As I sat across from Blake Green, my old schoolmate turned NRL legend, our conversation quickly broke the mold of typical locker room banter, diving into the tender complexities of fatherhood within the spotlight's glare. Blake offers candid tales from the trenches of parenting, where vulnerability is a strength and laughter is just as crucial as discipline. We share a laugh over the chaos of bedtime negotiations but don't shy away from the heavy hitters – like Boston’s resilience through bullying and Sadie's infectious confidence.
Imagine balancing the high-octane demands of a professional sports career with the intricacies of raising spirited children. Blake and I unpack this dynamic, reminiscing about the moves from Melbourne to Manly and beyond, all while nurturing our little ones' growth amidst the backdrop of footy fields and roaring crowds. The clubs' evolution towards family inclusivity, especially during the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, is a testament to the changing face of professional sports – a world where the whistle's echo reaches the family home.
Wrapping up our heart-to-heart, we reflect on the indelible lessons handed down from one generation to the next. From the significance of one-on-one hot chocolate dates to instilling a sense of respect in our children, we navigate the unique bond between father and child. This episode isn't just about the glitz of fame or the grind on the field; it's a celebration of the endearing, often underestimated, role of dads in shaping the future, one heartfelt story at a time.
As I sat across from Blake Green, my old schoolmate turned NRL legend, our conversation quickly broke the mold of typical locker room banter, diving into the tender complexities of fatherhood within the spotlight's glare. Blake offers candid tales from the trenches of parenting, where vulnerability is a strength and laughter is just as crucial as discipline. We share a laugh over the chaos of bedtime negotiations but don't shy away from the heavy hitters – like Boston’s resilience through bullying and Sadie's infectious confidence.
Imagine balancing the high-octane demands of a professional sports career with the intricacies of raising spirited children. Blake and I unpack this dynamic, reminiscing about the moves from Melbourne to Manly and beyond, all while nurturing our little ones' growth amidst the backdrop of footy fields and roaring crowds. The clubs' evolution towards family inclusivity, especially during the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, is a testament to the changing face of professional sports – a world where the whistle's echo reaches the family home.
Wrapping up our heart-to-heart, we reflect on the indelible lessons handed down from one generation to the next. From the significance of one-on-one hot chocolate dates to instilling a sense of respect in our children, we navigate the unique bond between father and child. This episode isn't just about the glitz of fame or the grind on the field; it's a celebration of the endearing, often underestimated, role of dads in shaping the future, one heartfelt story at a time.
Howdy ho, daddy-os, and welcome to the Dad Podcast. This is brought to you by myself, kyle Graham. This is a place where all types of dads, or dads to be, can tune in copygear or learn something new about life as a parent. Follow along as we interview dads of all types and undercover some wisdom to help us be the best dads and partners we can be. So get comfy and listen in your big deals, because the next episode of the Dad Podcast is about to go down. So g'day, your big bunch of legends.
Speaker 1:Today I'm so excited to have on my old schoolmate, retired NRL player, newcastle Knights coaching staff and, most importantly, on the resume, father of two beautiful kiddos, blake Green. Welcome on the Dad Podcast, mate. I know it's your day off, so I really appreciate you coming on. Okay, g, thanks for having me on. Man. Absolute pleasure, mate.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so I don't know if you've been listening in or anything like that, but what I've experienced out of the first few episodes which was, you know, like the thought around the success of the potty was if I get some feedback from someone to say, like you know, the information has really helped him, or you know, that's the success of the potty.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, I've been really fortunate enough to get a heap of feedback from blokes, especially just sort of saying that they feel kind of supported but also feel like they're not the only ones going through it, because I reckon us boys have a tendency to just shut things down and internalize things and we just think that, yeah, we just got to get on with it.
