Dad Like It's Your Job

Zito flies solo to talk about two things, apologizing (he's had LOTS of practice) and what it means to be a good provider. He shares a memorable conversation with his late father and a rare blow up at work! 

Mark Riccadonna is a comedian, actor, director, and producer. First and foremost, though, he's a father and he'll be the first to tell you that. Mark and Zito are cut from the same cloth, guys who love being a dad! This is a fun one!

Zito chats with a decidedly conservative dad and boy do they have a lot in common! Not so much about how government should work but when it comes to fathering there's a lot of common ground. As JFK said, "Our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal" 

Zito digs deeper in to the not so great to the just plain awful TV dads. 

Zito flies solo here, but with the help of clips of some great TV dads. From Ward Cleaver of Leave It To Beaver and Mike Brady, all the way up to Dan Conner and Andre Johnson of Black-ish, Zito dissects their parenting style. And ends with a love letter to Bernie Mac, who always Uncled like it was his job. 

Jackie Flynn is a comedian, actor, and father of three daughters. He and Zito go way back and they spend some time here catching up. They also talk a lot about Loudermilk, the hilarious recovery comedy from Peter Farrelly, in which Jackie plays a gambling addict trying to stay clean. Then Jackie gets into the real stuff, what it means to become and be a parent. 

Doctor Joshua Plummer is a clinical psychologist in Providence, RI. He is also the father of sixteen month-old twins. He also happens to be the son of frequent guest Dr. Barry Plummer. We don't know exactly how many clinical psychologists are in the family, but if we find enough every episode will feature Dr. Plummer. Josh talks about the (drastic) changes in his life and schedule and how much he leans on his wife for everything from when its time to baby proof to managing the crazy schedule in their home. 

In this solo episode, Zito shares his "shine without overtime" advice so you can keep things cranking at work and still see your family. Here he also tells a story of risking getting fired to be with his son during a pivotal period for the boy. 

Dr. Barry Plummer Returns! Dr. Plummer is a clinical psychologist and faculty member at Brown University. Zito reached to Dr. Plummer to help delve deeper into the subject of preventing our sons from being "red pilled" by the "manosphere" and the good doctor did not disappoint, sharing keen insights on how we can model a masculinity that leads to strong, healthy relationships. 

Zito put together a few of his best memories of laughing with guests. It's a serious time and, yes, we all need to do what we can to keep our country, but we also need to catch our breath and laugh a little. So breathe. And laugh. 

Chris Zito and Ian Barrett go WAAAAAY back. Ian is the creative director of Media Boss, a successful and sought after production house in Massachusetts. Ian and his wife, executive producer Erin Hayes (who makes a wonderful cameo in this episode) have been raising their daughters in their studio space, encouraging their creativity, and experiencing the joy of their kids' discoveries. Nothing to plug here, just a great conversation between two old friends. 

James MacDonald lives near Brighton in the UK. His wife is a teacher and he is the primary caregiver for the kids. He's an author, a (sort of) singer, and (sometimes) harried father of three. His book, "First Time Dad: A Hilarious Week By Week Guide For Dads Who No Idea What They're Doing (Yet)," is available on Amazon.

Scott Rodriguez is the founder of Stoneway Athletics (and the Junk Hunk, which we do touch on briefly!). We talk about Dads keeping themselves in good physical health and to stay available to their families. And we spend some time raving about our wives (what a pair of suck ups!) 

Rob Kenney's YouTube channel, "Dad, How Do I," has over 5 million subscribers. Yes, he's the guy with the videos about how to tie a tie, shave, and change a tire, but his is the story of a young teen, abandoned by his father. His climb back to become the man he is today is a testament to his faith, resilience, and the power of forgiveness. Be sure to pick up his book, "Dad, How Do I?: Practical 'Dadvice' For Everyday Tasks and Successful Living."

Luke is a young, devoted, active father. He didn't become a father on purpose, but he's a purposeful father. His child was unexpected, but never unwanted. His story is one that inspires and gives hope to struggling young dads. He's a special guy. 

