Relatively Functional Dads

The Relatively Functional Dads
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Relatively Functional Dads is a podcast for fathers doing their best and learning every day. Hosted by three young dads and brothers-in-law, we have honest conversations about faith, fatherhood, and real life. From sleepless nights and discipline struggles to marriage, leadership, and growing in faith at home, we talk about what it really looks like to show up as a dad. We’re not experts—just dads figuring it out together. Some days we’ve got it together. Other days, we’re just trying to make it to bedtime. If you’re a dad in the middle of it, you’re in the right place. New episodes every other Thursday

  1. قبل ٦ أيام

    Episode 012 - Comparison: Raising the Child You Have, Not the Child You Imagined

    Comparison is sneaky. It steals your joy and changes the way you see your kids, your wife, and yourself as a dad. In this episode of the Relatively Functional Dads podcast, we get honest about comparison in fatherhood: comparing our kids to other kids, ourselves to other dads, and our families to ones that don't even exist. We talk about what happens when hopes become expectations, and how trading comparison for curiosity changes the way you love and lead your family. We wrap up in John 21, where Jesus answers Peter's "what about that guy?" with a simple "What is it to you? Follow me." In this episode: Big Dad Energy: a solo birthday party survival story and a last-minute birthday bike missionDad Decisions: beat your kid in any competition but tweak a muscle every time, or lose to them forever?The expectations we carried into fatherhood and the ones our kids shatteredComparison vs. curiosity: asking "Who has God made this child to become?"What Jesus says when you catch yourself asking “what about that dad?” Challenge for the week: Replace one comparison with one moment of curiosity. Instead of "Why aren't they more like ___?", ask "What is God uniquely developing in this child?" Episode Mentions: Woven by Meredith Anne Miller Subscribe for more conversations on fatherhood, faith, marriage, and intentional parenting. We'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com Music Provided By: Derek McClardy Spotify

  2. ٣٠ يوليو

    Episode 011 - Fatherhood Is Not a Solo Mission

    Who's a dangerous man? A dad with no one keeping him accountable, no one speaking into his life, and no brothers in the trenches with him. In this episode of the Relatively Functional Dads podcast, we get real about male friendship, brotherhood, and why building community as a dad only gets harder — and matters more — once you have kids. Between marriage, work, and parenting young kids, it's easy to let deep friendships slide into isolation and loneliness. We share our own stories of losing community, moving to new cities, starting over, and slowly building the kind of Christian brotherhood where you can show up at 6 AM, half-articulate, and still be understood. We also answer a listener question every dad faces: how to survive solo parenting when mom is sick or away for the weekend without losing your patience or your mind. In this episode: Why isolation lies to us and why men need community and accountabilityHow to make friends as an adult man: weekly coffee, rec leagues, church community, and reaching out firstWhat makes a friendship impactful: humility, honesty, shared experience, and guys who push youMentors, brothers, and rookies: why every dad needs men ahead of him, beside him, and behind himReese opens up about addiction, shame, and the mentors who helped him walk in freedomWhy proximity matters and how to mourn old seasons of friendship without missing the one you're in Challenge for the week: Text one dad and put something specific on the calendar — breakfast, the gym, garage night. A real day and time, not "we should hang out soon." And if they can't make it, follow up with the next date. Bonus: if you've got a potential mentor in mind, ask him. Worst case, you buy an older guy a coffee. Relatively Functional Dads is a Christian fatherhood podcast for dads who want encouragement in parenting, marriage, faith, and friendship… becoming the fathers God calls us to be. Subscribe for more conversations on: Christian fatherhood and dads podcast encouragementMale friendship, brotherhood, and community for menParenting young kids, marriage, and family lifeMentorship, accountability, and men's spiritual growthOvercoming loneliness and isolation as a dad We'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com Music Provided By: Derek McClardy Spotify

  3. ١٧ يوليو

    Episode 010 - How Having Kids Changes Your Marriage

    Where did my wife go? If you've become a dad and felt like your marriage changed overnight… you're not imagining it. In this episode of the Relatively Functional Dads podcast, we're getting honest about what no one tells you…becoming parents doesn't just change your sleep schedule, it changes your marriage. The connection that once came easily now takes effort. The fun that used to be spontaneous now has to be planned. And the woman you married is carrying a load you may not even see. But here's the good news: it's also an invitation. We share what we've learned to deeply appreciate about our wives as they've stepped into motherhood, the tenacity, the sacrifice, the capacity that keeps growing. And we get practical about how to support her through the identity shift, the mental load, and the pressures moms carry that dads often miss. Because being reactive in fatherhood keeps you from being proactive in your marriage. In this episode: Listener question: What fears do you have as a parent and how has God helped you through them?NEW SEGMENT: Dad DecisionsWhat we've learned to love about our wives as mothersHow to support your wife through the identity shift of motherhoodThe invisible pressures moms carry (mom brain is real)Why couples lose connection after kids and how to fight for itPractical habits that keep us connected: weekly calendars, morning coffee check-ins, and planned alone time Challenge for the week: Ask your spouse one simple question: "What is one thing I can do this week that would help you feel more supported?" Then actually do it. Subscribe for more conversations on: Christian fatherhoodMarriage after kidsFaith-based parentingSupporting your wife through motherhoodBiblical leadership in the homeReal, honest dad life moments Music Provided By: Derek McClardy We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com  Instagram: @relativelyfunctionaldads