Speaker 1:So it's cool to sort of hear a bit of feedback from everyone and I think, you know, go one of the days of dads being stereotyped as just being silly sort of you know the fun sort of dad and uneducated around the process of you know, whether it's pregnancy, birth, parenting. You know, changing a culture isn't easy, as you're probably well aware of, and but I reckon this is the start and I just really want to like dads to feel encouraged by other dads and not just like their partners or you know, like. I just think it's like that in itself is a big shift. So yeah, and it's just like educate themselves on what's happening through all steps of becoming a dad, parenting and being better partners as well. So it's probably a different interview slash podcast or what you used to.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it's cool man, like you said. I think you know the stereotype out there on dads is that we're all you know, I guess we're the tough guys, that they're not talking about our feelings and how things affect us. You know, and particularly I guess you know, one thing from my experience, mate I've been in an environment where that stereotype early on in my career was really strong. You didn't actually let people know how you felt, you sort of just put on this front every day that you're big, tough and strong and you ran into people for a living. So it's, it's a bit weird. You know to be a soft natured person. You know I think it's a cool thing that you're doing, man, to show all the dads out there that we're all feeling the same way and actually have no idea what we're doing and learn along the way. So yeah, I think it's great.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I thought it'd be great to share your story. You know, creating a family while you're chasing your dream as a professional sportsman and traveling all over the world and all that sort of thing. And I know you're eldest Boston. He's at primary school age and you know it's much different from the previous conversations I've had around the newborn phase and whatever. But I know he's faced some challenges around dealing with bullying and just generally kids being kids. But you know, I know you sort of mentioned a few stories about that. So you know I'd like to sort of cover off on on at all, but in particular zero in on on some of that, because I don't scare the shit out of me with my go to school pretty soon. So let's just kick things off. You know, tell everyone a bit about yourself and your family, bro.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I grew up in Western Sydney, man, I'm from Grey Stains, I'm not far from Parramatta, so I had a pretty I guess what you would probably call normal sort of upbringing, or grew up in a family one sister, mum and dad. You know, we're just working class. Mum and dad are still working, you know, and they're 66 now, they're mid 60s and still going at it. So, but I never wanted for anything as a kid. So one thing my parents did a really good job at is values and morals and life for their big things. So that's something I sort of, you know, I carry with myself. But, you know, try and replicate through me kids.
Speaker 2:But yeah, man, I was lucky enough. You know, all I wanted to do was play first grade as a kid. That was my dream. And you know, I was lucky enough to knock out a you know a few games of footy and just to play overseas for four years. Yeah, yeah, I got to knock out. Well, I've got to play on 35. Now, you know, retired this year, so I've got 15 years of it, which was, which was awesome, mate. You know it wasn't your sort of regular pathway. I was a pretty talented sort of teenager and then you know I struggled to, I guess, light, light the competition up when I was sort of 20, 21, 22. And I went overseas for four years and just sort of escaped a bit of pressure, did a limelight you know, which I sort of struggled to deal with at a young age and just allowed me to play some footy you know, got to win a challenge cup and a Super League over there and played old Trafford Wembley was just such a, such a cool experience at a big club, lot Wigan.
Speaker 1:I think, if I remember rightly, you kept in the Australian school boys right when we were at school.
Speaker 2:Yeah, man yeah.
Speaker 1:And I reckon, like you know, people had your earmarked as the next Joey Johns at the time too. You know like, and that that would have been a fuckload of pressure at that time for a kid to be here, and that you know yeah, thank you, it was cool to hear about.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I just, you know, I probably thought in my head I thought I was ready for the big stage before I actually was. So you know, the life lesson that I took out of it was just taught me to be patient. You know, I played five or six games in first grade and I was like I just expected to be there every week and when I wasn't, you know I made a move, thinking that it was the right thing for me and it probably wasn't. I just needed to do me time. You know, let things progress like that. But you know, going overseas was a great thing, not only for your footy career. But you know, obviously Sarah and I have been together since sort of year 11 at high school. So we got married in second year over there and third year over there we were, we had Boston born in Wigan. So he's a, he's a Wigan owner and I guess the dad life all started, man, which was really really interesting time.
Speaker 1:And like was having children always part of your? You know your thoughts and stuff. Like even, yeah, as a kid, yeah.
