Earlier this month I had the chance to be on the Choice Conversations podcast. It was a great opportunity to talk about fatherhood and about being a great dad. I hope that you enjoy the conversation!
Dads in the Limelight – George Ricciardella of the Busy Daddies Do Sci-Fi Podcast
Our 736th Dad in the Limelight is Co-Host of the Busy Daddies Do Sci-Fi Podcast, George Ricciardella . I want to thank George Ricciardella for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing George Ricciardella with all of you.
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
I’m George Ricciardella, I publish the weekly webcomic SAHDness and co-host the podcast Busy Daddies Do Sci-Fi. I’m the stay at home dad to my two boys, Jack and Charlie (4 years and 3 months respectively). I’m also an alcoholic in long term recovery. Being an addict, if I’m not consistenly moving forward on some level, then I’m rolling back. I try to incorporate the lesson I learn as a human on a daily basis into my journey as a father to my amazing children.
2) Tell me about your family
Jack teaches me more than I think I’ll ever be able to teach him. The way that he truly lives in the moment is something that I strive for. If a car rolls under the couch, he goes and gets another car. He doesn’t start to resent the couch. I’ve gotta get there. Charlie is my miracle child. He’s the one I didn’t think I’d get to meet. We lost a daughter 8 months into the pregnancy before Charlie was born and before that, we both kind of thought Jack was gonna be it. That we were “one and done”. Our daughter’s name would have been Gwen, and there are times I wonder how much of her is in Charlie. My wife is an amazing woman. If she told me tomorrow she’d like to just kick up her feet for the rest of her life, I think I’d have to find a way to accommodate that. I owe her my life, my children and she consistently amazes me with how healthy minded she is. When I shoot “brain to mouth” there is still a level of stupid to it. She is the opposite. We compliment each other very well.
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
The consistent challenge of not projecting my own insecurities onto my children. There are many times where I am much more concerned with my reaction to a situation affecting my sons, than I am their own. Why does my heart break if my son cannot do the monkey bars, if he is having a blast every time he falls off?
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
Control is an illusion and attempting to wrestle control out of anything more than your own attitude and behavior is a fool’s errand. There comes a point where my job consists of pretty much just providing options, getting out of their way and making sure that one of them doesn’t catch on fire.
5) How have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
I’ll let you know when I do. Seriously though, there is an aspect of my life that requires daily attention. That’s my recovery. I know full well that if I’m not engaging in the things that keep me sober, that the life I now love will eventually go away. Balance is a challenge and I screw it up on some level all the time. Either too much one way or too much another. I go to meetings, work with other addicts and also have a wife that I like to see alone every now and then. It’s a small miracle when a date night happens, but when it does I have to make sure that we talk about each other and not just the kids.
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
That we’re all in this together and that pretty much everyone is some level of scared. More importantly that it’s okay not to know what the hell you’re doing.
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
There is no status quo which we are constantly striving for. Life is a series of ups and downs and if lived correctly even the ups feel like downs. Because I’m grateful for all of them. I’m grateful for the good and the SEEMINGLY bad, because really I’m the only one judging the things that are happening. The most important thing that I’ve learned and seemingly the one nugget of advice that has proven true across the board is that time moves really fast. If I’m not living in the moment, I’m missing something. If I’m depressed, I’m in the past. If I’m anxious, I’m in the future. Sometimes I need to just stop and go “Where are your feet?” and live.
If you have any questions for George Ricciardella, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Finding Happiness in Your Life With Doug Kisgen
This week on the Dads Spotlight podcast we have Doug Kisgen, father of five and author of the book Rethink Happy and finding happiness in your own life.
Read more about the interview with Doug Kisgen on the Dad Spotlight Podcast website.
Success in Law School and Beyond
This week I was interviewed by Dale Richardson of the LivetheGoals podcast about Success in Law School and Beyond.
In this Episode You’ll Learn:
- What to consider when selecting the right school for you;
- What to after your first semester exams;
- How to set yourself up for success after school;
- Whether you should have a social life while you are in school;
- The importance of having balance in your live;
- And so much more!!!
Listen to the episode below!
Dads in the Limelight – Gordon Firemark
Our 716th Dad in the Limelight is podcaster and law expert, Gordon Firemark. I want to thank Gordon Firemark for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing Gordon Firemark with all of you.
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
I’m Gordon Firemark by day, I’m a solo-practice lawyer from Los Angeles, where I practice entertainment law, specifically in the fields of Theatre, Film and TV. I host three podcasts, a youtube channel, and a blog. I’m a sought after expert on legal issues in theatre, independent film, and podcasting, and I’ve produced a few plays and musicals myself.
