fatherhood Archives - Dad of Divas

Discover Creative After-School Activities That Expand Kids’ Horizons

July 23, 2026 by dadofdivas

For busy parents seeking after-school activities that actually support child development opportunities, the hardest part is sorting through limited traditional activities that feel repetitive or narrowly focused. Many families run into the same creative extracurricular challenges: programs are full, choices don’t match a child’s interests, or the options don’t seem to build real confidence and curiosity. The good news is that children’s enrichment options can go far beyond the usual categories while still fitting real schedules and budgets. With the right lens, after-school time becomes a reliable way to expand skills, interests, and independence.

Quick Summary: Creative After-School Options

Explore crafts for kids to build creativity and confidence through hands-on making.
Try arts education to expand self-expression with guided, skill-building activities.
Practice musical instrument learning to develop focus, discipline, and a lifelong hobby.
Add language acquisition for children to broaden communication skills and cultural curiosity.
Choose STEM experimentation, after-school volunteering, or youth entrepreneurship to grow problem-solving and purpose.

Turn Big Ideas into Digital Art with Supervised AI

Once you’ve spotted a few creative paths worth testing, digital art with supervised AI can turn imagination into something kids can actually see. Creating art with AI tools can be a child-friendly outlet when you sit with them, talk through ideas, and treat it like playful experimenting rather than a “right answer.” With an AI art generator, you can create unique images together, you can learn more to see what’s really possible. Your child can type in a prompt to generate an image, then customize the style, colors, and lighting to match the story in their head.

Choose One: Step-by-Step Ideas Beyond Sports and Homework

If your child liked generating digital art with supervised AI, you already know the secret: a small, safe creative prompt can turn into a real skill. Use the same approach here, pick one lane, take a first step this week, then expand.

Try a “mini-studio” painting plan: Start with one 60–90 minute session at home: choose a single subject (a pet, a bowl of fruit, a favorite character) and limit supplies to paper, one medium, and three colors. End by hanging the work and asking your child to name one technique they want to try next (shading, texture, perspective). This builds creative skill development through repetition, not perfection, and it’s easy to scale into a community painting class when they’re ready.
Test theater with a low-stakes role first: Look for a short workshop, school drama club, or community youth theater, but begin with a “starter role” goal: stage crew, narrator, or one-scene character. At home, practice a simple routine, read the lines aloud twice, then once with a different emotion, to build comfort fast. Theater strengthens communication, memory, and teamwork without requiring an “outgoing” personality.
Pick one dance or music lesson and run a 4-week trial: Choose a single style or instrument and commit to four lessons before deciding to continue. Make practice concrete: 10 minutes after a snack on three weekdays, using a checklist (warm-up, one skill, one fun piece). Dance and music lessons work well for kids who enjoy AI art because they’re also about patterns, iteration, and getting feedback.
Build a weekly science-and-technology project loop: Set a repeating schedule: one “build day” and one “improve day.” Start with household engineering (bridge from paper, rubber-band car) or a beginner electronics/coding kit if you already have one; then keep a notebook with three columns: Idea ? Test ? Change. This mirrors the supervised AI process, try, review, refine, and turns curiosity into problem-solving habits.
Choose community service for youth with a clear job description: Help your child pick one cause and one task they can own for 30–60 minutes weekly, sorting donations, making cards for seniors, walking dogs at an animal shelter with supervision, or neighborhood litter pickup. Before the first shift, agree on a “success metric” like “show up on time and finish my task,” then debrief with one question: “Who did this help today?” Service builds empathy and reliability while expanding social horizons.
Start a tiny “after-school business” with training wheels: Keep it simple: one product or service, one customer type, one weekly selling window (e.g., Saturday morning). Add two rules, track costs and time, and reinvest the first $10, so it’s about learning, not pressure. The fact that small businesses account for 44% of economic activity can be a motivating talking point, but the real payoff is planning, communication, and follow-through.

After-School Options Compared at a Glance

These options all build creativity, but they differ in cost, adult time, and the kind of growth you will see first. Use the table to match your child’s interests with a realistic weekly rhythm, so you can start without overcommitting.

Option	Benefit	Best For	Consideration
Mini-studio visual art at home	Builds technique through repeatable practice	Kids who like quiet focus and visual detail	Needs supply setup and a consistent workspace
Theater club or short workshop	Boosts communication and teamwork	Kids who like stories, characters, or group goals	Rehearsals can run long near performances
Music or dance 4-week trial	Improves coordination, timing, and confidence	Kids motivated by routines and measurable progress	Practice time matters more than natural talent
STEM build-and-improve loop	Strengthens problem-solving and persistence	Curious tinkerers who enjoy testing ideas	Adult supervision needed for tools and troubleshooting
Weekly service role	Grows empathy, responsibility, and social awareness	Kids who want purpose and real-world impact	Requires reliable scheduling and transportation

A simple rule: choose the option with the lowest friction to start, then add a challenge later. When you can, lean into supportive involvement since research links parental involvement with long-term educational outcomes, while overly strict approaches may backfire. Knowing which option fits best makes your next move clear.

Pilot One New Activity to Build Confidence and Growth

Choosing an after-school activity can feel like a balancing act between a child’s interests, time, cost, and the worry of picking “wrong.” A low-pressure mindset helps: treat the decision as a short pilot, lean on what fits the family right now, and use empowering parental support to keep expectations realistic while encouraging creative exploration. With diverse after-school engagement, confidence building in kids often shows up first in small ways, showing up, trying again, and finding their people, then grows into positive child growth outcomes over time. Start small, stay curious, and let the activity reveal what your child needs next.

A Guide to Family DIY Projects That Build Skills and Strengthen Bonds

July 9, 2026 by dadofdivas

For busy parents, grandparents, and caregivers, home maintenance often lands on one person’s shoulders, squeezed between work, school schedules, and everything else. The challenge is real: engaging home repairs need to get done, but keeping kids and teens meaningfully involved can feel slower, messier, and harder to manage than doing it alone. Family home improvement projects change that dynamic by turning ordinary tasks into skill-building activities for families where everyone has a role and progress is visible. With the right approach, family bonding through DIY becomes part of the plan, supported by all-ages project ideas that build confidence.

Understanding Family-Friendly DIY Teamwork

To keep group projects enjoyable, start by matching the job to each person’s age and attention span. Then set teamwork up on purpose by defining clear roles, what “done” looks like, and which tools are off-limits. A quick family safety huddle and simple ground rules prevent small mistakes from turning into stress.

This matters because real collaboration is a learned skill, not a personality trait. Building routines around active listening, empathy, self-awareness helps kids contribute without taking over or shutting down. It also reduces rework, arguments, and the feeling that one adult must manage everything.

Think of it like a kitchen line: one person preps, one measures, one checks the timer, and everyone washes up. The project moves faster when each role is clear, and safety rules stay consistent. With roles and rules set, a simple faucet fix becomes a smooth, confidence-building win.

Try a Low-Risk Plumbing Win: Fix a Drip or Clear a Drain

Once your family has roles, safety expectations, and a teamwork mindset in place, a small plumbing fix can be a satisfying next test. Tackling a simple repair together, like stopping a leaky faucet or unclogging a slow drain, turns an everyday annoyance into a hands-on home project that builds practical skills across ages. Kids can help observe what’s happening and hand over parts, while teens and adults can take on the more technical steps, keeping everyone engaged and working toward the same clear outcome. To keep the momentum confidence-building (instead of frustrating), it helps to source professional-grade plumbing supplies from a reputable supplier so fittings match, materials hold up, and you’re not stuck mid-repair hunting for the right piece; you can follow along here for common plumbing items.

With one quick win under your belt, you’ll be ready to choose from a wider mix of all-ages projects you can start this month.

Project-Pick Checklist for Family DIY Wins

With that win behind you: This checklist helps you choose a project everyone can finish and feel proud of. Use it to match your time, tools, and ages to a clear, teamwork-friendly outcome in a world where the global home improvement market keeps growing.

? Confirm a two-hour starter project with one obvious finish line

? Choose painting bedroom walls with one test patch and one shared color plan

? Plan planting flowers and shrubs with zones, spacing, and a weekly watering owner

? Build a simple sandbox with pre-cut lumber and a set dig-and-level task

? Set up a home theater corner with cable routing and a viewing-distance check

? Sort the garage with labeled bins, donate piles, and a “return tools” spot

? Sketch a treehouse plan and stop at the design stage if unsure

Finish one project, then let the confidence carry into the next.

Family DIY Questions, Answered

Q: What’s the simplest way to keep a project safe with kids around?
A: Set a “tool zone” that only adults enter, and a “work zone” where everyone wears closed-toe shoes. Do a two-minute safety huddle to name the sharp, hot, and heavy items in today’s plan. When in doubt, swap power tools for pre-cut materials and hand tightening.

