Developing Dads Podcast

General chat about the Xmas celebrations, everything we've been up to and how we are looking forward to 2026

In this episode of the Developing Dad's Podcast, Neil and Gordon engage in a candid conversation about their recent experiences, family life, and the challenges of parenting. They discuss the costs associated with holiday activities, the pressures of modern living, and the joys of family gatherings. The conversation also delves into the complexities of home ownership, financial planning, and the importance of maintaining relationships amidst the chaos of family life. With humour and honesty, they reflect on the ups and downs of being a parent and the decisions that come with it.

**The Journey Back to Podcasting** After a year-long hiatus, Gordon and Neil reunite to kick off a new chapter in their podcasting journey. Gordon humorously highlights how much has changed since they last recorded, including his son's birth, marking a significant event in their lives. The two dads reflect on their initial momentum in podcasting and how life’s responsibilities can shift priorities. **Life's Increased Busyness** Neil shares the challenges of managing life with three children, noting how their bedtimes have shifted later as they engage in more activities. His twin boys and daughter are involved in various extracurriculars, leading to a packed schedule. Neil notes, "I feel like there's less free time now as the kids are getting older." This sentiment resonates with many parents who struggle to balance their time effectively. **The Importance of Quality Time** Despite the busyness, Neil emphasizes the importance of spending quality time with his family. He mentions a family rule to keep weekends free from classes or commitments, allowing for genuine family interactions. This approach highlights the need for intentional family time amidst a hectic lifestyle. **Identifying Productive Activities** Gordon raises a critical question about productivity in their busy lives, asking how they can ensure that their activities are genuinely fulfilling. Neil admits to the temptation of saying yes to everything but reflects on the importance of prioritizing happiness. He mentions how having dual incomes has allowed their family to explore new activities, underscoring the balance between financial freedom and time commitment. **Strategies for Maintaining Balance** Both hosts discuss their strategies for managing their commitments. Gordon stresses the importance of constraints, suggesting that committing to specific times for activities, like podcasting, can help maintain focus. Neil shares his experience of adjusting the podcast format to fit their busy lives, showing flexibility and adaptability. **Reflection on Personal Growth** As they wrap up their updates, Gordon reflects on his business successes and the importance of viewing progress over the long term rather than month-to-month fluctuations. He shares insights on productizing his business, paralleling the need to streamline their family activities to create more meaningful experiences. Conclusion: The conversation between Gordon and Neil serves as a reminder of the challenges modern dads face in balancing family, work, and personal fulfillment. By sharing their experiences, they highlight the importance of intentionality in parenting and the need to prioritize what brings joy and satisfaction in life. Key takeaways include the value of quality family time, the significance of reflection on personal happiness, and the importance of adapting to life's changes while maintaining commitments.

In this episode, Neil and Gordon catch up after a long break from podcasting. They discuss recent activities, including dealing with business challenges and investing in quality jeans. They also share highlights such as a date night and a comedy show. The conversation turns to reflections on 10 years of marriage and the challenges and growth they have experienced. They discuss future plans, including travel and navigating the teenage years. They end by setting goals for the next 10 years of their relationship. The conversation explores the significance of weddings and vow renewals, the financial considerations that come with them, and the rarity of gathering loved ones. It also delves into taking responsibility for loneliness, Neil's new job and imposter syndrome, putting oneself out there, the logistics and cost of weddings, and concludes with closing remarks.

In this episode, we have a very special guest for episode 100 of the Developing Dads podcast, Don Kandasamy. We explore dad life. Thank you to everyone who listens to this podcast. We do it for our great great grandchildren but either way, all the messages (3.5) about how you've been enjoying our chats have been amazing. Here's to another 100.

In this episode we explore the idea of when is it just a good time to give up.

In this episode, we explore the things we might do differently. From buying a first home, and staying in relationships too long to saving earlier and for longer than we did.

In this episode, we explore the first 6 months of 2023. How are we getting on with our goals and if we've set anymore.

In this episode we discuss how we've managed to achieve a podcast in the top 1% of all podcasts across the world. From tips and tricks to solutions we've used to get there. To be honest it really wasn't that hard to get into the top 1% of podcasts in the world lol but we've some how done it.

In this episode we discuss Olivia moving into a separation anxiety stage and we end up going through Neil's experiences raising his kids.

In this episode, we explore where you spend more of your time and how it's so important to choose a suitable partner, cherish the early days of your kids growing up and deal with being alone for a lot of that time.

In this episode we explore mental health. After Paddy 'the baddy' Pimblett heart warming speech following his UFC win about his friend committing suicide. Mental health is something we've both never knowingly suffered with. That being said we go into our history with mental health and when we, perhaps have suffered with our own mental health. From Neil going from 1 to 3 kids in one swoop and how Gordon has had some pretty tough lows.