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Dad And Then What
When you first find out you’re going to be a father, the excitement is usually followed by a million questions and a lot of confusion; or both.
Dad and Then What was created to be the resource I wish I’d had back then: a space for honest, unfiltered conversations about the reality of being a dad.
Whether you’re a first-, second-, or third-time father, this is a place to hear the real stories—the situations, the emotions, and the "then what" moments we all face but rarely talk about. Our goal is simple: to make fatherhood feel a little less lonely, a little less intimidating, and a lot more accessible. If just one dad sees himself in these stories and realizes he’s not alone, we’ve hit the jackpot.
Join us as we open the dialogue, one story at a time.
Dad And Then What
Episode 3: The "Bad Cop" Burden
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The Exhausting Tug-of-War Between "Fun Dad" and the "Bad Cop"
We all want to be the dad who builds the fort, says "yes" to the extra scoop of ice cream, and starts the living room wrestling matches. But then... the chaos hits. Someone has to enforce the bedtime, someone has to say "no," and someone has to be the one who actually keeps the house from burning down.
In this episode of Dad and Then What, we’re getting honest about the struggle to balance these two versions of ourselves. We talk about the "guilt" of being the strict one and the "fear" that being the fun one means we’re failing at the serious stuff.
What we’re really getting into:
- The "Bad Cop" Syndrome: Why it feels like we’re always the one delivering the reality check—and how that affects our bond with our kids.
- The Performance of "Fun": The pressure to be the high-energy entertainer even when we’re running on three hours of sleep and zero patience.
- The Partner Dynamic: How we accidentally fall into these roles based on what our partner is (or isn't) doing, and the friction that creates.
- Finding the Middle Ground: Is it actually possible to be both, or are we just switching masks every ten minutes?
This isn't a lecture on "balanced parenting." It’s a look at the frustration, the laughter, and the "and then what" moments when you realize your kid actually needs both versions of you—even if it’s exhausting to provide them.