Q: How do I adapt one project for a 5-year-old and a teenager?
A: Break the job into roles: a helper role (sorting, handing items), a builder role (measuring, assembling), and a finisher role (labeling, decorating). Let the teen own any measuring or cutting, and give younger kids choices that still matter, like color placement or where labels go.

Q: Can we finish something meaningful in just two hours?
A: Yes, if you pick one visible goal and stop when you reach it. Pre-stage supplies, clear the workspace first, and choose tasks with fast feedback like organizing one shelf, painting a small area, or planting one defined bed.

Q: What should we do when everyone starts arguing mid-project?
A: Pause and reset roles instead of pushing through frustration. Use a simple chore chart or checklist that can keep all members on task so decisions feel fair and clear. End the reset by agreeing on the next three actions only.

Q: When should we stop and call it a day?
A: Stop when anyone is tired, rushing, or ignoring the plan. Clean up, store tools, and write one note about what to do next time so restarting feels easy.

Turn Family DIY Into Skills, Confidence, and Connection

Between busy schedules, mixed skill levels, and safety worries, starting home improvement projects can feel like more stress than it’s worth. A calm, flexible approach, keeping expectations realistic, communicating clearly, and choosing age-appropriate roles, makes the process manageable and enjoyable. When families lean into shared teamwork, the benefits of family DIY projects show up quickly: enhancing family skills, strengthening family bonds, and building confidence that carries into daily life. Small projects build big skills and stronger family bonds. Pick one starter task and schedule the first 30 minutes this week. Those small, shared wins create a steadier home and more resilient relationships over time.

Helping Your Child Make Friends with Easy Skills and Steady Support

June 22, 2026 by dadofdivas

For busy parents of elementary and middle school kids, few updates sting like hearing that recess or lunch felt lonely again. Making friends at school can be surprisingly hard even for kind, capable children, because early friendship development depends on unspoken rules that shift with age and group dynamics. When child social challenges show up as hovering, clinging, or withdrawing, parents often feel torn between stepping in and giving space. With steady parental support in friendships, children can build the confidence to connect and keep connections going.

Understanding the Building Blocks of Friendship

Friendships often start with three basics: conversation skills, sharing, and inclusion. Conversation skills mean noticing others, taking turns talking, and asking simple follow-up questions. Sharing and inclusion mean making room for others, offering a turn, and inviting someone in.

These skills rarely click from one pep talk. Kids learn them by watching adults use them and by practicing in low-pressure moments. When you model greetings, listening, and fair turn-taking at home, your child gets a repeatable script for school.

Think of it like learning a sport in the backyard first. A quick dinner chat, a board game, or a sibling disagreement becomes practice for “Can I join?” or “You go next.” Repetition turns awkward tries into habits. Animated role-play stories make this practice easy, playful, and specific.

Turn Friendship Dilemmas Into 60-Second Cartoons Kids Can Rehearse

Once you know the building blocks, conversation, sharing, and inclusion, it helps to practice them in a way that feels playful rather than performative. Parents and kids can use an AI animation creator to turn everyday friendship dilemmas into quick visual stories you make together. These tools can rapidly transform a simple text prompt, a rough sketch, or an image into lively 2D or 3D animation, so you don’t need advanced design skills to bring ideas to life as short animated videos.

That shared creative process, making a comic, a storyboard, or an animation-style image, naturally builds the same social muscles kids need at school: taking turns in conversation, sharing ideas, listening to each other’s suggestions, and cooperating to decide what happens next. Because the “characters” take the spotlight, children can rehearse different responses with less pressure, and the fun format can make practice feel like play, while still building confidence for real-life social moments.

Weekly Friendship-Building Habits That Stick

These routines turn “making friends” into steady skill-building, so your child gets practice without extra pressure. Over time, tiny reps with you become calmer, more confident choices with peers.

Two-Minute Connection Check-In

What it is: Ask two questions about their day, then reflect back what you heard.
How often: Daily
Why it helps: Stronger parent-child communication supports a calmer home base for social risks.

One Compliment, One Question

What it is: Practice giving a kind comment, then asking a simple follow-up question.
How often: Daily
Why it helps: It builds conversation flow and makes others feel noticed.

Take-Turns Talk Timer

What it is: Set a short timer so each person speaks, then listens, without interruption.
How often: 3 times weekly
Why it helps: It trains pacing, listening, and not dominating the moment.

Sharing Choice Practice

What it is: Role-play offering two sharing options: “You can use it now or next.”
How often: Weekly
Why it helps: It keeps boundaries while still signaling cooperation.

Include-One Challenge

What it is: Plan one small inclusion move: inviting, saving a seat, or joining a game.
How often: Weekly
Why it helps: It strengthens belonging skills and reduces “stuck on the sidelines” habits.

Questions Parents Ask About Kids and Friendships

Q: How can I help my shy child approach other kids without pushing too hard?
A: Start with “side-by-side” situations like crafts, building, or a short playground stop, where talking is optional. Practice one simple opener at home, then let your child decide when to use it. Avoid labeling them as shy in front of others, since it can make the fear feel permanent.

Q: What should I do when my child keeps getting left out or rejected?
A: Validate the hurt first, then shift to one next attempt that is smaller and more specific, like inviting one classmate to do one activity. Help them look for “green flags” like kids who respond kindly or share attention. Avoid pressuring them to befriend someone who repeatedly excludes or teases.

Q: How do I coach peer conflict without turning it into a lecture?
A: Keep it short: name the problem, brainstorm two fair options, and rehearse one sentence they can say calmly. Using perspective-taking helps kids consider the situation from the other’s shoes, which can cool the conflict fast. Avoid writing a long script they cannot remember in the moment.

Q: Should I step in when my child argues during playdates?
A: Step in if there is hurtful language, unsafe behavior, or one child is consistently dominated. Otherwise, pause and observe, then offer a quick reset like “Take a breath, pick one rule, and restart.” Avoid negotiating every detail, since kids need chances to practice repairing.

Q: Can different personalities make friendship harder, and what can I do about it?
A: Yes, some kids prefer loud group play while others like one close buddy, and both can thrive. A study with 434 participants highlights how personality differences shape which friendship behaviors feel natural. Help your child choose settings that fit their style, and avoid forcing a “one right way” to socialize.

Practice Small Social Skills That Grow Into Real Friendships

When a child feels shy, gets left out, or bumps into conflict, it can be hard to know when to step in and when to step back. The steady approach is supportive parental coaching: noticing patterns, naming feelings, and modeling positive behaviors that make connection easier. Over time, that parental coaching impact shows up as long-term friendship skills, more confident attempts, kinder repairs after mistakes, and a clearer sense of how to encourage peer relationships. Small, repeated coaching moments build sustained social development.

Don’t Forget Gifts For Dads This Fathers Day

June 1, 2026 by dadofdivas

It’s almost Father’s Day and that means looking for some unique products to show moms that you care. Below are a few items that I recently found that you might want to consider!

Ocean & Oakmoss Gift Set from Formulary 55 features a 6 oz Bath Bar, Fizzy 4 oz Bath Tablet and Shea Butter Hand & Body Cream Jar. Close your eyes and enjoy the bright bergamot, cool mint, lavender along with the grounding warmth of oakmoss and woody notes! This makes a great gift for any dad who is into smelling good and having soft skin! All Formulary 55 products are handcrafted in small batches in the USA, vegan, certified cruelty-free, SLS-free, and paraben-free.

Gurunanda’s Sensitive Whitening Strips are specially formulated to deliver visible whitening results while being gentle on teeth. Designed to provide effective stain removal without the harshness often associated with traditional whitening treatments. Created with a carefully balanced formula, infused with coconut oil to support a gentler whitening routine, that works gradually to brighten teeth over time.

Skinesa Skin Probiotic is a daily skin-specific probiotic capsule line featuring an ingredient blend that is clinically proven to promote clear, healthy skin. University research has shown that problematic skin starts in the gut. And so Skinesa developed a special probiotic blend containing five patented probiotic strains, each carefully selected for its role in supporting healthy skin – not just the gut. These ingredients were studied in gold-standard, randomized, double-blind clinical trials involving adults ages 18 – 80. Nine out of 10 participants saw visibly clearer, healthier skin in 90 days or less of continuous use.

Arki Full-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Saunas transcend the home sauna category by integrating two trusted therapies – medical-grade red light therapy and full-spectrum infrared heat in a single, versatile cabin. This dual therapy reaches the skin’s surface as well as deeper tissues, muscles and joints. As a result, users can reap multiple wellness benefits including skin revitalization, muscle recovery, circulation support and whole-body rejuvenation. Thanks to advanced carbon-fiber heating technology, Arki offers a safe, gentle and comfortable thermal environment, allowing for 30–40-minute sessions and a fuller detox experience. Perfect for anyone seeking a holistic, at-home daily wellness boost, these hybrid saunas are also especially popular among athletes and individuals with arthritis and joint discomfort. Many users incorporate Arki sessions into weight management and skin care routines.

