generational shift in what is expected from and expected by dads and the importance of dads having the skills and confidence to be alone with their kids.

Ian and Nigel try and explain to James what the Clubhouse excitement is all about and we discover how you manage a 4 hour filming session with babies, sing songs (!) and probe Nigel about parenting in the public eye and what goes on at a CBeebies Xmas party.

Contents

01:15 Using Lockdown in the most positive way we can be - “I've found a place where I'm happy.”

02:00 Nigel’s motto - “There just isn't enough time”.

03:00 Special To Do lists

04:00 Children on Teams and Clubhouse

“Somebody told me about it (Clubhouse) and I was like, this is never going to work. But if it's done right, it's like attending a really cool lecture or a really cool networking room where you share stuff.”

06:45 Trying not to get stressed - people are accommodating

08:00 CBeebies closed for a couple of weeks and we, as the presenters, were recording stuff in our homes. So I did a series of links from my lounge.

09:45 Dadchats was a place for me to just research what parents might want to see or hear about in the Dadvengers podcast.

11:20 We did an episode of The Baby Club just with Dads

14:55

“I'm mid forties. So I grew up with a generation where the dads were at work. You see them maybe at the weekend, maybe in the evenings, maybe briefly before they go to work in the morning.

They didn't have the opportunity to be with their kids and around them spending lots of time.”

15:45: Wanting to be more involved - The Baby Club as a platform to really help dads.

18:40 The essence of it was wanting dads from all different backgrounds who were engaged with their kids, who weren't scared to change a nappy.

20:10 The importance of making dads feel welcome.

21:00 Patience and being public figure.

21:30 I don't know if I can really call my work work.

23:30 Chaos and contagious crying - how to film an episode of The Baby Club.

24:45 I know a song that’ll stick in your head….

26:20 What happens on a CBeebies night out, stays on a CBeebies night out.

28:00 Tips

• Men need to learn how to listen, not just talk.

• Feel good with a squirt of aftershave.

• Be present when your kids are there and you're spending time with them, put that phone away, drop it down.

30:44 There's not long left. We're at 13, we're two thirds of the way through, and then it's over, they're gone and they're not kids anymore.

---

Learn more here

https://dadvengers.com/

https://www.facebook.com/Dadvengersofficial

https://www.instagram.com/dadvengersofficial/

https://twitter.com/Dadvengers_

https://nigelclarkepresenter.co.uk/

https://www.thelionsbarbercollective.com/