The Power of Dads, Community & Connection
With Rob from Davenham & Macclesfield Dads Club

What does it really mean to be a dad in 2026?

In this powerful and heartfelt episode, I’m joined by Rob, founder of Davenham Dads Club and Macclesfield Dads Club, to talk about modern fatherhood, male mental health, and why community matters more than ever.

This isn’t about criticising schools, families, or men.

It’s about recognising the quiet pressure many fathers carry — and why safe spaces to talk are no longer optional. They’re essential.

Drawing from lived experience, community work, and honest conversation, we explore what resilience really looks like for dads — and why confident, regulated adults raise confident, regulated children.

In this episode, we explore:

The quiet loneliness many dads carry
The stigma around men talking about emotions
Miscarriage and dads being “left behind” in grief
Why boys need love, time, and strong role models
The power of roughhousing, play, and presence
How dads build confidence differently
Why regulated adults raise regulated children
How a simple “safe space to talk” is quietly changing lives

Key Takeaway:

Resilience isn’t built in isolation.
It’s built in community.

And sometimes it starts with two hours, once a month.

Who This Episode Is For:

Dads feeling isolated or overwhelmed
Partners who want fathers to feel supported
Parents raising boys who need emotionally healthy male role models
School leaders thinking about community wellbeing
Anyone who believes children deserve emotionally regulated adults around them

If This Episode Resonated

Please consider sharing this episode.

Your shares help these conversations reach the dads who may never ask for help — but deeply need it.

🎧 Share this episode with someone who quietly carries more than they show.

Spotify – Listen here

YouTube – Watch here

Time Stamps:

00:00 What does it mean to be a dad in 2026?
00:58 Meet Rob & The Dads Club Story
02:35 The Soup Pitch & Why Humility Matters
04:12 How Dads Club Started
06:20 The Safe Space in the Pub
08:45 Building a Support Network
11:30 Why Dads Stay Silent
14:02 Miscarriage, Grief & Men Being Left Behind
17:10 Rebuilding Community for Men
19:42 WhatsApp Community Wins
22:05 What Dads Bring to Confidence Building
25:30 Roughhousing, Feral Play & Boundaries
28:40 What Boys Need Most From Dads
32:55 What Rob Hopes His Sons Will Say One Day
35:10 Where to Find Dads Club
37:00 Final Reflections

Find all the resources in our Listeners Lounge:

https://www.theresilientacademy.co.uk/lounge

Rob’s Links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61586925473953

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davenham_dads_club/

Email: robertvgarner@hotmail.com

Useful Links

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Get “A Parent’s Guide To Raising A Resilient Kid”: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1739302605

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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theresilientkid957

Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/ashley-costello

Website: https://www.theresilientacademy.co.uk