All of these are such unique gifts that you do not want to miss out on. Check out these companies today!

Show Mom The Love This Mothers Day

May 1, 2026 by dadofdivas

It’s almost Mother’s Day and that means looking for some unique products to show moms that you care. Below are a few items that I recently found that you might want to consider!

Formulary 55’s Mother’s Day Floral Soap Set OR Vintage Peony Bath and Body Set will delight all fragrance lovers! Commitment to craftsmanship and quality reign supreme with exquisite bar soaps, hand creams, sparkling bath tablets, facial treatments and candles come to life at the hands of a women-led team of dedicated artisans. Ingredients are ethically sourced from across the United States. Products are cruelty-free, vegan and formulated without phthalates, parabens or SLS. They smell SO good!

The LT-100 by JNH Lifestyles is a professional-grade red light therapy panel that brings spa- and clinic-level recovery into a simple, at-home ritual—making it an ideal Mother’s Day gift for anyone craving both beauty and wellness in one effortless step. Using targeted wavelengths of red (660nm) and near-infrared (850nm) light, it supports collagen production for smoother, more radiant skin while also helping ease everyday muscle tension and promote relaxation, all in just 5–10 minutes a day. Compact, plug-and-play, and completely non-invasive, the LT-100 fits seamlessly on a nightstand or desk, turning even the busiest mom’s routine into a calm free moment of self-care that delivers cumulative, long-term results.

GuruNanda’s Butter on Gums Sonic Toothbrush is so soft and feels so good on the gums and teeth, while working cleaning wonders! It packs up to 37,200 vibrations per minute to effortlessly remove plaque and leave your smile sparkling! It features a smart pressure sensor that lights up with a red LED and vibrates if you apply too much pressure, helping protect your gums and teeth from damage. Whether you want a deep cleanse or a gentle touch, choose from 5 modes (Cleanse, Gentle, Enhance, Shine, Massage) and 3 intensity levels (Strong, Medium, Low).

Dinner Curated by Party Host Helpers -Trying to come up with a unique and personalized gift for mom? Why don’t you give her the night off? Party Host Helpers can provide an stress-free special night at-home with a professionally vetted chef to curate and execute a menu at-home without mom having to lift a finger!

All of these are such unique gifts that you do not want to miss out on. Check out these companies today!

How Dads Can Teach Daughters Smart Money Habits by Example

April 28, 2026 by dadofdivas

Fathers parenting adolescent daughters often feel the squeeze between keeping connection strong and managing the daily pressures of work, anxiety, and shifting teenage moods. In that tension, money can become either a silent stressor or a steady source of confidence, depending on what she sees modeled at home. Daughters form healthy money attitudes less from one big talk and more from consistent financial role modeling, how spending choices are handled, how trade-offs get discussed, and how calm follows a plan. Parental influence on money skills starts long before she can explain a budget.
How Kids Learn Money: Watching Beats Lectures
Kids learn money the same way they learn manners and media habits: by watching what works. In social learning theory, children pay attention to repeated behaviors, remember patterns, and copy what seems rewarded. That is why tone, timing, and tiny routines often teach more than a single “money talk.”
This matters in adolescence because your daughter is scanning for what adults do under pressure. If she sees you avoid bills, she learns avoidance is normal. If she sees calm trade-offs, she learns money can be managed without panic.
Picture a grocery run: you compare prices, skip an impulse buy, and say, “That’s not in our plan.” That moment becomes observational learning she can repeat. Small daily budgeting and saving habits make the best “examples” to mirror.
Weekly Money-Confidence Rituals for Dads and Daughters
These habits work because they turn money into a steady, low-drama part of family life, not a once-a-year lecture. When you repeat them through the teen years, your daughter gets both practical skills and a reliable way to connect with you around choices.
Plan-and-Name the Week’s Trade-Off
- What it is: Say what you will skip and what you will fund this week.
- How often: Weekly
- Why it helps: It normalizes priorities and reduces shame about saying no.
Grocery and Dining-Out Guardrails
- What it is: Keep a visible grocery and dining-out budget and check it before spending.
- How often: Weekly
- Why it helps: It shows limits can be calm, clear, and fair.
The Receipt Review
- What it is: Pick one purchase and ask, “Need, want, or future me?”
- How often: Daily
- Why it helps: It builds impulse control without criticism.
Teach the “Cash Cap” Choice
- What it is: Let her have $15 to spend and choose what fits.
- How often: Per outing
- Why it helps: It makes budgeting real, not abstract.
Save for One Shared Goal
- What it is: Put a small amount toward a goal you both care about.
- How often: Weekly
- Why it helps: It turns saving into teamwork, not deprivation.
Money Talks, Minus the Tension: Common Questions
Q: How can I demonstrate smart budgeting habits that resonate with my teenage daughter?
A: Narrate your choices out loud in plain language: “I’m choosing X because it keeps us on track for Y.” Invite her to help compare two options and pick the better value, then respect her input even if you decide differently. Focus on trade-offs, not guilt.
Q: What are effective ways to incorporate saving lessons into everyday family routines?
A: Tie saving to predictable moments, like payday, grocery day, or Sunday planning, so it feels automatic. Use one shared goal and one personal goal, then celebrate progress, not perfection. A simple envelope or category list works fine.
Q: How does consistent parental spending behavior influence a child’s attitude toward money?
A: Kids learn the “rules” of money by watching what you repeat, especially under stress. The fact that parents feel responsible is encouraging, because your consistency is already a lesson. If you slip, name it and reset, which teaches accountability.
Q: What strategies help maintain open conversations about money without creating stress or overwhelm?
A: Keep talks short and specific: one decision, one number, one next step. Ask permission first, then listen longer than you explain. If emotions rise, pause and return later with a calmer plan.
Q: When dealing with financial uncertainties at home, how can I balance teaching smart money habits while managing our overall family finances?
A: Share the “what” and “how,” not every adult worries: clarify the current priority, the limits, and the plan to review it. Give her one controllable role, like tracking a category or proposing a low-cost alternative. For follow-through, share a one-page budget sheet and export it as a clean, printable PDF; you can even turn Excel into PDF format as needed.
Smart Money Habits: Dad-by-Example Checklist
This checklist turns good intentions into repeatable moments that strengthen trust while you model real-world money skills. Because teens learn through observation imitation modeling, your steady actions can become her default.
? Set one shared goal and one personal goal
? Review one category together before spending
? Explain one trade-off decision in plain language
? Compare two options and choose the better value
? Track one weekly expense with a simple note
? Schedule a 10-minute Sunday money check-in
? Name one slip calmly and state the reset
Do one item today, then repeat it weekly until it feels normal.
Model One Money Habit That Builds Her Confidence for Life
It’s easy to want your daughter to be “good with money,” yet hard to know what to say when daily spending and stress get in the way. The steadier path is positive financial role modeling, letting your choices, tone, and follow-through teach the lesson over time. When that’s consistent, the father-daughter money relationship becomes safer and more open, and she starts building financial confidence from real-life examples. Your example is the money lesson she’ll remember most. Pick one behavior from the checklist to model consistently this week, and keep it simple enough to repeat. Those small repetitions create long-term financial impact and shape the lifelong money habits she carries into adulthood.

Before the Baby Arrives, Your Home and Your Life Deserve Some Attention Too

April 3, 2026 by dadofdivas

Nobody warns you that one of the hardest parts of the fourth trimester isn’t the baby, it’s the house. The cluttered hallway at midnight. The kitchen that wasn’t designed for one-handed use. The nursery that still has a pull-out couch in it. Getting ahead of these things while you still have the energy to do so is one of the most practical gifts you can give your future self.

Key Takeaways

Simple, low-cost changes to storage, lighting, and daily routines reduce exhaustion during recovery.
Sleep safety, nighttime navigation, and hazard removal should be addressed before the due date.
Some home layouts need more than quick fixes, and planning those changes early matters.
Homeowners with equity have financing options worth exploring for larger postpartum upgrades.

The Prep Work That Costs Almost Nothing

Before spending money on anything, look at how your home actually functions day-to-day. Is the laundry situation going to work when you can’t carry a full basket up the stairs? Are your most-used supplies buried behind things you haven’t touched in months? A few hours of reorganization—staging supplies at arm’s reach, adding a basket to each floor, clearing countertop clutter—can make your home feel like it was designed for this season of life.

The freezer is worth thinking about too. Cooking in the weeks after birth is the first thing to disappear. Filling it now with meals that heat in 20 minutes means one less decision on the hard days.

Walk Your Home Like It’s Already Postpartum

There’s a useful exercise here: Walk through your house at night with the lights off and imagine you’re holding an infant. Where do you trip? Where do you squint? Where do you need a free hand you don’t have?

