Dadvengers

Dadvengers #33 - Aaron Dale

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Episode notes

Aaron Dale is an author and the social media content creator behind @raisingboys_2men. A single father raising his two sons, he has helped thousands parents to think about put their children first in co-parenting situations. 

In this episode, Aaron talks about growing up surrounded by strong female role models, and having an absent father, and how this experience to showed him how not to be a father!

Although he doesn’t live with his children full time, Aaron is a hands on dad to his two sons, who he co-parents with their mum’s. This has given him a wealth of experience that make this episode very insightful to parents from all backgrounds.

We also delve into mental health and how Aaron sought the support of a therapist, which he believes is something that can help many many people parents or not.

A huge thanks to Aaron for joining us and sharing his experiences. 💙

Time Codes

3:44 – “He came to see me when I was 9… he said he was going to make more effort. I don’t think I saw him after that until I was 16." - Aaron on his relationship with his dad as a child.

6:12 – “Expecting him to come at 6 and he doesn’t show up until 10, that messed with me more than expecting him not be there at all." - Aaron tells us the impact of having an unreliable parent.

8:00 – “My mum got a partner… I’ve got a representation of a man living with me and he turned out to be abusive. A terrible example of a man.” - Aaron on experiencing more negative male role models throughout his childhood.

11:12 – “If a platform like mine was around when I was growing up, maybe one of the messages would have got through to my dad… that drives me to continue." - Why Aaron runs Raising Boys 2 Men.

12:13 – “I wasn’t shown to how to be a dad, but I knew how to not be a dad." - Aaron on becoming a parent, and how he coped with that change.

19:50 – “Co-parenting only means that the intimate relationship is no more. Your roles as parents have never changed." - What co-parenting means to Aaron.

23:24 – “Our love for the child needs to be stronger than the hate for the other parent."

26:13 – “It started as a virtual diary... I just want to share my story to help others. I am speaking my truth and it is the journey I have been through." - How Aaron started his platform and his ethos in running it,

30:30 – “I am the type of man that will go and go until I explode... so I found a therapist and it was the best thing I could have done." - Why Aaron sought therapy and why he recommends everyone do it.

35:26 – “There is so much noise… everyone has an opinion. Sometimes we have to mute it and think what is best for me"

37:21 – “As adults we have the cheat codes to life, that we can give to our kids to help them… it is so important that we give those codes to our children." - Aaron on how he is raising his children.

41:37 – "My son has me and his step-dad. I would never stop another man giving that love to my son and his mum." - Why step parents can be great additions to our children's lives.

50:10 – Aaron’s dad superpower.

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