  4. ٢ يوليو

    Episode 009 - WHY GOD WENT SILENT AT 2AM w/ Zach Unger

    It's 2AM. You've tried everything. Baby's still crying. You let out one final prayer  and hear nothing. If you've been there, this episode is for you. Buddy and producer Noah sit down with their good friend Zach to talk about what happens to your faith when sleep training pushes you to the edge. Zach opens up about months of sleepless nights, prayers that seemed to go unanswered, and the moment he started to wonder if God was cruel  and what brought him back. But this episode isn't really about sleep training. It's about what happens when you're physically, emotionally, and spiritually depleted  and God still seems quiet. We unpack one of the most powerful parenting metaphors we've come across: spiritual tummy time. Just like a baby strains on their stomach to build strength they didn't know they needed, God's silence in your hardest seasons might be doing something you can't see yet. In this episode: What sleepless nights reveal about your relationship with GodWhy unanswered prayer isn't the same as ignored prayerHow to protect your marriage when you're both running on emptyThe danger of letting shame keep you from showing upWhy community with other dads is non-negotiable Music Provided By: Derek McClardy We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com  Instagram: @relativelyfunctionaldads

  5. ١٨ يونيو

    Episode 008 - If You're Not First, You're Last (And Other Dad Lies)

    Are you an all-in or all-out kind of dad? You're not alone and it might be costing you more than you think. In Episode 8 of Relatively Functional Dads, we get honest about the all-or-nothing trap that so many dads fall into the mindset that says if you can't crush it completely, why even show up? We talk about: Why all-or-nothing thinking feels productive but creates burnout, shame spirals, and inconsistencyHow the trap shows up in fitness, marriage, parenting, career, and spiritual lifeWhy dads are especially prone to extreme thinking and how fatherhood forces a reckoningThe difference between outcome-oriented thinking and becoming the type of person who shows up dailyWhy "long obedience in the same direction" matters more than intensityPractical mindset shifts for when you miss a day, lose your patience, or feel like you've blown it Reese also shares practical ways to replace all-or-nothing thinking with small, repeatable habits that actually stick: Never miss two days in a rowHard moments don't have to become hard daysCount the cost before you go all in — make sure the ladder's on the right wall If you're a dad who swings between hyper-engaged and checked out, sets impossible expectations, or quits when things aren't perfect, this episode will encourage you and give you a more sustainable path forward. Relatively Functional Dads is a podcast about Christian fatherhood, parenting, marriage, emotional health, and becoming the dads God calls us to be. Weekly Reflection: Where does all-or-nothing thinking show up most in your life as a dad?What's one small, consistent habit that would matter more than dramatic intensity? Music Provided By: Derek McClardy We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com  Instagram: @relativelyfunctionaldads

  6. ٤ يونيو ·  إضافة

    Bonus Episode 002 - Becoming a Dad While Losing My Father w/ Derek McClardy

    What do you do when the person you'd call for advice is the one you're grieving? Two dads. Two losses. One raw, honest conversation about what it really means to grieve your father while becoming one. In this episode of Relatively Functional Dads, Buddy sits down with his close friend Derek McClarty. Derek lost his dad to pancreatic cancer just weeks after his daughter was born. Buddy lost his dad to suicide six weeks before his second child arrived. Together they go deep on what it actually looks like to carry grief as a new dad and how faith, community, and some unexpected practices helped them find healing on the other side. If you've lost a parent, are watching one decline, or are quietly carrying grief while trying to show up for your family, this episode will meet you exactly where you are. We talk about: Losing a father while becoming a dad, and the guilt, confusion, and grief that comes with itWhy new dads stuff grief instead of processing it and what it costs your familyActive vs. passive grief: what the difference is and why both need spacePractical grief practices for men that actually work storytelling, music, counseling, silent retreats, communityWhy you can't wait until tragedy strikes to build a community of men around youHow Christian faith changes the way we grieve, and why hope makes all the differenceHolding sorrow and hope at the same time: the "half frown, half smile" of grieving with faithHow to keep a father's legacy alive for kids who never got to know him Mentioned Books: The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry - John Mark ComerPracticing The Way - John Mark ComerGrieving a Suicide - Albert Hsu Key Scriptures: Matthew 5:4 — "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted."1 Thessalonians 4:13 — "Do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope." Weekly Reflection: What grief are you carrying quietly right now that needs space?Who in your life do you need to call before it's too late?What would it look like to grieve well this week — not alone, but with God and with someone you trust? Music Provided By: Derek McClardy We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com  Instagram: @relativelyfunctionaldads