Speaker 2:I love kids. I always wanted to have kids. It's funny, you never know when you're ready, Like I wasn't a young dad, I had. We had Boston. I was 26 when we had Boston, so I think I was ready, or I was at the right age, I guess. But it's funny when it all happens. You do so much preparation for the actual birth, for that sort of process to go smoothly, but then there's no preparation for what happens when you get home and it's just like what do we do? We actually do now, it was just the process of getting to the hospital and the delivery and all that stuff, which is just crazy in itself. But I guess there's so much sort of information around that. But then when you get home in, well, particularly for us, because we were living in England, just Sarah and I, no family when we got back to our house we're gonna just on our own with this kid that was sort of three days old. Yeah, man.
Speaker 1:We, yeah yeah, I had some conversation with two midwives last week on the podcast and we actually spoke about before you check out having the conversation with the dad as well, not just the mom, and like how are they going? Like what's next, what to expect? Where's your head at? Because it's a fucking whirlwind Big time.
Speaker 2:I mean, I go like it can't even compare what the mom goes through. The whole birth process is just next level, and even to see that is hard. You probably you can't, you know can offer as much support as you would like to, but you can't take away any of their feelings or pain or anything during it. And then you know how they feel and after it. So, yeah, man, particularly when you get home, it's a yeah, it's a different one.
Speaker 2:I was on FaceTime to my mom back home just asking you know, what are we actually doing here? I thought we landed on with a brilliant, perfect baby. I still remember it so clearly, man. We got home at lunchtime and we thought Boston was like latching on and breastfeeding, no drama. He fell asleep like six hours, like his kids are freak, unbelievable. He woke up at six o'clock, same thing again bang, and then he woke up at 10 at nine. We thought no worries, like he's had a six hour, four hour, and then he just didn't go back to sleep for like 10 hours. It was in crying the whole time. It was a disaster then. It was a disaster.
Speaker 1:Those first like two nights, I reckon, until you're into your routines. And yeah, and like you said, you know Bubba's latched on probably is like mayhem hey, You're so fresh to it, he's done it once in a while.
Speaker 2:Yeah, like yeah, I've done so many strange things. You know the kids have so many weird habits to keep him calm. I remember Boston had an area in the house he liked looking at these colors on the wall and it was. Any time I moved away from these colors on the wall he would wigg out, start crying. If I stayed there, he was calm. So I ended up just standing still, just bouncing up and down every time I held him, you know.
Speaker 1:So yeah, weird, yeah, and you've got a young daughter as well, sadie, yeah.
Speaker 2:Sadie baby was born. We went on a weekend, we went to Melbourne for a few years and Sadie was born in Melbourne. So she's five years old now, start school next year, just turned five, so she starts school next year. And completely opposite kids, you know, she's super energetic and outgoing. I do not have any fears at all for her when she starts school because I think she would quite comfortably handle herself where my little boy, boston, is a little sensitive, loving kid.
Speaker 2:But you know I get nervous sometimes for him because you're just when you're not there to protect them. It's a hard one to deal with. So you know, I think I might have told you actually I mean, the first sort of experience with that is sign him up to Little Kickers as a sort of. I think he might have been a three-year-old or something in Melbourne and because he just grew up around footy, he was always at training and kicking balls, so he was pretty coordinated. And you know we put him in the Little Kickers thing and he was just shooting darts everywhere, just firing him the goals, and I was like, oh, we should put this kid up to like the you know, 60s and 70s age group because he's coordinate. And I just went, oh, he was just a baby.
Speaker 2:I was real nervous about it and I said to Sarah, just let's just leave him down there. He was like I wasn't doing it for him to be a mad soccer player, it was just so he could just hang out with some kids and kick the ball around. And they were like, oh, I know, you know, we'll put him up. And they put him up and he just couldn't handle it socially, you know. And he was. He was like making funny sounds and that thing and it's funny and these kids were proper putting sentences together. So that was the first in my experience a little bit of bullying him because he was sort of just, he was the old one out. Yeah, he was the old one out. So it was tough to watch that actually.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think I remember you telling me that story too and yeah, it's like is it? Is this the moment that you you sort of witnessed something sort of happened to it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so we're trying to say something funny to the kid and kid just like just punched him and he was just he'd never been hit in his life and he'd like the look on his face like just fear and panic. And you know, I got read, missed straight away. I just had your hand on it, got me, I got. I was like what? It just really just happened. I didn't even know how to react or how to respond, you know. So, obviously if he peraged to start with, because no one wants to see that, but then in the day it's another kid. So you know, I just made sure I just went over there and I'm just there to hug him and support him. And he was too young to even understand. Like I can't get him to say anything.
