The Dad Manual

Tony Cooper
  • 5.0 (6)
  • Parenting
  • Updated Weekly

The Dad Manual is a fatherhood podcast hosted by Tony Cooper, featuring honest conversations with dads about the real, unfiltered journey of parenthood. This parenting podcast for dads explores everything from the excitement of being a first time dad to navigating the teenage years. As one of the best podcasts for expecting dads and experienced fathers alike, we dive deep into what it actually means to be a modern dad—the struggles, the growth, the mistakes, and the moments that change you forever. Whether you're looking for a new dad podcast or seasoned parenting wisdom, this family podcast delivers the honest guidance you won't find in books.

  1. 21h ago

    Ep 44: Healing The Boy So The Dad Can Show Up, with Jon Vroman

    Tony Cooper sits down with the founder of a brotherhood built to help dads stop hiding at work and start showing up at home. This conversation with Jon Vroman, founder of Front Row Dads, is one of the most honest looks at modern fatherhood this parenting podcast has done yet. Jon shares how a comment from his wife, that he was more of a moment maker for everyone else than for his own family, led him to build a community of hundreds of dads across ten countries. We get into why most men never study fatherhood the way they study business, why marriage keeps resurfacing as the hardest pillar even for successful men, and why healing childhood wounds together, as fathers, might be the real work of raising strong kids. Key takeaways: Why Jon built Front Row Dads around relationships first, resources second, results thirdThe six pillars of Front Row Dads: intentional parenting, thriving marriage, vibrant health, emotional intelligence, business evolution, wealth and legacyWhy most marriages hit a wall around the time a kid turns sevenHow inadequacy and abandonment wounds tend to marry each otherWhy loneliness, not inadequacy or abandonment, is the original childhood woundHow modeling family values matters more than writing them on a wallWhy kids respond instantly to a dad who has done his own inner workThe difference between venting and actually healingIf you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ Timestamps: 00:00 Intro to Jon Vroman00:56 Meet Ocean and Tiger04:27 Choosing unique education paths08:49 What matters more than curriculum13:00 Jon's upbringing and early wounds17:04 Why healing starts at eighteen19:41 Modeling family values at home24:27 Why Front Row Dads began29:47 Relationships, resources, results34:12 Why marriage became the real focus37:05 Jon's honesty about his own marriage41:50 The seven year relationship pattern48:16 Inadequacy, abandonment and loneliness51:40 Advice for a brand new dad

    Ep 44: Healing The Boy So The Dad Can Show Up, with Jon Vroman

  2. Oct 20

    Ep 43: The App That Teaches Dads How Their Kids Are Wired

    Tony Cooper sits down with David Yep, a dad who spent 14 years on the path to becoming a Catholic priest before realizing fatherhood was his real calling. This episode of the parenting podcast digs into David's unexpected road to becoming a dad to Lucia, Sophia and Constantine, and the app he built, Godmother, to help fathers understand their kids and themselves. We talk presence, the pressure of raising a son versus daughters, and why dads need accountability as much as advice. If you're a new dad podcast listener looking for real tools instead of generic parenting tips, this one delivers. Key takeaways: Why "whatever age they are" is the best answer to the best age for a kidDavid's path from seminary at 13 to grad school to fatherhoodWhy boys and girls can trigger different pressures in dadsThe taught framework: tolerance, acceptance, understanding, treasureWhy kids deify or demonize their fathers instead of seeing them as humanHow the Godmother app builds a profile of your child's wiringWhy love languages aren't one-size-fits-all, even within one familyThe power of being overheard praising your kid to someone elseWhy accountability, not willpower, is what keeps dads showing upIf you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ Get 10% off Godmother using this link: https://godmother.aingelic.net/?ref=tony-64b32a 00:00 David's path from seminary to fatherhood02:06 The age range David loves most right now05:12 Why time feels like it flies without presence06:17 The hardest part of the newborn stage10:13 Leaving home for the seminary at 1313:04 Deciding the priesthood would not work17:02 Raising a son versus raising daughters21:15 Deify or demonize: seeing dads as human23:48 Admitting you do not know the answer27:33 How the Godmother app actually works30:58 Why the app is named Godmother33:14 Love languages are not one size fits all37:06 Learning to treasure your co-parent's approach43:04 Real feedback from families using the app49:16 David's advice for a brand new father