I’ve also got a side-business creating and marketing e-learning courses: Power Podcasting for Lawyers, where I teach lawyers the art technology, and strategies of podcasting; and Theatre Producer Academy, for theatre lovers who have a burning, irrational desire to produce plays and musicals. If I had much time to indulge hobbies, they’d be photography, movies and cooking. I’m also a techno geek. I love my toys: cameras, microphones and audio gear, computers, etc.
2) Tell me about your family
I’m married to the best woman in the whole world. Cassandra is a devoted wife and mother and a health and nutrition oriented life-coach. Our three kids are Nathaniel (8), Liliana (6) and Benjamin (3). It’s a sometimes controlled kind of chaos around here. Did I mention that I work from my home much of the time? Oy.
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
Acknowledging myself as a good father and provider. I’m my own worst critic, and I beat myself up about things like spending more quality time with the family, playing with the kids more, yelling less, etc. But ultimately, I know I’m a good dad, but that inner voice sometimes has other views.
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
Lead by example. Show your kids how a man should treat a woman by treating their mother accordingly. Show them how a father should behave by behaving accordingly. Don’t let “Man stuff” prevent you from showing your “dad stuff”. Play… Be silly, have fun… And enjoy the ride. Like most roller coasters, this one will be over too soon.
Trust your instincts. Be the protector. Be the hero. But let them see your flaws. Chinks in the armor are what make us human and lovable. And most of all.. express your love for your family easily, often and grandly.
5) How have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
I don’t always feel that I have, but I try to make family the priority first. It’s about setting boundaries. I’m fortunate that I have a business that allows me to be home when the kids leave for school, and again for dinner most nights. I take over from my wife and supervise bedtime most evenings. On weekends, I take them to the park, swimming, or whatever, and let their Mom have her life without kids for a few hours…
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
Well, my own Dad is the role-model of role models. He taught me everything there is about what it means to be a great dad. And, I have to say, a little therapy has helped me see where he could’ve done better, too. Mostly, I try to emulate him. Being present, both physically and emotionally, is so important. I see other dads at the park, sitting with cel phone in hand or to the ear, and their kids just clamoring for attention. That’s the guy I don’t want to be. If I’m with my family, I want them to feel that I’m actually with them.
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far? 
What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
I had a fairly serious illness and hospitalization last year. At 49, I had a few days wondering whether I’d make it to 50… (I did, and am fully recovered). That really got me thinking about those kids, and how much they need me. Taking care of ourselves is so important. If not for yourself, you do it for the people who depend on you.
I have one practice that I wish more parents would do. About three times a year, I sit down with each of my kids, and interview them on video (just sitting at the computer with the webcam or with the cel phone). And I ask them questions about themselves, their favorite foods, toys, school, etc., It’s become a bit of a tradition for us, and I really enjoy looking back at them videos. I know it’ll be even better as they get older, and can go back to watch themselves grow up. I think it’s a gift to them, and to their kids someday…
If you have any questions for Gordon Firemark, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Dads in the Limelight – Colin Gray of The Podcast Host podcast
Our 714th Dad in the Limelight is Colin Gray, Managing Director of The Podcast Host Podcast. I want to thank Colin Gray for being a part of this series. It has been great getting connected with him and now sharing Colin Gray with all of you.
1) Tell me about yourself, (as well as how you are in the limelight for my readers knowledge)
My name is Colin Gray and I’m a mid-30s guy from Dundee in Scotland who’s run a few businesses over the years, mainly as an excuse to avoid ever having a real job. These days my work passion is Podcasting. My company helps anyone or any business to create their own show, and to grow a legion of loyal fans based around their knowledge and experience. I run a few podcasts of my own, and I do a fair bit of public speaking on the subject. Other than that, I’m really interested in the startup world, and the whole subject of starting and running a sustainable, successful and ethical business.
2) Tell me about your family
I have a brilliant wife and two little menaces…eh, I mean kids. My wife’s a doctor and we met right around when I turned 30 and were both living in Edinburgh. A few years later we had our son, who’s now 4, and then came our daughter, who’s now 2. Al is great fun now, starting to get into games and sports and all the fun things. And Dee is a wee radge who tyrannises the rest of the family, getting her own way at least 95% of the time.
3) What has been the largest challenge you have had in being a father?