Speaker 2:Back to the kid. He was struggling to express his feelings anyway, you know so. But it's a tough one, I think as he's got older and when he's in those situations, one thing I've tried to make him aware of is just, you know how the other person is feeling at the time, because sometimes you know there's always two sides to a story man. Then somewhere in the middle there's the truth to. So you know it's. It's important not to judge sometimes those reactions. So I try, and you know I try and just say to him well, how do you think that made someone else feel? And if you said that you know, so just so I can maybe understand the situation.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I guess, like, not necessarily to react, it's more about like you know, if you, if you're going to teach them to react and show them like hey, don't do that to him, like you know, go off with the other little kid or go off with their parents, or something like that, that teaches them that it's the right thing to do, right, exactly, rather than, rather than talk about it. Yeah, kids tend to, you know, do as you do rather than as you say.
Speaker 2:So, man, that's that's the biggest one I'll learn is kids. They just mimic your actions, you know. It's, I guess, just because part of what Boston's seen day to day of what I do. He thinks he thinks that's just, you know, normal life. He just doesn't understand. When you know, when he heard people like you know, Roger to Vasa Shek coming over to his house, he thinks Roger's coming over to play with him. He doesn't understand, you know, he just thought that these people he just sees him as normal people, you know so he's got to?
Speaker 2:he's got to what? The unique sort of upbringing man. Then he just thinks that if you want to play in a role, you just play it. You know, because you play it at dad and your friends play it. I'm like, yeah, well, not, not, not all my friends play it, man.
Speaker 1:Oh man, well, you know it's, it's, you know, a good innocent sort of you know thought process at that age, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, I think the best advice I got actually one of the guys I used to play with, you know, when I was younger. I've kept in touch with him, you know, throughout my whole life, you know, since I was sort of 18. And I took Boston over his house when he was only little and he said, man, he's so energetic and he's so outgoing that's awesome. And I was, and I said at the time I was like, yeah, I just I don't want him to be too rude, you know, because he was just openly talking to people and he said, mate, the worst thing you can do as a dad is just chip him too much. You don't want to knock the confidence out of him. It's so hard to get back. So, you know, I try not to chip him too much as long as he's trying to keep me in line a little bit. But, yeah, I don't want to knock any of that out of you. Man, look, that's part of creativity, you know, as a kid, and being able to express yourself.
Speaker 1:So that's his personality too. Yeah, man, that's his personality. This episode of the dad bod cast along with almost every day of my life is fueled by Blackboard coffee roasters. The crew of Blackboard coffee roasters have set out with the aim of educating people about coffee where and who the beans come from, how they're roasted and what to look for when you're drinking a brew. All you coffee addict dad bod listeners will be stoked to know that I have a little DC code to sweeten your next coffee purchase and to dad bod 10 at the checkout for a 10% off discount If you're looking for a little bit more.
Speaker 1:I personally love the value in setting and forgetting a coffee subscription. The boys at Blackboard offer a huge 20% off every coffee order and free shipping across Australia with every order over 30 bucks. Join up for a prepaid subscription or set and forget with a pay as you go option with no locking obligations. Reach out to the boys on insti at Blackboard coffee or Blackboardcoffeecom to find out more Blackboard coffee. Good coffee, good people. Now back to the show. And so you had Sadie in Melbourne. That's part of your career you spent with the storm. And then where to from them in?
Speaker 2:Yeah, so I had. I went to Manly for a year and then I went to New Zealand for three years and then it all sort of just finished up. But I went to the night and knocked out three games and did me me and it was that's all she wrote. So obviously I've been a massive footy head and the attack coach at Melbourne when I was there is the head coach at the night, so he's given me an opportunity to start me sort of apprenticeship as a as a footy coach and awesome.