That mental walkthrough usually surfaces the same issues in most homes: unlit hallways, cords across pathways, no easy way to get from one room to another without waking everyone up. Address those before the due date with this process in mind:

Use this walkthrough during your third trimester so there’s time to act on what you find.

Map every route you’ll take at night and identify where lighting is missing.
Check smoke and CO detectors throughout the home and replace batteries.
Remove anything from the floor that doesn’t need to be there.
Trace every cord and cable in main living areas and secure anything that crosses a walkway.
Decide now where the pets will and won’t have access, and start enforcing it.
Choose warm, dim lighting for the nursery rather than anything that signals daytime.

A Practical Look at Every Room

Different rooms carry different weight during postpartum recovery. Here’s how the priorities tend to shake out.

Room	Immediate Priority	Worth Planning For
Nursery	Blackout curtains, sound machine	Dedicated conversion, airflow improvements
Bedroom	Bassinet within arm’s reach, low lighting	Furniture rearrangement for easier movement
Kitchen	Grab-and-go food access, cleared counters	Storage overhaul for one-handed use
Bathroom	Non-slip mat, stability near the tub	Broader accessibility updates
Hallways	Pathway lighting, clear floors	Overhead lighting upgrade
Living Room	Supplies within reach, managed cords	First-floor rest space if needed

Bigger Changes That Are Worth the Planning

Not every home is naturally suited to what postpartum life asks of it. A layout that worked fine before may feel genuinely limiting when recovery, feeding schedules, and disrupted sleep are all happening at once. Converting a room, improving ventilation in a poorly circulated space, or creating a recovery area on the main floor are all changes that take time to execute, which is why thinking about them early matters.

For families bringing in extended support or planning for multigenerational care, the scope of changes can grow considerably. When the cost outpaces what’s available in savings, homeowners can borrow against home equity to fund the work using the value already built into the property. Approval generally depends on how much equity exists, the borrower’s credit profile, income, and overall debt load. For upgrades directly tied to safety and daily function, it’s a path worth understanding before the due date arrives.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far out should home prep actually begin?

Somewhere between weeks 28 and 32 is a reasonable target for most families. Starting earlier than that often means finishing projects and then waiting; starting later risks running out of time or energy. The third trimester moves faster than it looks from the outside.

Do we need a finished nursery before the birth?

Not necessarily. Health organizations recommend that newborns sleep in the same room as a caregiver for the first six months, which means a bassinet in the bedroom is both appropriate and practical. A separate nursery can come together over time without affecting the baby’s safety or comfort in the early weeks.

What do most parents wish they had handled sooner?

The consistent answer is the caregiver’s own environment, not the nursery. Easy access to food and water in the middle of the night, a clear path to the bathroom, and clean clothes that don’t require a trip downstairs all reduce the kind of low-grade friction that wears people down faster than expected.

Is it worth financing home improvements before the baby arrives?

When a renovation addresses a genuine gap, like not enough bathroom access, poor lighting on main routes, no realistic recovery space, and the cost isn’t manageable with cash, financing can be a sound decision. Home equity options tend to carry more favorable terms than unsecured loans. Applying early gives more flexibility on timing.

How should pet boundaries be handled before the birth?

The earlier the better. Pets that have had unrestricted access to a bedroom or nursery should have those boundaries introduced gradually, well before the due date. When changes arrive at the same time as the baby, they’re harder to reinforce, and harder on the pet too.

The Work You Do Now Is the Rest You Get Later

Postpartum life will surprise you regardless of how prepared you are. But a home that was thought through in advance, one where the basics are handled, the hazards are gone, and the layout actually supports recovery, gives you more room to focus on what matters. Start early, work through it in stages, and let the preparation carry some of the weight so you don’t have to.

Raising Little Leaders: Everyday Ways Parents Can Grow Leadership Skills Early

January 7, 2026 by dadofdivas

Parents shape leadership skills in children long before anyone hands out a “team captain” badge. Leadership at age 4 might look like helping a younger sibling calm down; at age 10, it might look like organizing a game so everyone gets a turn. The goal isn’t to raise a tiny CEO—it’s to raise a kid who can make good choices, work with others, and bounce back when things don’t go perfectly.

Major highlights

Leadership grows through practice, not lectures.
Kids learn fastest when they have real responsibility with a safety net.
The secret ingredients: confidence, empathy, communication, and follow-through.
Your home can be a daily “training ground” without feeling like school.

The leadership “ingredients” by age

Use this as a loose guide, not a strict timeline—kids develop at different speeds.

Age range	What leadership can look like	What parents can do
Preschool (3–5)	Taking turns, naming feelings, helping with simple tasks	Give tiny jobs, coach kind words, praise effort
Early elementary (6–8)	Solving small conflicts, following routines, speaking up	Let them try first, role-play scenarios, set clear boundaries
Late elementary (9–11)	Planning, teamwork, noticing fairness, persistence	Offer longer projects, teach respectful disagreement, debrief setbacks
Middle school+ (12+)	Initiative, managing time, mentoring, values-based choices	Encourage clubs/service, let them lead planning, talk decisions through

Setting the right educational example

Setting a good example is the quiet superpower. Kids don’t just learn from what you say; they learn from how you speak to a cashier when the line is long, how you admit mistakes, and how you treat people when you’re tired. If you want a child who owns their choices, let them see you own yours. If you want a child who listens, let them watch you listen—phones down, eyes up, curious questions instead of quick verdicts. If you want to strengthen your own coaching and communication skills, some parents choose formal learning like earning a business degree—take a look at this to learn more.

The “Give it, Name it, Reflect” method

Try this once a day for a week:

Give it: Offer one real responsibility (pack snack, feed pet, set table, text grandma).
Name it: Say what leadership skill it uses (“That’s follow-through” / “That’s planning”).
Let them struggle a little: Don’t rush in at the first wobble—coach, don’t take over.
Reflect: Two questions only:

“What went well?”
“What would you change next time?”

Close the loop: If something was missed, guide them to fix it (apologize, redo, clean up). That repair step is leadership gold.

FAQ

What if my child is shy—can they still be a leader?

Absolutely. Leadership isn’t volume; it’s influence and responsibility. Shy kids often lead through thoughtfulness, reliability, and empathy.

How do I avoid turning everything into a lesson?

Keep it light. Use short reflections (“What worked?”) and let many moments pass without commentary. Too much coaching can make kids feel evaluated.

Should I reward leadership with money or prizes?

Occasional rewards are fine, but the long-term aim is internal motivation: pride, belonging, contribution. Try praise that points to impact: “You helped the team stay organized.”

My child wants to be in charge of everything. Is that leadership?

Sometimes it’s control in disguise. Teach “shared leadership”: taking turns, inviting input, and making space for others to shine.

A resource worth your time

If you want steady, research-informed guidance you can actually use at the dinner table, explore Making Caring Common. Their materials focus on raising kids who care about others and contribute to their communities—two traits that sit right at the center of strong leadership. You’ll find practical language for talking about empathy, responsibility, and character without turning your home into a seminar.

Conclusion

Leadership grows in ordinary minutes: the moment your child solves a problem with a sibling, finishes a task without reminders, or tries again after a flop. Give them real chances to contribute, reflect briefly, and repair when needed. Keep modeling the behavior you hope to see—kids notice more than we think. Over time, those small reps add up to confidence and character.

Best Air Purifier for Pet Owners in Michigan

November 7, 2025 by dadofdivas

Michigan homes face a unique challenge when it comes to keeping the air fresh and breathable—especially for pet owners. The long winters seal up our houses tight, trapping in dust, dander, and odors, while the humid summers bring pollen and moisture that stick to every surface. Add in a shedding dog or an affectionate cat, and you’ve got air that often feels heavier than it should.

A study from the University of Michigan found that many indoor spaces across the state had carbon dioxide levels exceeding 1,000 parts per million, a clear sign of low ventilation and stagnant indoor air (source). That lack of airflow means allergens and pet dander don’t escape—they just keep circulating.

The Allergy Struggle in Michigan Homes

For pet owners, those numbers translate into daily frustration. During the cold months, when the furnace is constantly running and windows stay closed, every sneeze or sniffle feels unavoidable. Dander, fur, and dust keep floating through the same warm air, making your home feel stuffy no matter how often you clean.

By spring, when snow melts and trees start releasing pollen, your pets carry those allergens right back inside. And once summer humidity hits, the air grows thick and musty, locking in all the smells and particles you’ve been trying to clear out for months. For many Michigan homeowners, it’s a cycle that never really ends.

Why Regular Air Purifiers Aren’t Enough

Most standard purifiers are built for light use—they help with surface dust but struggle with the microscopic allergens that cause irritation. Pet dander, pollen, and fine dust can pass right through weak filters, and when humidity rises, their performance often drops even further. That’s why Michigan homes, with their sealed-up winters and damp summers, need something far more powerful than a basic unit.