Dealing with losing a whole lot of my own time. I’ve always been a guy that enjoys his own company and spends them on too many hobbies. Sometimes I grudge the fact that I can’t go out biking whenever I want, or go off and play cards with a few friends. In the early days I struggled because young babies don’t necessarily give a whole lot back, and I would feel like I was just passing the time when with them. It still challenges me, but I’m figuring it out – see below!
4) What advice would you give to other fathers?
If you’re not a ‘baby guy’ it’s fine. I’m not. I would step in front of a bullet for my kids when they were babies, of course, but I have to admit, I found the first year more boring than exciting, as I mentioned above. When personlity comes, though, it all changes. You can start to get something back, to teach, to play. Nowadays, I find ways to make time with them ‘my time’ even if it’s doing something I wouldn’t exactly choose to do on my own! I love teaching them new things, so that’s always a great one, and I’m a geek so finding games to play with them is brilliant too. Even if it’s just helping my daughter to arrange her little toy kitchen, I’ll do silly things like do my stretches at the same time. I can sit in a squat and help Dee put her dollies to bed at the same time no bother!
5) How have you come to balance parenthood and outside life?
My wife and I have come to realise that scheduled time might seem like the most boring and anal thing ever, but that it’s just essential when you have kids. We try to share the mornings out for time by ourselves. Eg. I’ll have Saturday until midday to do whatever I want, and she’ll have Sunday till midday. So, if I get up early, I can get out on the bike for a few hours, easy. That’s great. Evenings, too. We try to organise games nights during the week, or a regular evening with friends. When we first talked about it, it made me feel like I was turning into an accountant for our time – I grudged the discipline – but I love that quote: “Through discipline comes freedom.”
6) What have you learned from the fathers that you have interacted with?
One of the best lessons I got, ever, went like this: “Just remember, no matter what they’re doing, what you’re going through, it’s only a phase!” When times are bad – they’re up 3 times in the night, they’re not going to the toilet – it’s a phase. It’ll end. And when times are good – they’re nice, they’re behaved, they’re loving you – it’s a phase. It’ll end. So appreciate it while it lasts!
7) What else would you share regarding your experiences as a father thus far?
Don’t get pressured into doing things too early. Toilet training was a good example for us. All our pals were starting to toilet train their kids around 2 years old. And they were having a nightmare. Cleaning up all over the place. We waited. We thought, where’s the rush? Coming on for 2 and a half, we tried Al once, over a couple of days, and he didn’t get it. So we put the nappies back on. Maybe 6 months later, probably a little older than 3, we tried again. And he just got it, right away. He could talk reasonably well by then, so we could explain it! We get pressured into doing things by the ‘milestones’ forgetting that they’re all ready at different times. You’ll make your life so much easier just waiting until they’re ready and ignoring the ‘type A’ parents who’re competing on everything.
8) What have been the most memorable experiences that you have had thus far as a parent?
The most memorable thing for me, so far, was a moment probably 6 months ago or so when our two kids suddenly seemed to discover that it was possible to like each other. Up until then they were just like two beings coexisting, tolerating each other’s presence and living life separately. Now, we walk by a room and see them with their heads together playing with a toy and chattering away about it. It’s amazing – shows you that they’re these independent little things that can have relationships of their own outside of you. That’s brilliant, a proud moment, but also quite sad and terrifying. It makes me appreciate time with them right now a little more, because I’m suddenly aware that I and my wife wont be the whole world to them for much longer…..
If you have any questions for Colin Gray, please leave a comment here and I will make sure that he gets them so that he may be able to respond!
Also, do you know a Dad in the Limelight? If so, please email me their contact information so that they too can be a part of this series!
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Julie Kerwin of IAmElemental on the Dad Spotlight Podcast
This week in the Dad Spotlight, Julie Kerwin, the creative superpower behind IAmElemental’s action figures for girls, joins us to talk to us about the brand as well as to talk about how they are creating a new conversation about the super powers that we all have inside of us.
Less hooters, more heroine. The girl are the superheros and the powers are not dumbed down and it allows kids to see powers in a new way. IAmElemental knew that kids could understand the concept that was being
It’s character, not characters is one of the mantras of IAmElemental.
“We’re girl targeted, bot inclusive” says Julie Kerwin. It was important that IAmElemental figures were inclusive of both genders and this is part of the mission of the company.
This was a great interview. If you want to learn more about Julie Kerwin or IAmElemental, listen to this great Dad Spotlight podcast episode and read the podcast notes over at the Dad Spotlight website!