Speaker 1:Yeah, pretty excited for opportunity, man yeah so pump mates it's.
Speaker 2:You know, it's a bit of a fairy tale really. If you would have told me when I was sort of you know, a young kid is, how would it would have panned out? You know, it's exactly what I wanted in my life, I guess. So, you know, I got to play footy, I squeezed as much juice out of the lemon as I could, you know, until my body couldn't do it anymore, and then I got to go, like you said, three countries and play footy and travel the world and have kids, and they're all healthy and happy. So it's been a big blessing, man, yeah awesome man.
Speaker 1:So you know, from an outsider looking in, I reckon the perception would be that during the career of a footy player like such as yourself, there wouldn't be much parental involvement. I reckon that's like would be a perception. You know, I know it's not the case for you and as you've just explained, but can you explain to us the juggle of a professional athlete and being a dad, like how did you, what were some of the things that you did to juggle that man?
Speaker 2:Yeah, well, first, I reckon that you need to. You got to have an element of selfishness in that sort of life as an athlete because you got to be really well prepared to be able to perform. So you know, I was lucky. That Sarah, you know, nailed me. You know to do that at times, particularly if there was some high pressure. You know, games or moments coming up where I could just sort of, you know, zero in on a few things. But you know, one thing is so far obviously only been, I want to say, real world. I've only been, you know, in the real world for a month, I guess, like working a sort of normal hour Instead of just turning up and training and going home. But you know, one thing it allowed me to do is when you zone in and you prepare for a game, when it finishes, you have a heap of downtime. And because, because I had, you know, say, half the week where I was just fully focused on performing, you know there was two or three days there it was just all about the kids and me, and that's how I spent my downtime, which has been completely different now.
Speaker 2:I reckon it's probably easier being a dad playing footy than it is, you know, in a nine to five job, because you get up and you're seeing for breakfast and you're making brekkie.
Speaker 2:If you're lucky enough to take them to school, you can take them to school. If you're not, you sort of you're kissing them and out the door and you're getting home and they're having dinner in a bath, in bed, like you see them less. I reckon I'm always so lucky that I get to see them more because you have your day off is like during the week. Yeah, the day off is on a Wednesday or a Thursday, and then your day off is the day after a game, on Sunday or on Monday, you know. So I actually got to spend so much time with them. I was able to take them into my workplace so they could, you know, jump into recovery in the pool with everyone. They could come to a team session, you know, so they could sort of play around. It was, I reckon I was lucky enough to spend more time with them, you know. Then then I'm going to moving forward, I reckon.
Speaker 1:Yeah, definitely, man Like, does the NRL provide any sort of support around players that are guys you?
Speaker 2:know, in recent times, mate, they've been so supportive of players and their families, particularly with that sort of COVID situation how you know, they were desperate for games to start. I think that they receive in terms of broadcast money, they receive like $12 million every time there's eight games played. So for them to keep not only the game going, the game funds, so much stuff, you know it funds, you know, grassroots Rugby League, new South Wales and Queensland Rugby League, all these admin jobs, not only at the NRL but in the 16 clubs. So they needed these games to go on. So for those to go on, they were super supportive and, as you probably would have seen on the news, you know they were flying families, you know, up into quarantine and getting all that stuff sorted just because they obviously they showed an element of care for families, but they needed the financial gain as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, for sure, and I've seen, you know, just throughout your career your clubs have been, you know, pretty open to and, as you just alluded to then, was, you know, having your kids at training and around what you're doing and, like you sort of mentioned, there's not many people in jobs or anything that can have that ability. And you know, I've seen so many photos of Boston and Saudi, either, you know, training days or even game days on the field and stuff with you. It's pretty special moments.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I reckon that stuff just evolved, mate, over the years because you know, probably in the in the early 2000s, like the game was just you know it was about wing and being professional, this whole sort of.
Speaker 1:I think that's where that perception comes from. You know like yeah, man.