  7. ٢٨ مايو

    Episode 007 - Angry Dad? How Fathers Can Control Anger Without Hurting Their Families

    Why do dads get so angry sometimes? And what’s really underneath it? In Episode 7 of Relatively Functional Dads, we have an honest conversation about anger in fatherhood, emotional health for dads, and how fathers can process frustration without hurting their kids or families. We talk about: Why anger often hides deeper emotions like sadness, grief, fear, stress, or disappointmentCommon triggers for dad anger and parenting frustrationUnrealistic expectations about fatherhoodHow Christian dads can respond instead of reactHealthy ways to process emotions as a husband and fatherPractical tools for emotional regulation in parentingBuddy also shares his “React vs Respond” prayer framework for handling anger in difficult parenting moments: I feel…I want to react by…But the truth is…So I will respond by…If you’re a dad struggling with anger, parenting stress, patience, or emotional control, this episode will encourage you and give you practical tools to become a more intentional father. Mentioned Books Raising Emotionally Strong Boys: Tools Your Son Can Build On for Life - David ThomasRaising Worry-Free Girls: Helping Your Daughter Feel Braver, Stronger, and Smarter in an Anxious World - Sissy GoffRelatively Functional Dads is a podcast about Christian fatherhood, parenting, marriage, emotional health, and becoming the dads God calls us to be. Subscribe and join the conversation: Weekly Reflection: What triggers anger most for you as a parent?What helps you respond instead of react? Music Provided By: Derek McClardy We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com  Instagram: @relativelyfunctionaldads

  8. ٢١ مايو ·  إضافة

    Bonus Episode 001 - The Pressure of Perfect Parenting

    Why do dads feel like they’re failing, even when they’re doing their best? In this episode of the Relatively Functional Dads podcast, we sit down with our first guest, Morgan Selecman from the That’s A Win podcast, to talk about the pressure of perfect parenting and the hidden weight so many moms and dads carry every day. From parenting guilt and social media comparison to fear, shame, and perfectionism, we unpack why modern parenting can feel emotionally exhausting—and why your kids don’t actually need a perfect parent. They need a present one. This conversation is full of honest stories about marriage, fatherhood, motherhood, sleepless nights, emotional regulation, apologizing to your kids, and learning how to parent with grace instead of fear. In this episode, we discuss: Why dads and moms feel pressure to be perfect parentsHow parenting exposes impatience, insecurity, and fearThe impact of social media on modern parentingWhy repair matters more than perfectionHow to apologize to your kids in a healthy wayWhat dads can do to support overwhelmed momsParenting stress, emotional regulation, and family leadershipHow faith and dependence on God shape us as parentsWhy parenting is about faithfulness, not performance If you’re a dad trying to lead your family well, grow spiritually, love your wife better, and become more intentional as a father, this podcast is for you. Relatively Functional Dads is a Christian fatherhood podcast focused on faith, fatherhood, marriage, spiritual growth, and raising a healthy family while following Jesus. Key Reminder: Your faithfulness matters more than your performance. Weekly Reflection: What fear might be underneath my need to “get parenting right”? What would change if I focused more on being faithful than being perfect? Episode Mentions: That’s A Win Podcast: Follow on Instagram @thatsawinpodcast  That’s A Win Podcast on Apple Podcast Decoding Boys, Expectations in Marriage + Fighting Bitterness (BONUS Interview w/ Lauren Earley) Music Provided By: Derek McClardy We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment or send questions and feedback to relativelyfunctionaldads@gmail.com  Instagram: @relativelyfunctionaldads

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Relatively Functional Dads is a podcast for fathers doing their best and learning every day. Hosted by three young dads and brothers-in-law, we have honest conversations about faith, fatherhood, and real life. From sleepless nights and discipline struggles to marriage, leadership, and growing in faith at home, we talk about what it really looks like to show up as a dad. We’re not experts—just dads figuring it out together. Some days we’ve got it together. Other days, we’re just trying to make it to bedtime. If you’re a dad in the middle of it, you’re in the right place. New episodes every other Thursday

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