How PuroAir Brings Real Relief for Michigan Pet Owners

This is where PuroAir makes a meaningful difference. It’s designed with a HEPA 14 filtration system that captures 99.99% of airborne particles, including the pet dander and micro allergens that most purifiers miss. That level of filtration goes beyond just removing visible dust—it targets the invisible particles that make your home feel congested.

What truly sets PuroAir apart is its collaboration with the American Lung Association, a partnership that reinforces its focus on clean air and respiratory health rather than gimmicks or hype. For Michigan families dealing with allergies or asthma, especially during long heating months, that level of trust matters.

Cleaner Air for the Michigan Lifestyle

Owning pets in Michigan is part of what makes home life so rich—long walks in the fall, snowy mornings, and lazy weekends on the couch. But that also means living with the reality of fur, dander, and trapped allergens year-round. A high-quality air purifier like PuroAir helps lift that burden quietly and continuously, keeping your space feeling fresher even in the heart of winter.

Cleaner air isn’t just about comfort—it’s about creating a space where your pets and your family can breathe easier, day after day.

Takeaway

Michigan weather changes fast, but one thing shouldn’t: the air quality in your home. For pet owners, especially those who deal with allergies, investing in a purifier that can truly handle Michigan’s climate makes all the difference.

With advanced HEPA 14 filtration and a partnership with the American Lung Association, PuroAir offers a practical, reliable way to keep your home healthy, your pets close, and your air as fresh as the Great Lakes breeze outside.

Building Brotherhood: How WeBus Connects Dads for Support and Growth

October 27, 2025 by dadofdivas

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Fatherhood doesn’t come with a manual—but the journey is deeply rewarding, especially when you’re intentional about connecting with your daughters. In a recent episode of the “Dad and Daughter Connection” podcast, host Dr. Christopher Lewis sits down with Wes Piatt and Chris Roness—two dedicated dads and founders of WeBus International—to dig deep into the realities, challenges, and incredible rewards of raising daughters.

One of the main themes woven throughout this heartfelt episode is intentional presence. Both Wes and Chris reflect on their own meaningful moments with their daughters, highlighting how vital it is to be truly present. As Chris shares, “It’s those moments where they come to me because dad’s got the answer… it’s all about being present with my kids.” Wes echoes this commitment by intentionally setting aside daily time to let his daughters choose activities, stressing that, “Whatever they want to do, I’m going to be a part of it.”

The episode doesn’t shy away from the hard parts either. Both guests open up about mistakes and moments of failure, offering reassurance that vulnerability and honest communication are essential. Chris tells a story about miscommunicating with his daughter about their schedule and how owning the mistake, genuinely apologizing, and learning from it turned it into a powerful teaching moment. Wes reinforces that failure is not only inevitable but also an opportunity for growth, both as a father and for teaching his daughters resilience.

Another profound theme is connection among fathers. Wes shares his personal struggles during a challenging time and how reaching out to other dads led to the creation of WeBus—a supportive community where men can share experiences (not unsolicited advice) and lift each other up. Through this network, fathers form bonds, share practical solutions, and most importantly, realize they’re not alone on this path.

The episode wraps up with actionable wisdom: be present, cherish powerful moments, communicate openly, and seek connection—both with your children and other dads. As Wes and Chris emphasize, it’s about being the man and the example you want your daughters to look up to.

Whether you’re looking for inspiration, a reminder that imperfection is part of the journey, or simply some practical dad-to-dad guidance, this episode is packed with genuine stories and strategies. Tune in to the “Dad and Daughter Connection” for insights that will help you become the dad your daughter needs—and maybe find a brotherhood along the way.

Ready to listen? Find the episode at dadanddaughterconnection.com and take the next step on your fatherhood journey.

If you enjoyed this episode we ask you to take a moment to take our Dad and Daughter Connection Survey to let us know more about you as a dad. You can also sign up to get our newsletter to stay connected to our community and we will send items of interest to you to help you to be the dad that you want to be. Feel free to follow me on the following social media platforms: Facebook, Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, X.

TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the dad and Daughter Connection, the podcast for dads who want to build stronger bonds and raise confident, independent daughters. If you’re looking to build a stronger bond with your daughter and help her grow into a confident, independent woman, you’re in the right place. I’m Dr. Christopher Lewis, and the dad and Daughter Connection is the podcast where we dive into real stories, expert advice, and practical tips to help you navigate the incredible journey of fatherhood. In every episode, we’ll bring you conversations that inspire, challenge, and equip you to show up as the dad your daughter needs. So let’s get started. Because being a great dad isn’t just about being there. It’s about truly connecting.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:51]:
Welcome back to the dad and Daughter Connection. Really excited to have you back again this week. Every week. I love being able to reconnect with you, to talk with you, to be on this journey that we’re both on together in raising our daughters and building those strong connections that we want to have with our daughters. One step at a time. Because none of us are thrown into fatherhood with that manual, per se. We have to learn it along the way. And it is so important to have strong connections with our daughters, and especially our daughters, because of that bond that happens between a father and a daughter and all of the research that shows the power of the relationship between the father and the daughter.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:36]:
So every week, I love being able to talk with you, to walk with you on this path that you’re on, but also introduce you to other dads that are doing their best to be the best dads they can be. And we got two great guests today. We’ve got Wes Pyatta and Chris Ronas are here. And we’re gonna be talking to them not only about being fathers of daughters. Cause Wes has two daughters himself and Chris has three daughters. And we’re also, though, going to talk about their new venture, their new business that they’ve been working on for a bit now that is called Webus International. And we’re gonna be talking about that as well. So we’ll learn a little bit more about that.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:20]:
So, Wes, Chris, thanks so much for joining us today.

Wes Piatt [00:02:23]:
Heck, yeah. Thanks for having us on.

Chris Roness [00:02:25]:
Yeah, man, thanks for having us.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:26]:
This is the dad and Daughter Connection. And I think one of the things that I’d love to ask you first is as you think about the relationships with your daughters, what’s one of the most meaningful moments that you’ve shared with your daughters and what made it so special?

Wes Piatt [00:02:39]:
Man, I had some pretty amazing moments with both of My daughters, they were born early and both in the NICU for a few months. And I remember there was specifically one moment with my daughter Joey where we had a rough time in the parking lot right before we went in and just kind of soaking in the extreme nature of everything we were dealing with and our first child and all this stuff. And I’ve got my hands in the little incubator and I’m trying to change her diaper on this little tiny, tiny human. I mean, she was the size of my hand. And the nurse walks over and goes, oh, let me show you how to do that with one hand. In that moment, I was so grateful for all the time that we had in the nicu, all the time that we were going to get in the nicu, because I felt like I got like a. You said we don’t have a manual for being a. I felt like they gave me a manual on so many things.

Wes Piatt [00:03:26]:
I was in the NICU both with Joey and with June because June was also born early. And having that time going into the nicu, June and being actually excited about it, knowing she was going to be fine, and then knowing I was going to learn even more from these amazing nurses that were there for 20, 30, 40 years teaching me how to do all these little things that most dads don’t get. It was an amazing, not necessarily like moment in time, but I guess like per se, but, but amazing time within their lives where I learned like, man, bad things can really lead to some pretty awesome stuff.

Chris Roness [00:03:58]:
Wow, dude, that’s powerful, man. Dude, Chris, that’s hard. You want me to just pick one? I’ve been blessed to have millions of them. And I think if there’s a theme about any one of them, it started just like Wes was talking about. From the day they were born until even today, Even with my 12 year old who’s doing the pre teen thing, it’s those moments where they come to me because dad’s got the answer, you know, they’re coming to me as a sign of strength and all the things and. And to me it’s feedback. To me, the second that I got my first daughter, the doctor handed her to me. He goes, $150 a month.

Chris Roness [00:04:30]:
And I was like, what is this? My bill? Like, what are you talking about? He goes, $150 a month. That’s how much you need to put in the bank every month for this child. So that someday down the road, whether it’s education or a wedding or something meaningful to them, you’ve got that Money set aside to give them a good quality life. But it was the awe of having this kid in my hand and still realizing it’s so much more than that. It’s so much more than that. And, and for the kids, like this 12 year old now who doesn’t even know that I’ve been putting $150 a month towards her. You know what I mean? Like, it’s not about some sort of material thing. It’s those moments where, like we talked about that bond that we’ve had through all those little moments where they’ve come to dad because Dad’s the answer.

Chris Roness [00:05:12]:
Even at 12, it’s not exactly the same conversation. It’s not a hug, it’s not. Whatever. She loves Benson Boone now, man. Like, she just loves this dude. She loves to sing. She loves to sing his songs. And so at nighttime we connect around his videos.

Chris Roness [00:05:27]:
And that’s my moment to just give her space so that she can say whatever she wants to say. And every single time that I provide that opportunity, she capitalizes on it and she’ll say, hey, Dada, let’s talk about this or let’s talk about that. And she’ll just start going and it’s awesome. So to me, it’s those special moments where they just, they need me. And for me, that same moment was recognizing that I had to be the best human, best man I could be because I’ve got three daughters and at the time, no sons, and now I have a son. But regardless, my thought was I need to be the best example of a man I can be for them so that someday they’ll bring me home three awesome sons.