Speaker 2:Big time you know that was that was a bit of a buzzword, you know was professionalism and you had to be team first and all about yourself and block things out, where then I think the whole mental health movement and people started to understand a more holistic approach to sport, that having other interests and, you know, outside of footy, and being a person first or a father first, had a bigger impact on how you could perform as a player. So, you know, I think a lot of clubs have sort of embraced that and, you know, encourage everyone to feel sort of, you know, welcomed and belong to a, to a group of people, because they were getting more out of it from, from all their, all, their players. So that's, that's a big part of most clubs now, mate. They have plenty of family days. They have dinners, parties and things like that off off site and stuff like that to keep everyone connected as a group.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's really cool man Outside of footy. What are some of the kind of special things you do with the kids to? You know, just like get that connection there and you know, just enjoy some one on one time of them, yes, and my kids they've always had this thing.
Speaker 2:at the moment, they love having one on one time with dad. They don't like doing it together. So it's like a competition. If you know, dad and I are doing this today, so with Boston. Boston loves getting up early and going for a hot chocolate, having a swim in the ocean and just doing that on our own. That's his, that's his favorite thing to do. He tells me all these little stories about school or what he's seen on YouTube or what he's been up to in the playground, things like that. He loves that kind of stuff and anything he's let you can do without Sadie. He's pumped. So that's his favorite thing. That's his favorite thing.
Speaker 2:To start the day where Sadie just loves anything that she can do, that sort of gets one up on him. So if that's his favorite thing to do, she'll, she'll want to do it and she's clever enough to suggest, you know, doing the same thing so she can rub it in his face. So that's her, that's her sort of attitude. But yeah, most of the time it's it's just sort of one on one time where we we go for a walk or a coffee bike ride, have a swim, just real basic things, man. But yeah, the kids love it.
Speaker 1:So how have the kids handled? You know, sometimes having their dad in the limelight, you know whether it's good, bad, whatever. You know, as they've been, experiences where you've had to kind of deal with that.
Speaker 2:They haven't really experienced any like negative stuff, you know, because they obviously, if there's anything on social media or not, they never really seen any of it. They only see the good stuff and the photos and videos and TV sort of stuff. But I reckon the hardest thing, probably for the kids, is just the amount of times that we moved, you know, making different circle of friends. You know Boston. He's had two different primary schools, two different preschools, you know. So he's, he went from when he first started. He's gone from Melbourne, manly, new Zealand. He's a Newcastle now. So he's had it in his eight years that he's been. He's been alive. He's bounced around a little bit, but you know it's difficult to say, but he's.
Speaker 2:I reckon it actually helps to build a level of resilience as a kid, you know, and actually it's given him confidence that he can walk into any environment and make friends straight away. You know, I think the most sort of challenging time for him is weird as this may sound is, you know, when I retired this year and stopped playing, I think his biggest fear was that he was going to lose an element of his identity. You know, in his head it's stupid as this sounds, but in his head. He was his dad, was like a free player. When he dad's not the free player anymore, he that was like his icebreaker when he bumped into people at schools. You know sort of make friends and I think that that little bit of fear. It took a couple of weeks, I reckon, because he was.
Speaker 1:He was a bit lost himself where once he noticed, and now he's yeah, once he noticed, kids didn't treat him any differently, you know, yeah, that's right, it's just.
Speaker 2:It's just the crazy thing he had built up in his head, like you, just he wiggled out a little bit about it, but he's fine now, obviously, yeah that's good man.
Speaker 1:I guess we sort of touched on you know the the moments of sort of being bullied or you know, going through those sort of times but that like, did you, did you talk to him or give him any guidance, like outside of that moment? That I guess is sort of I know you sort of mentioned earlier on values and things like that. What are some of those things that you've instilled in him that might be able to help other dads listening. That has stuck with him and it's really worked.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I always sort of we always talk about just treat people how you want to be treated and now it's a real simple one, man, but you get what you're given sometimes you know, when you go to a different environment sometimes you can't control the kids that are at your school or anything like that, but like how you treat them, it should be pretty much, you know, reciprocated. I reckon you know kids are the best like detectors for lies and bullshit, fake people. I reckon they just suss it out straight away so they know if you're genuine and you've got a good heart. So, as fluffy as it might sound, I talk to Boston like if other kids can sense that you're a good person, you've got a good heart man, they're going to reciprocate that back to you. So, yeah, he's gone through some stuff as he gets older.
