This week we get a more up close and personal glimpse into our host Jonathan's life. He shares his background as a son and father, the passion behind this podcast, and why he wanted to pay homage to his own parents and open up the discussion to encompass all aspects of fatherhood, family life, and even difficult topics such as loss and grief. He shares how fatherhood compares to his expectations and visions of how it would be, and the differences between how he grew up and the way he is raising his own children.

Key Takeaways

[1:31] Dads are more than welcome to enjoy the podcast of course, but this show is not just for men or fathers. It's an exploration of the meaning of parenthood, loss, expectations and much more, and the guests will range from mothers, daughters, fathers, grandfathers, etc.

[1:58] Jonathan is the single father of two teenagers — one 16-year-old son and a 14-year-old daughter. He is now working full-time as a writer and podcaster and enjoys the freedom of a flexible schedule.

[9:22] Jonathan has always wanted to be a father and still looks at his teens with amazement that he was one half of creating them.

[12:16] One of Jonathan's favorite things about being a parent is giving and receiving unconditional love.

[17:00] Jonathan's favorite piece of his advice from his father was to not rush life and miss the special moments in front of you.

[21:39] Really listening to our children can sometimes be a lost art. Practice putting the phone away, turning off the laptop and giving them your undivided attention.

[27:30] Jonathan recaps the past six episodes and their individual running themes and takeaways. He also gives us a tease of the guests in upcoming episodes.

Quotes:

- "What does fatherhood mean to me? Everything."

- "My dad was an unbelievable friend, and unbelievable father and I hope I provide that to my children."

- "If you want to have a conversation with your kid and your phone is out, that's not a conversation."

Mentioned in this Episode:

Jonathan Greene on Medium