Wes Piatt [00:06:01]:
Word. That’s it right there.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:06:03]:
So what I’m hearing both of you say, I mean outside of those first moments, is being intentional being intentional with your time, being intentional with the moments that you do have with your daughters. So talk to me about what are some intentional ways that now you’ve worked to or you’re working on strengthening that bond with your daughters. Even during challenging times, man, I make.

Wes Piatt [00:06:27]:
Sure that every day we do something intentional together. I literally just posted this on my Instagram this morning about how I make sure every single day my phone is away and we’re doing something that they want to do. What do you guys want to do? And Dad’s coming along for the ride. Let’s go do it. And it’s not something I had pre planned or something I want to do or are going to lead to even a goal at the end of it. It’s just Whatever they want to do, and I’m going to be a part of it.

Chris Roness [00:06:51]:
Yeah, that’s good, Chris. One thing I didn’t disclose that I should have is we actually had four daughters, but one of them, at 37 weeks, didn’t make it. And that was a really hard time as a parent and as a husband. But also, at the time, I was a senior leader in the Air Force running a unit, and I had a lot going on. But what that child taught me in that moment was the power of a moment. And I realized I was constantly like, in a minute, kid, I got to finish this thing first, or I got to finish that thing, or, I’ll be right there. Just give me one second. I got to finish up this thing.

Chris Roness [00:07:22]:
And it was always a thing that I always had to finish up because I was doing important work, right. As a dad, not realizing that the important work was right in front of me. And so now, as a result of that powerful lesson that I got from my daughter, Ava, was her name is. Her name was the power of a moment. So now, to me, being intentional is remembering that once this moment’s gone, it’s fleeting. Like I’m never going to get it back. So when my child comes to me with a picture that they’ve drawn, and I’m in the middle of 500 things that I feel are super important that have got to be done right now, I can catch myself and go, this is what’s important. Show me this picture.

Chris Roness [00:07:58]:
Let’s be intentional about this moment. Because once the moment’s gone, you can’t get it back. And I’ve been able to do that with everything. It totally has changed my perspective on everything, and I feel has made me a much better father because I’m much more present with my kids, with everything. I mean, now I’m involved in everything they do, and I don’t want to miss moment for that only reason. And life has actually been so much better and more forward. And guess what? All those things that I thought were important, they weren’t, and they still got done.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:08:20]:
They definitely do get done. Even though at times in our minds we’re like, oh, oh, no. You know, we gotta get it done. But I. I completely hear you there. And there’s been many moments in my own life that that’s definitely happened, and moments where, as you kind of said, you make the wrong decision and you look back later and you’re like, ah, dang. You know, I shouldn’t have done that. So I.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:08:42]:
I guess one question that I would have is none always right. And then we’re always going to make mistakes. We’re not infallible. So what’s a mistake that you’ve made as a father and what did you learn from it about fostering positive communications with your daughters?

Chris Roness [00:08:59]:
That’s good. I got one just yesterday, a simple one. But we have a very busy schedule with all the kids activities. They’re all, of course, doing something different. And I communicated to one of my daughters that today was going to be a day that she was going to ride the bus to go home with her brother while I took another kid to an appointment. And yesterday she thought was the day, not today. And so as I was picking them all up yesterday, she went and got on the bus instead of getting in the vehicle. And I had to send one of her sisters to get her.

Chris Roness [00:09:31]:
And her sister was a little fiery.

Wes Piatt [00:09:32]:
She’s like, come on, you gotta go.

Chris Roness [00:09:33]:
Get off the bus. And she was. She’s a very. She has a very big heart and wears her heart on her sleeve. And she just got to the vehicle just completely upset. Dad, you told me today was the day I had the option to go home. And on that I was like, okay, guess what? I confused you. I miscommunicated.

Chris Roness [00:09:50]:
And I just took the time to explain to her how I made the mistake and that I was going to own it and that we were going to move forward though, you know, hey, so this is on me. I told you about something, but the something that I told you about doesn’t actually happen until tomorrow. And I wasn’t strong enough in my communication about what we were doing today. And so I gave her genuine apology by saying the three things that go into a genuine apology. Hey, what I did wrong, right? That I’m genuinely sorry about it, and what I’m going to do about it in the future to make sure it doesn’t happen again. Hey, I’m going to communicate better about what we’re doing today. Then I’ll go into what we’re doing tomorrow, but I’ll follow it back up with what we’re doing today just so we don’t make this mistake again. And the power of that conversation was she went from completely upset and hurt and emotionally distraught to just, okay, I’m good.

Wes Piatt [00:10:35]:
I can’t come up with a single one. But I think for me, the biggest takeaway is what I do after I mess up. It’s that I go back and I tell them I’m sorry. I explain what I did. I go through exactly what switch has talked About Chris just talked about that. It’s. I’m not perfect and it’s okay not to be perfect as long as you do these few things after you’re not perfect and you learn from it and you get better from it and you move on from it and we grow from it. It’s like, I want them when you talk about failure, they’re super into gymnastics.

Wes Piatt [00:11:07]:
That’s like their sport now. And. And we talk about failure constantly, how much we look forward to it and we can’t wait for it. And when it does, it’s opportunity to get better. And it’s like there is no such thing as bad failure. And even when dad messes up, like, look, I’ve been around this earth for almost 40 years now, like, I’m still screwing up the most basic things and that’s going to happen forever. And that’s totally okay. I think that that’s the most important thing.

Wes Piatt [00:11:29]:
And they know that failure is good and failure is okay as long as we learn from it and do it. What Chris was talking about in recovery, I guess you could say from the failure or whatever you want to call.

Chris Roness [00:11:37]:
It, we call it debrief in our family. Debrief what we learned.

Wes Piatt [00:11:41]:
Let’s go.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:11:42]:
I mentioned that the two of you a organization called webus International. So talk to me about webus. What is it? And talk to me about those origin stories. What inspired you to start the organization and how did your role as dads influence the vision?

Wes Piatt [00:12:00]:
I’ve told this story now probably a dozen times and I’ve cried every single time. I’m going to do my best to hold it together because it is we bus is what has kept me alive. And there was a moment. I own a CrossFit gym, small business owner, my wife as a teacher and for context, I used to be a firefighter. So I was a full time firefighter before I opened up the CrossFit gym. And I was doing both for a little bit where I was traveling down, doing my shifts, coming back up, coaching all the classes, traveling down and doing the thing. And I had a call, I went on that made me decide like, oh, I’m actually going to follow this path instead of this one. And I really regretted that during COVID because my business was getting shut down, all my members were leaving and everything seemed like it was like, man, I just made so many bad choices up to this point.

Wes Piatt [00:12:49]:
Like, why? Also for context, me and my sister grew up with just a mom and she happened just so happened to be bipolar and have schizophrenic episodes. So we had quite the upbringing. And during COVID I was having a really hard time controlling my reactions, controlling just the simplest things would set me off. And I. And I was just so upset with all the choices I had made and where I put my family, kind of, in a sense. And I started to get nervous. And maybe, actually this was a bipolar beginning to show itself in me. And maybe I had what my mom had.

Wes Piatt [00:13:24]:
And at the time, we just had. We had one child, and we were about to have our other one. And I was thinking to myself, you know, if you off yourself, these kids won’t remember you, and your wife can remarry. Find somebody who’s not in the financial situation you’re in. Find somebody who doesn’t have these triggers that you do and doesn’t have all of this background. And you can actually, actually, really, maybe your job was really just to bring these kids here and to peace out. And I was really considering it. And I was considering it so much so that I actually created a list of things that I had to do before I did the thing, because me and Switch were in the military.

Wes Piatt [00:14:01]:
I was in the Air Force as well for four years. And I was along with Switch, but I had quite a few friends who had committed suicide after getting out of the military. And that’s what Switch does, is his other. This is where I usually start to get choked up a little bit with his other company that he has called. You Matter, and you Matter focuses on ending veteran suicide, which is obviously an epidemic that’s happening around the world, and something that we need to work on and we are working on. But I digress. I was mad at every single one of them that did that because they didn’t call me first and they didn’t just go, hey, I’m struggling. I just wanted to let you know maybe you could help.

Wes Piatt [00:14:36]:
And so one of the things on my list that I had to do is I had to reach out to people and let them know I’m not doing good. This is where I’m at, just letting you know. And I was too nervous to do that with the people that were closest to me because I didn’t want my life to feel different. I wanted to be able to go to my family and my staff and everybody else and for things to be like, hey, we’re doing our best. Like, keep it going. You know, like, we rock and roll. And not for them to be like, oh, poor you, and how can I help you? And all that. I didn’t want that.