Speaker 2:Nothing ridiculous, you know, he's only sort of eight at the moment, but yeah, he goes through times where, as any kid, I reckon, when their dad tells them something, they treat it as gospel man. That's the only. That's my dad's correct. You know what I mean. So if I've said something to him and another kid at school have different opinions on that, that's not right. My dad told me it's actually this yeah, it's hard to explain. I feel like saying, actually, on this one I am right, but everyone's got an opinion, I am right.
Speaker 1:I've only got two boys and, being a boy myself, I'm kind of ready for some of the behaviors and things of what's to come. But you know, as a dad, how do you feel about Sadie going through that similar time? I know you mentioned she's pretty resilient already. She's a tough little egg. So how do you feel about it and do you think your guidance is going to be any different to what you have for Boston?
Speaker 2:I reckon the fact that I've got a daughter as well has definitely changed the way I would have treated Boston. I reckon because I've obviously got a softer, more sensitive understanding to the girl side of things. Obviously, being a boy myself had a boy that first, go around it was like boys are the best. Yeah, it's us against the world. You know what I mean. We stick together. But when you have a little girl it's so different, man, it softens your heart, heaps. You have a better understanding for how they feel. So that's something that I certainly I talk to Boston about all the time. So I've got a sister who I'm close with, and my mum as well. So I've got a softer, I guess, way with girls. So Boston's surrounded by girls as well. He's got two. My sister's got two little girls, so there's three little girls floating around him. So the way he treats girls at school and things like that, I expect him to be really well-equipped at handling those situations. But for when Sadie gets to school, the most scariest thing I reckon is is once they start to get to 12 or 13,.
Speaker 2:Just how much social media has taken off and just evolved. There's no escape from bullying. I don't reckon for those kids anymore. As shit as it is and as wrong as bullying is with kids when we're at school, that social media thing just wasn't around, and so if you copped a bit of stick for a day or two, it would blow over and someone else would cop it the next day or two, or just sort of go around in circles where when you go home now that fuck it could increase. Yeah, it's gonna get worse because then they might link up with three or four people and just start to attack you. That bit's pretty scary. I actually don't. I don't know how to best handle that. It's gonna be a tough one Uncharted territory for us.
Speaker 1:oh boy's-a. Yeah, exactly exactly. I know at times your schedule's pretty jammed, man. So what do you like to do with the fams? To scout the chaos?
Speaker 2:Yeah, we like to go on a. There's a pretty cool national park that's not far from us so we love going to this national park. That's got a sort of a. It's got a 3K walk but it's like along a creek and things like that. Then it opens up to the beach up here in Newie, which is something that we like to do. We're a big breakfast family. What we love going out and having breakfast at a cafe. That's sort of our thing to do. And kids love going to the movies movie time zone combos, so they're probably-.
Speaker 1:The classic man, the classic.
Speaker 2:They're normally their favourite things. So yeah, man, we're pretty cruisey, pretty simple, but lucky, lucky where we live, when you live near the beach, you can do so many things for free. It would be so different if I was still living in Western Sydney. That would be hard to to entertain them, and particularly things around, like around nature and swimming and, you know, appreciating what's around you, because there's not a whole heap around you out there. You know it's not um.
Speaker 1:Matt the western Sydney as we remember. It's uh a bit different now, but like mate back when we were youngsters right, there wasn't much around, that's just sure.
Speaker 2:No no, not anymore.
Speaker 1:Perhaps that's why we were so dedicated to sport. You know who knows.
Speaker 2:I mean, that's exactly why that was the only thing that we had going for us, men, so yeah and what about you and Sam?
Speaker 1:and what do you guys do as a couple to sort of stay connected?