    Ep 43: The App That Teaches Dads How Their Kids Are Wired

  3. Oct 13

    Ep 42: Being a Dad Is My Greatest Role, with James Snyder

    James Snyder has starred on Broadway and shared scenes with Jon Hamm, but the role that changed him most happens at home. On this episode of the dad podcast, Tony Cooper sits down with actor James Snyder, dad to Oliver and Willa, for a conversation that treats fatherhood the way an actor treats a part: something you step into, shape, and eventually have to figure out who you are underneath. James talks about growing up with a present, engaged father, the family dinners and driveway conversations that shaped him, and how he is now applying the acting principle of "who am I and what do I want" to his own parenting. This is a thoughtful, funny, honest conversation for any new father or new dad podcast listener looking for a different way to think about the job. Key takeaways:- Parenting is a role you play, not a permanent identity, and separating the two can heal strained adult parent-child relationships- James's father modeled presence through small, consistent moments: family dinners, coaching his sports teams, driving to job sites together- Self-regulation is the foundation of good fathering: "I'm the calm in the storm" is a mantra James actually uses before hard conversations- A parent's job isn't to remove struggle from a kid's life, it's to build the resilience that lets them survive it- James shares an honest story about losing his temper and cursing at his son, and what his son actually learned from it- Broadway fatherhood comes with real costs: eight shows a week can mean seeing your kids only one full day a week- As kids become teenagers, big family decisions (like a cross-country acting contract) become family decisions, not unilateral ones- A simple reframe, acting "as if" the outcome you want is already true, can defuse conflict with a spouse- James's single biggest piece of advice for a new father: just keep showing up, especially after the moments you regret If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ Timestamps:00:00 Intro, James and the role of fatherhood00:52 Meet James Snyder, dad of two02:17 Why parenting is a temporary role03:34 Oliver and Willa's stories10:17 How his childhood shaped his fatherhood journey13:11 Watching his dad in the world21:11 Who am I and what do I want, applied to dads26:14 Letting kids struggle to build resilience28:16 The F bomb story with his son33:22 Broadway's real cost to family time41:55 Being the thermostat, not the thermometer45:19 Reframing fights with his wife49:58 Treating teenagers like adults56:01 His best advice for a brand new dad

    Ep 42: Being a Dad Is My Greatest Role, with James Snyder

  4. Oct 6

    Ep 41: Why This Father Promised His Sons He'd Never Get Angry

    Jem Fuller almost lost his son twice before he learned what real fatherhood forgiveness looks like. Tony sits down with Jem Fuller, host of The Unknown Path podcast and author of The Art of Conscious Communication for Thoughtful Men, for a conversation that moves through blended families, medical scares, anger, and the parenting philosophy Jem built after growing up with a father who was loving but controlling.  Jem is stepdad to two kids who call him by his first name, and father to two grown sons who call him dad, and he walks through what it actually looks like to hold different roles in one household without resentment. This episode digs into real fatherhood journey material: healing childhood wounds, breaking generational patterns, and building the kind of emotional expression in sons that most men never got themselves. Jem shares the story of his oldest son's premature birth and heart surgery and the terrifying night his second son arrived early by emergency cesarean. He gets honest about losing his temper with his own kids despite years of meditation practice, and the "three time rule" he inherited from his father that quietly wrecked his patience until he dropped it. This is one of those conversations any parenting podcast listener will want to sit with twice. Key Takeaways: Stepparent roles require different boundaries than biological parenting, and that's okayKids don't do what you tell them, they do what you modelForgiving yourself quickly after a parenting mistake matters more than never making oneQuality time, even 15 focused minutes, may be a top love language for young kidsA promise to never react in anger opens the door to real honesty from your kidsInherited "rules" about respect are often just made up, and you can rewrite themPhysical touch and vibration (holding, humming, singing) soothe kids more than we realizeBoys crying isn't the problem, the culture around it isIf you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcastmail@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ 00:00 Introducing Jem Fuller01:08 Meet the whole blended family02:05 Being a stepdad without overparenting07:46 Where his parenting philosophy started09:41 Growing up with a loving, controlling dad10:23 Getting disciplined and what it taught him13:31 Building open communication with his boys14:18 The football crying story16:09 A five year old explains why we cry18:15 Forgive yourself quickly as a parent26:16 Learning to witness instead of control28:15 Quality time as a love language30:21 The promise to never get angry33:21 Men and the bottomless pit of rage35:37 Jedi's heart surgery story42:59 Noah's early arrival by cesarean50:04 Advice for a brand new father51:00 The three time rule he had to drop