Wes Piatt [00:15:03]:
So I reached out to a bunch of strangers on Instagram, a bunch of people that I kind of know, but don’t really know in the CrossFit space, and just told them, like, hey, I’m struggling. I don’t know if you’re feeling the same, too, owning a CrossFit gym or being a CrossFit coach or any of that kind of stuff. And I just got back nothing. But, yes, I am struggling. This is tough. I’ve actually thought about doing that as well. And, like, I’m, like, I had multiple people go, thank you for reaching out to me, because I’m actually thinking about doing that. And this is just serendipitous.

Wes Piatt [00:15:30]:
This is amazing. This is happening. And we just started meeting on this app called Marco Polo that my wife was using, actually, with her college roommate friends to stay in touch. And it’s a really cool app that you can send a FaceTime video to any, anybody, and they can respond with another FaceTime video whenever they have time. And there’s a bunch of other cool stuff you can do with it. But I was like, hey, would you guys want a battle buddy check? Let’s just check in on each other, like, once a week and just keep the momentum going. And that slowly turned into over a hundred dudes around the world that call themselves We Bus Dudes and talk vulnerably on this app called Marco Polo about their struggles. And.

Wes Piatt [00:16:05]:
And it’s become an amazing thing, because right when we started it, we had one rule, and that rule was that you could not give advice. And when we say advice, objectively, what we mean that is something that you actually haven’t experienced or been through yourself, but you feel you could maybe help somebody else out with. And this is what we call the bro advice. You call your buddy up. You’re struggling with this thing. They’ve never been through it. They have no idea what you’re going through, but they’re like, oh, bro, here’s what you’re going to do. My cousin went through this thing, and here’s the best way to fix it, and blah, blah, blah.

Wes Piatt [00:16:32]:
And you’re just like, that’s not what I want from you right now. What I want from you is just to listen and to hear me and to sympathize and empathize with me, and that’s all I really need. And so we made one rule. We said you can only share experiences. So you, come on, share your experience you’re going through. For example, I’m going nuts. I can’t get my Girls to get dressed and eat breakfast and out of the house in time and to school in time without it being just an absolute nightmare. Anybody else experiencing this as well, and you’ll have like 50 dudes that will come on there, all varying ages, all kids of all ages, all been through the gamut and all coming with experiences of how they solved it in completely different ways.

Wes Piatt [00:17:12]:
Ways. So now you have this experience where these people are getting to go, hey, yeah, here’s how I did it. Here’s how I did it. Here’s how I did it. And then this guy just gets to go like, oh, maybe I’ll use that. Maybe I’ll use that. Maybe I’ll use none of it. Maybe I’ll use some of it.

Wes Piatt [00:17:24]:
And the idea is that they’re going, checking in to see, like, hey, I remember going through that. Where are you at now? Because I remember where I was at. And they check in. And so we both started in my garage on the floor, literally thinking about killing myself to where it’s at now where I. We just did our last we bus camp in South Dakota and just looking around at all the guys there and all the things we were doing to Mount Rushmore, it was just. How do you go from being at that point to being at that point and within a relatively short amount of time? And the answer to that is with the brotherhood. We bus is just straight dudes that want to be better humans to make this world a better place. And the only way that they’re doing that is by just sharing their traumas and their experiences with each other and being vulnerable and being open.

Wes Piatt [00:18:10]:
And I’m very proud of it.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:18:12]:
Can definitely tell, I guess in thinking about that and thinking about what you went from, from where you were to where you are today, and you think about the business that you’ve created. I know that webus emphasizes collaboration, connection. And I guess as you think about that and what you’re learning from other dads in relation to your own fatherhood journey itself, how does that collaboration and connection that you’re do, that you’re building in the organization, align with the way that you’re either raising your daughters to interact with you or interact with others.

Wes Piatt [00:18:45]:
It goes back to what Chris said earlier. We’re trying to get dads to be the people they want their girls to marry.

Chris Roness [00:18:51]:
Yeah. We have a kind of a little mantra on the webus. We. We tell folks, get off the struggle bus and get on the we bus because we’re helping the world be a better place. One dad at A time and the power of the shared experience concept organically. Like, it’s not like we designed it to do what it’s doing beyond that, but the secondary and tertiary effects of what’s happened is you don’t see any really heavy discuss about beliefs regarding faith or politics or anything like that. But that’s not to say that those things don’t come up. They come up through a shared experience.

Chris Roness [00:19:22]:
Hey, I’m going through something. I’m struggling with this thing I just saw, or I’m struggling with this direction I want to go with my faith. Does anybody have an experience with this? And then those folks will either break off and have a separate conversation on what we call a solo polo, or we even have topic rooms now, where, for example, we’ve got one called the workshop. And in the workshop, this is where dads have unique skills of handyman skills, whatever those might be. You can go in and go, hey, guys, I’m working on this today. Let me show you how I’m doing it in case you ever come across this, and vice versa. Maybe somebody is a dad now that didn’t have a dad to show them how to fix a flat tire on a bicycle. Well, you could go to YouTube and look up that stuff.

Chris Roness [00:20:00]:
But the difference is on webus, you go to the workshop, you can go, hey, guys, I’m gonna fix this flat tire. And you’ve already got a group of guys that you’re connected to that will not only walk you through that, but they’ll walk you through how that connects to a life experience or a connection that you can have with your child by maybe walking your child through how you’re doing that at the exact same time, things like that. And it’s just really powerful because the other organic thing that we’ve discovered with this is that men are coming out of the woodwork to join us on we bus because of this shared experience. And one of the interesting things that happens right off the bat is a new dad. Well, he’s just going through it and he’ll listen to what the other dads are saying for a while first before he even says anything. And then that dude will come on and just let it all out. And you can watch them. You can watch them just as they’re letting it out.

Chris Roness [00:20:44]:
And that becomes the beginning of the first step to how they’re going to be a better dad. Because now they’re open to gathering all this shared experience from everybody else and learning in a whole nuanced way that is not deliberate. It’s not constructed, it’s not academic. It is just life as it’s happening in everybody’s lives as we learn from each other. It’s powerful.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:21:05]:
You know, in thinking about those experiences where you’ve seen dads unburden themselves and be able to share the things that they’re going through, can you share a moment for each of you where your connection with another dad through webus had an impact on your own fatherhood journey?

Wes Piatt [00:21:23]:
Oh, my gosh, dude. So many. Every day there’s something in there that we connect with with somebody. Like just the other day, I was connecting with Nick on CrossFit stuff and he tried his first CrossFit class and he was so nervous, and I was giving him all the ins and outs on how to do it and where to go and who to talk to and where not to stand and where to stand. And it’s like a little like, insiders, insider. And that’s what, you know, Chris was talking about with the. These groups that we have in these, like, breakout rooms. So you have like the main we bus and then all these breakout rooms that people can find their little niche in.

Wes Piatt [00:21:53]:
And when they get in that niche, they really get to work through whatever that little thing is that they’re struggling with, with people that are more connected to that little thing too. Nick was really struggling just with wanting to improve his fitness a little bit more. And he just like, you know, I’m stuck at a wall. I don’t know where to go from here. And there’s like five dudes that came rushing in with, like, experience up the wazoo to be like, like, well, here’s like 15 different things that you can do and choose what you want. We’re here to support whatever way you need. That’s rock and roll.

Chris Roness [00:22:20]:
Yeah. I’m telling you, there’s like this deeper level. I can’t point to one exactly, like, one particular thing because there’s so many things that I’ve learned from all these guys across the gamut. I mean, when I started on Webus, I wasn’t doing CrossFit, although I was familiar with the sport because we would do it when I was deployed in the military and I just retired from the military, had landed myself in a small town and was trying to find, like, we got spoiled in the military. Here’s the gym, here’s the everything you need right there on the base. And now I’m in this small town trying to find those same resources, and I couldn’t find them anywhere. And I was able to go on here and talk to these guys that did CrossFit and go, hey, tell me some more. Now, I do it regularly, and I’ve learned that for me, that particular sport isn’t something I do for the fitness.

Chris Roness [00:22:59]:
To me, fitness is the byproduct. I go to the gym for the community. But in that vein, like, one of the things that happens through these dialogues, as you start to learn more about these guys at a deeper level. And so Wes, we’ve known each other what, three years maybe?

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:23:12]:
Yeah, right.

Chris Roness [00:23:13]:
Well, check this out. I just learned. I was yesterday years old when I learned that Wes plays the drum. And it’s all because we started a recent topic group called the Bandwagon, where guys that play musical instruments or just want to talk about the songs that they enjoy can get in that chat room and play music together or talk about music or whatever. And Wes is like, yeah, here’s my trap set. I’m like, what, dude? You play the drums?

Wes Piatt [00:23:33]:
Like.