Speaker 2:Working. That's the hardest thing when you, as your kids start and get older. It's just he's not creating time for yourself. So you know, even your night times just get taken away from her, because obviously kids or some kids might do more kids never go to bed on time. They're always squeezing a little bit more time out of out of us.
Speaker 1:What do they do? I know with Marlowe. He's like oh dad, what's a fruit? I'm hungry and he's just finished dinner.
Speaker 2:Just finished dinner. Just finished dinner, maybe some dessert. He's still 20 minutes deep into getting ready for bed. He's still hungry. Yeah, that's classic man. I love doing that. At the moment, they keep starting movies on tv on purpose right around the seven o'clock mark. So they, when it gets to eight, they're like, oh, it's like 20 minutes to go. Oh man, I feel like saying, oh, no shit, you keep starting them at seven o'clock. Well, look, it's on, it's on it's on Netflix. We can watch this tomorrow any time. We started earlier and rewatched the whole thing.
Speaker 1:They know very well what they're up to right. Yeah, man, they're very.
Speaker 2:They're very clever man. That's probably the hardest one for us because we've never lived near family, so having time together. But we tend to find ways where we can, you know, try and coordinate preschool and school on the same day and then we have a bit of time together, so yeah, that's cool. Yeah, but it's a difficult one because our kids are like leeches man. They don't really have sleepovers. They're both scared of the dark, so that's a tricky one, oh man.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a tough one to earn. It's a nice similar up here. You know we don't. Both of our families are in Sydney. So, mate, I can resonate with what you're going through there.
Speaker 2:Right, it's a tough one, hey, yeah, man late nights or early mornings, the only sort of chances you get, unless you send them to the park and you can sit down by yourself for 10 minutes. That's about it, yeah that's it, man.
Speaker 1:Well, there's definitely some parallels in your world and that of like, say, you know a full-time working dad and with that there's a lot of load to carry, to provide but also support, care and nurture. And I know, for me I have a number of different things I like to do to just sort of click reset and it helps me just to think clearly and, you know, give me that sort of energy that you know helps me to want to be a better dad or a partner. But, like, is there any of that, that sort of yeah that you do for yourself, like I know, obviously into your fitness and stuff? Still is it?
Speaker 2:you know, running, surfing, yeah, oh, um, three times a week I get up it or don't actually do it on my own, but I get up and run stairs at like 5 30 in the morning. So we get up real early. We, just with two of my mates, three of my mates yeah, I'm sorry we just run some stairs and we have a coffee together and it's just a good way for just for four dads to sort of catch up and chew the fat on on life and things like that. So we do it nice and early and then we can have a coffee and you know, and the days doesn't get away from you. So, to be honest, having having those guys, you know it's only sort of happened in the last six months.
Speaker 2:You know, before that I was like I just do things on my own for my own headspace and time out, where I'd get up real early, go for a swim, have a coffee on my own and watch sunrise or things like that, just to sort of reset. But I've honestly found having having a grip of dads that you catch up with has been so cool and refreshing, because they've all got the same dramas or the same problems going at home and it's actually pretty cool that you feel an element of normality. When you hear what's happening with their kids, you think, oh, far out least, we're on the same page here, you know. I think that's an important one, because so many times you must think what are we doing here? Is this normal, like was this actually happening to anyone else? So, yeah, having that a couple of times a week is, yeah, mate, real big support network for me, yeah that's awesome, man.
Speaker 1:Well, I've taken up a lot of your time, so I really appreciate it. And, yeah, thanks so much for coming on. I'd love chatting with you. So you know I appreciate your insight and you know your experience and stuff. I know it's gonna help a lot of other dads out there. So, yeah, and just appreciate you opening up about you know your private life and things. So, yeah, and obviously sending love to and thanks to Sarah as well. So, yeah, really appreciate it, bro. Oh, good man, appreciate having me on. Thanks so much for tuning into this episode your bunch of legends. If you enjoyed the show, could I please get you to show me some love by subscribing and leave a really nice review, also for loads of extras and to stay up to date with all things dad podcast. Head on over to at dad underscore podcast on instagram and give us a follow. Huge love to you all. Daddy eyes catch you soon.