    Ep 41: Why This Father Promised His Sons He'd Never Get Angry

  5. Sep 29

    Ep 40: The Warrior Dad Who Had To Learn How To Come Home

    Edward Crawford spent his life training to be a warrior, in the Peace Corps, in Afghanistan, and at Goldman Sachs, and it turns out that same drive almost cost him the family he was fighting for. In this conversation for the first time dad podcast, Edward opens up about deploying six days after his son was born, the videos he recorded for his kids in case he didn't come home, and the moment he realized his hyper vigilance was helping him survive but hurting his marriage. He and Tony talk about raising a daughter with autism, taking daughters on dates, and why "nothing's changed, but I have" became the truest sentence of his life. This is one of those episodes that speaks directly to any family podcast listener wondering how to actually come home, not just physically, but emotionally. Key takeaways: Giving kids responsibility for animals teaches empathy and care from a young ageEdward's son's autism reshaped how he defines success and connectionDeploying to Afghanistan six days after his son's birth changed how he saw fatherhoodComing home from war is often harder than the deployment itselfHyper vigilance that once kept him alive worked against him at homeA five day silent retreat helped Edward reconnect with his heart over his headHis number one goal became simply "be a better husband to Mary Crawford"Kids writing "Best Dad Ever" on his truck redefined what success means to himIf you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ 00:00 Edward Crawford's introduction00:53 Meet Tony and the dad manual mission01:07 Edward introduces himself02:12 Caroline, the singer at a conservatory03:05 Edward's son and his autism journey04:07 Meet Annabelle, the animal collector05:18 Where all the animals came from10:50 How autism reshaped Edward's mindset14:57 Becoming a dad, the Haiti story17:00 Mary's pregnancy reveal19:16 Taking daughters on dates19:45 Deploying six days after his son's birth20:38 Recording videos in case he didn't return23:10 Peace Corps years and hypervigilance roots26:13 Coming home and reconnecting with Mary31:23 Chasing achievement versus being present33:00 Best dad ever, written in the mud35:16 The jungle retreat and his new objective38:39 Becoming a better husband to Mary Crawford44:03 Advice for a brand new father

    Ep 40: The Warrior Dad Who Had To Learn How To Come Home

  6. Sep 22

    Ep 39: Reclaiming Childhood As A Dad, With Brandon Fong

    What if the goal of parenting isn't to make your kid grow up, but to help them stay a kid longer? Brandon Fong joins The Dad Manual to talk about raising his daughter Kaya with childlike curiosity, emotional honesty, and zero interest in bubble-wrapping her from the world. Tony and Brandon dig into masculine and feminine energy in parenting, why toddlers process feelings in about 90 seconds if you let them, the story behind a very memorable ER visit, and how AI might make being simply human the most valuable skill of all. It's a warm, funny, unexpectedly deep conversation about staying playful while raising a person. If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ 00:00 The slide, the ER, dad wisdom00:39 Meet Brandon Fong01:24 Reclaiming childhood as an adult02:22 What sparked childlike curiosity04:37 Naming things kills their magic07:00 Learning Kaya's perspective09:03 The "other mother" past life talk11:01 What Kaya is like as a kid12:56 Always wanting to be a dad14:04 Masculine and feminine parenting energy17:06 Dad's playful Coke-bag toys20:36 How intentional Leah and Brandon were23:00 The most surprising part of fatherhood26:04 Letting kids get hurt to grow33:52 Working through reactivity as a dad36:36 The 90 second feeling rule41:06 Raising a kid in the AI era49:03 Kaya's core essence described51:14 Advice for a brand new dad