Chris Roness [00:23:33]:
Like, we’ve been very close. We’ve had very deep conversations, and I never knew this. Here’s another example. One of the guys on weboss is a good friend of mine that I went through basic training with over 20, like almost 30 years ago. And me and this guy have talked regularly for 30 years. And it was not until he joined Webus that I learned he was a Batman fanatic. Had no idea. 30 years I knew the guy, had no idea.

Chris Roness [00:23:55]:
He loved Batman. And that’s kind of what happens. You get into this level of understanding somebody just through shared experience on a different perspective or scale. And there’s all these resources right there for you. If you just. One of the things we do is what we call rfi. Request for information. Hey, guys, I’m getting ready to make a decision.

Chris Roness [00:24:11]:
Has anybody dealt with this? And it’s powerful.

Wes Piatt [00:24:13]:
Yeah, that’s how I got my financial planner, actually.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:24:15]:
As interacting with dads in this way and as you’re listening and you’re taking in all that they’re experiencing, I know that you’ve got dads and non dads that are in the community that. But in talking with the dads, what are some of the challenges, the unique challenges that you’re seeing that these dads are collectively having? And how is your organization working to either connect those dads together or help them to be able to work through those in different ways? What have you learned through this venture that you’ve been on?

Chris Roness [00:24:49]:
And I’ll offer one right now. The number one thing that we see consistent is that dads feel like, they’re doing it alone. They feel like they’re in it alone, that they’ve got to be the strong horse for the family. They’ve got to push through. They’ve got to do all the things, and they can’t just. Like what Wes was saying, like, they can’t let those people know that they’re going through a moment, or at least they think that, because they have to be the strong horse. And. And when they come into the we bus, we see that every single time.

Chris Roness [00:25:17]:
And I would offer that there’s a byproduct of using the app that we use with Marco Polo that everybody has benefited from because they mention it. And that is, as dads, we want to be problem solvers right off the bat. That’s our job. Hey, you got a problem? I heard my wife talk about this. I’m gonna go fix this. I heard my kid talk about this thing. I’m gonna go fix this thing. But especially as dads of daughters, you leave the video.

Chris Roness [00:25:38]:
Guess what? In order to listen to that video, you’ve got to literally sit there and watch it and listen. And the byproduct is we’ve all become much better listeners, and we’re all present as a result of that. And I think that’s one of the things that we all struggle with as dads is how not to just be problem solvers, but to be present and listening and to realize that we’re not in it alone, that there are other dads going through it too.

Wes Piatt [00:25:59]:
Do.

Chris Roness [00:25:59]:
And. And we can all connect around nothing but just that singular thing of fatherhood. And it’s just amazing.

Wes Piatt [00:26:05]:
Yeah. I mean, there’s so many things. And I think this is why we created. We call them dojos, and they’re these little breakout groups that we have. And we have dads that are going through divorces. We have dads that are thinking about getting a divorce and trying not to. We’ve got dads that are losing their job and trying to find a new job. We’ve got dads that are trying to get in shape.

Wes Piatt [00:26:23]:
We’ve got dads that have. Were in shape and now are trying to get back in shape. We’ve got dads that are trying to do everything. And so by creating these smaller group, one of the things that Chris really hammered on was Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and the amount of people you can actually have in your life and actually communicate well with and make sure you’re creating actual deep connections with. It’s got to be small. So we Keep those groups relatively small, eight to 10 people max. And we keep the people that are in there experts. Like, we gotta have somebody in that group that’s an expert in this thing in some way and can give you sound advice and help you out with where you really need it the most.

Chris Roness [00:26:56]:
And to piggyback on that a little bit, it’s not just about the dad that’s struggling. It’s about the dad that’s achieving high goals like Wes talked about. I mean, one of our dads started out as an alcoholic three years ago and weighed, like, almost 300 pounds. The dude has lost, like, 150 pounds, and now he’s an Ironman athlete.

Wes Piatt [00:27:11]:
We call him 75 heart because he’s gone through that so many times, and he’s become such a different human being. It’s insane. It’s literally. It’s like biggest loser transformation, but, like, in a healthy way now.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:25]:
I always finish our interviews with what I like to call our dad Connection six, where I give you six more questions to delve a little bit more into you as dads. You ready?

Wes Piatt [00:27:33]:
Yeah. Good.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:34]:
What’s one word that describes your relationship with your daughters?

Chris Roness [00:27:39]:
Love.

Wes Piatt [00:27:39]:
I was going to ask if I could use loving kindness as one word, but yes, love.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:27:43]:
What’s the best piece of dad advice that you’ve ever received?

Wes Piatt [00:27:48]:
That it goes really fast and so be present. That’s the only thing I found universally true.

Chris Roness [00:27:53]:
Yeah. It’s the same as, hey, 18 years. Goes really quick. Capitalize on the moment. The power of that moment.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:28:00]:
What’s one activity that you and your daughters love to do together?

Wes Piatt [00:28:05]:
Oh, my gosh. Going to the beach or going skateboarding. Anything that has to do with activity, like just being. We got a big trampoline out back. It’s like 10 times a day. Can we go jump on the trampoline? You know, like, yeah, let’s go. But anything physical activity wise, they just want to go do it.

Chris Roness [00:28:18]:
Yeah, it’s the same with my daughters. They. They are all very active and. And very musically talented. One of the things that we all do together is we. We sing and play music together on our church youth group, and it’s a blast.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:28:29]:
If you could give your daughters one lesson in a single sentence, what would it be?

Wes Piatt [00:28:34]:
You’re not perfect. Life’s not perfect, and that’s okay.

Chris Roness [00:28:37]:
I would say choose the person that you want to be with and the life you want to have very carefully. Those will be the two most important choices you ever make in your life.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:28:46]:
What’s one thing you’ve learned about yourself since becoming a dad.

Wes Piatt [00:28:51]:
Oh, man. I would say that failure is okay. I’ve learned honestly that because, like, I’ve said that my whole life. Yeah, failure is great. You learn from it. You grew from it. Let’s go. Hoorah.

Wes Piatt [00:29:00]:
You know, and then. But when you fail, you’re really upset about it. You don’t really learn from it. You don’t really take it. But I’ve really learned that. No, guess what, bro? You’re gonna fail hard no matter how much you prepare. And that’s good as long as, like what we talked about before, you come back and repair it and do what you need to do.

Chris Roness [00:29:16]:
The greatest growth and connection happens when you step out of your comfort zone. Man, changing diapers, the way I grew up was a mom’s job, but I got all into that. And the same thing with braiding hair and all the things is that big tough guy stuff. No, but man, the magic that happens with that. And that’s where the connections are at and that’s where the growth occurred.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:29:37]:
And finally, what advice would you give to other dads who want to build a lasting and meaningful relationship with their daughters?

Wes Piatt [00:29:46]:
I wouldn’t. I would just share experiences.

Chris Roness [00:29:48]:
The advice I’m going to give comes from a good friend of mine, Lindsay Ko, who lost his daughter to suicide. And I asked him what would he have done differently and he said, I would have been present more often. I would have just been present.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:30:00]:
Well, Wes, Chris, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for sharing what you are doing with your own daughters, but also what you’re doing with Webus. And if people want to find out more about Webus, where should they go?

Wes Piatt [00:30:11]:
Www.webusint.com and fill out the interest interest form. You’ll see it on the menu bar up top. And then our buddy Jeremy or Alan will reach out to you.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:30:23]:
Well, again, I just want to say thank you. Thank you both for all that you’re doing to be able to connect dads with other dads, men with other men. It’s so important. It’s so important for men to have those connections in their life. And I really appreciate all the work that you’re doing with that and thank you for sharing your own journeys with your daughters. And I wish you all the best.

Wes Piatt [00:30:42]:
Same to you, Chris. Thanks for doing what you do in this space and keeping it going for so long. I really appreciate it.

Chris Roness [00:30:48]:
Absolutely, dude. Keep staying awesome. Chris, we really appreciate this, man. And we look forward to seeing all the other videos that are coming after this one and the ones before for sure. That’s a wrap for this episode of.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:30:58]:
The dad and Daughter Connection. Thanks for joining us on this journey to build stronger bonds and raise confident, independent daughters. Remember, being an engaged dad isn’t about being perfect, it’s about being present. If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe and share it with a fellow dad. And don’t forget, you can find all our episodes at dadanddaughterconnection.com until next time, keep showing up, keep connecting and keep being the dad she needs.

Musical Performer [00:31:28]:
We’re all in the same boat and it’s full of tiny screaming passengers we spend the time, we give the lessons we make the meals we buy them presents Bring your A game cause those kids are growing fast the time goes.

Musical Performer [00:31:58]:
By just like a dynamite blast Calling.

Musical Performer [00:32:03]:
Astronauts and firemen carpenters and muscle men get out and be the world to.

Musical Performer [00:32:11]:
Them.

Musical Performer [00:32:15]:
Be the best dad you can be.

Musical Performer [00:32:20]:
Be the best that you can be.