You can also order IAmElemental toys through [amazon text=Amazon&asin=B00TXTA5IQ] or through the IAmElemental website.
The importance of vitamins for kids!
In this episode of the Dad Spotlight Dads Toolbox Chris Lewis and Don Jackson had the chance to talk with Clay Nichols of SmartyPants Vitamins about the importance of vitamins for our kids today.
Clay Nichols told us that joining the SmartyPants Vitamins company was a family story. It was his sister that started the company. She started the company because she would walk into the store and be bewildered by all of the options and not knowing what was quality and what they could trust.
SmartyPants is now in over 20,000 stores across the country and in every Walgreens in the country.
SmartyPants vitamins is very careful about what they put into the vitamins as they personally take the vitamins and have their kids take them too.
This was a great interview that I think everyone will learn from and enjoy!
Burn Prevention & Survivor Support – Start Now!
As many of you know, I have been a brand ambassador for Kidde team for the past year. As part of #TeamKidde, I’ve been sharing great fire and carbon monoxide safety tips and resources to help make your home and your family safer. You also know that this past year, I launched the Dad Spotlight podcast.
This week on the Dad Spotlight podcast, we partnered with Kidde to bring you a great interview with Amy Acton, Executive Director of the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors to talk about burn prevention and burn survivor support.
If you don’t know about this great organization, let me share a bit about them!
About the Phoenix Society
The Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors is the leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering anyone affected by a burn injury through peer support, education and advocacy.
Each year, 40,000 people are hospitalized with burn injuries. The Phoenix Society is committed to letting burn survivors know that they are not alone. Their community of burn survivors, their loved ones, health professionals and firefighters help each person involved get back to living their life.
About the Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery® (SOAR®) program
Started in 2003 with funding from Kidde, the organization’s Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery® (SOAR®) program is currently in 64 hospitals and burn centers, connecting those recently injured with burn survivors and family members who can support their recovery. In 2014, the Phoenix Society partnered with the International Association of Firefighters (IAFF) and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) to develop a version of SOAR for burn-injured firefighters. Kidde is the inaugural sponsor of the program.
So take a listen, I know you will learn a ton!
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Creating the Perfect Setup For A Podcasting Studio With Samson
Many of you know that I started a podcast with Don Jackson over at Daddy Newbie in May called Dad Spotlight! We are fifteen episodes in and continue to love what we are doing and sharing with others.
On top of this I also started a podcast at my work called Law School Insider to help those people thinking about going to law school or those that were already in law school to give them a better understanding of law school success.
As I started along this journey at work I did not have much equipment. I had one microphone at home that I would bring back and forth and its’ quality was a bit lacking. I also did not have a mixer either. Now starting off, I have to say that I do not know whether you have to have a mixer, but I will say that it is a lot easier, and you have so much more control when you do have a mixer.
So in starting a studio in my office at work, I knew I needed a good quality microphone and mixer to be able to take my podcasts to the next level. Lucky for me, I learned about some amazing products that Samson has on the market that really provide a very high quality experience for a very inexpensive price.
After doing some research and some talking to the folks at Samson, I found that the MixPad® MXP124FX and MTR101A Microphone Kit were really what I was looking for for my office. I wanted to be able to get great sound and control the audio levels both in my office and when I interviewed people from afar and both the microphone and mixer fit this bill implicitly.
You can find both of these great products on Amazon!
About the MixPad® MXP124FX
The all-new MixPad® MXP124FX Compact, 12-Channel Analog Stereo Mixer with Effects and USB demonstrates Samson‘s commitment to quality, affordability and professional specs. This lightweight mixer offers all of the sonic clarity, ease of use and premium performance that serious musicians demand.
About the MTR101A Microphone Kit
Samson‘s MTR101A Studio Mic Kit brings exceptional performance and high-end quality to a variety of live and studio situations. Ideal for recording vocals, close miking instruments, use as a room microphone and more, the MTR101A (MTR101 Condenser Microphone, pop filter and shockmount included) solidifies, Samson‘s commitment to offering superior sound and the ability to capture the best audio possible.
I have been using both of these now for about a week and have been very impressed thus far to the quality of both. In talking to my co-host he mentioned that my audio-quality sounded crisper and I love the additional control that I receive from the mixer too. While I know that I have a lot to learn when it comes to all of the additional controls on the mixer itself, I am learning every day and that for me is a great thing!
If you are looking to set up your own podcast, these two items are definitely ones that I would recommend to all of you!
As mentioned before. you can find both of these great products on Amazon if you want to grab them for yourself!
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