    Ep 39: Reclaiming Childhood As A Dad, With Brandon Fong

  7. Sep 15

    Ep 38: How Lior Weinstein Uses AI to Be a Better Dad

    Can a chatbot help you become a more present dad? Lior Weinstein returns to The Dad Manual to dig into where AI actually helps fatherhood, and where it quietly gets in the way. Tony and Lior talk through using AI as a bedtime story ghostwriter, the idea of "artificial intimacy," why harmony beats balance, and how Lior uses AI to process emotional moments with his kids without losing his own voice in the process. They also get into generational trauma, cultural identity, and small first steps any dad can take today. Key takeaways include using AI to enhance existing family moments rather than replace them, the importance of intention before you open the app, and why context (not cleverness) is what makes AI actually useful at home. If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, leave us a rating on your podcast app! If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. Connect with Tony Cooper: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thetonycooper/ 00:00 Cold open: the tantrum book analogy00:29 Welcoming back Lior Weinstein01:12 Picking up the AI conversation02:07 How ChatGPT became a bedtime tool04:23 Making life better, not just tasks05:14 The idea of artificial intimacy07:30 Who owns AI generated output08:30 Claude as a writing partner10:47 Delivery makes a story personal13:18 Shared experiences and bonding14:53 Adding "magical" changes everything17:19 Getting more done to be present19:26 Living your purpose vs work21:03 Kids don't experience it as passion23:10 Harmony over balance explained26:04 Breaking generational trauma with AI29:02 AI as a gateway to asking for help30:21 ChatGPT as a travel guide in Japan33:58 Prompting Claude "as if it has ADHD"36:16 Jewish identity and collective trauma39:16 Passover, language, and shared meaning44:25 Where a dad should start with AI

    Ep 38: How Lior Weinstein Uses AI to Be a Better Dad

  8. Sep 8

    Ep 37: Breaking Generational Trauma With Chris Lee

    Tony Cooper sits down with Chris Lee, a coach, trainer, and speaker who has spent his career helping people break the beliefs that quietly run their lives, to talk about where generational trauma actually starts and how dads can be the ones who finally stop it. They dig into what happens the moment your kid pushes a button: why the reaction fires before you can think, and why the fix isn't suppressing it but learning to create a space between what happens and how you respond. Chris breaks down his idea of "response-ability," the two fears every child is actually born with (falling and loud noises), and how every other fear in your life got handed to you by someone else's playbook. The conversation also covers why kids process emotion so honestly compared to adults, how the way a dad treats a mom shapes a child's emotional environment long before the child can remember it, and a practical tool for couples: building a family vision with non-negotiables that protect the home you're creating. This is a conversation about interrupting the pattern early, doing the work before the damage gets passed down, and choosing who you want to be instead of defaulting to who you were taught to be. If you enjoyed The Dad Manual, please like and subscribe. If you loved it, share this episode with a Dad! Send your questions to dadmanualpodcast@gmail.com. 00:00 Cold open: hot heads, clarity00:29 Meet Chris Lee, godfather02:03 What being a godfather means05:13 What is emotional intelligence?07:26 Responsibility as response-ability08:49 The Will Smith Oscars example11:43 The power of a deep breath16:28 Where trauma actually comes from17:07 The two fears we're born with21:31 Why we forget our own divinity24:33 Pretending vs. choosing confidence27:33 The subliminal resentment of a baby30:14 Why kids process emotion honestly34:18 Feeling inadequate as a new dad36:14 How treating mom affects the child38:06 Building a family vision40:40 Becoming your parents unconsciously45:15 Choosing kind over being right46:56 Chris on earning his own worth50:59 Advice for a brand new dad

    Ep 37: Breaking Generational Trauma With Chris Lee
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About

The Dad Manual is a fatherhood podcast hosted by Tony Cooper, featuring honest conversations with dads about the real, unfiltered journey of parenthood. This parenting podcast for dads explores everything from the excitement of being a first time dad to navigating the teenage years. As one of the best podcasts for expecting dads and experienced fathers alike, we dive deep into what it actually means to be a modern dad—the struggles, the growth, the mistakes, and the moments that change you forever. Whether you're looking for a new dad podcast or seasoned parenting wisdom, this family podcast delivers the honest guidance you won't find in books.

Information

  • Creator
    Tony Cooper
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    45
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Tony Cooper