Shawn Sheridan is a Program Manager at Ohio State University and Speaker of all things family. He and his wife love to laugh together while they raise their three kids and await number four! 

Mike is a comedian, producer, and father. But not in that order. He has other jobs too but being a dad is clearly his priority. Mike talks about the differences between his birth father and stepfather with love and compassion. Oh, and this episode is filled with laughs! 

...because it is. Zito discusses how a few things have recently collided in his life that made it seem like this is the time to speak up about the so-called "Manosphere" of Bro Podcasts and YouTube videos that boys are exposed to that give them a warped sense of their relationship to the world and their relationship with women. The biggest weapon to combat this skewed image of masculinity is a good dad. 

John Nero has a wonderful trilogy of books for any new dad, "The Pregnancy Guide For Dads," "The Baby Guide for Dads," and "The Toddler Guide For Dads." John speaks honestly from experience about the joy, challenge, and terror of becoming a first time father! 

Adam Belmont isn't a life coach or famous author of a parenting book, he's just a dad who's kids mean everything to him. His story of changing his life and career completely so that he could be a better dad is an inspiration. Oh! And if you ever need some PR help help be sure to look for A to B Strategies! https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-belmont-6a541a12/ 

Steven Brykman isn't a PhD, or a pediatric endocrinologist. He, like Zito, is a devoted father of a transgender kid. You can read about Noah's experience here:https://brykman.substack.com/p/how-to-play-ball?r=udr8y&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=trueTo support our transgender fellow citizens go to https://standwithtrans.org/With help coming out go to https://translifeline.org/Trans are just people. They make up a tiny sliver of the population. They are NOT deranged or dangerous. They exist. They've always existed. They will always exist. 

From June of 2023. Zito and his guest Steven Brykman set the record straight on trans youth. Steven is the father of a trans boy, 15 at the time of this first launching. Zito's youngest daughter, V, now 19, was 17 and a high school junior. If you are honestly curious about transgenderism and want to dispel some fear this episode is a must listen. 

David Lennon is a retired father in his sixties with eight year-old twin boys. He married for the first time in his 50s so here he is, parenting young kids. His devotion, energy, and perspective are an invaluable inspiration. He and Zito talk about extracurriculars, changing gender roles, and housework! 

Zito chats with parenting coach and fatherhood advocate, Michael Finlay. They talk baseball, onesies, and coaching. Michael's latest favorite way to connect with other dads in his Father's group. Turns out comparing notes with other dads helps everyone! Check out his website at thisisfatherhood.blog

Zito has a fascinating conversation with Life/Fatherhood coach, Jason Blydell. Jason experienced a seismic shift which led him down a new path. We explore a father's love, rage, and evolution. Check Jason out at jasonblydellcoaching.com and Zito at chriszitospeaks.com

Zito discusses what can make the difference between someone who is "trying to get through the holidays" and someone who is joyful during the holidays. It may just be their DAD! This holiday special features archival calls from Zito's radio career. 

Kerri Louise and Tom Cotter are married (to each other) comics with three sons. How do they manage to care for and nurture these three while traveling and performing? It's a lot of planning, a lot of cooperation, and a lot of laughs. This is definitely NOT a typical episode. 

Zito goes solo to relate an afternoon he recently spent with one of his daughters that meant a lot to both of them. And he confesses about having been a little missing from her life lately. 

David Arrell is the founder of Welcome To Fatherhood (or WTF) and host of the podcast "Baby Talk with Katie and David." he helps lots of first time fathers go from "Dude to Dad."  

Larry Hagner is the founder of thedadedge.com and host of the podcast, The Dad Edge. He's a man dealing with broken stuff occasionally (you'll know why once you find out who he lives with). He's the author of "The Spirit of Fatherhood," his fourth book, with a fifth due next Father's Day. Larry and Zito talk about habits, money, and showing boys how to treat women well. 

Steve Morse was a fixture in the Boston music scene for decades. He wrote for the Boston Globe and was widely read and respected by musicians and fans alike. He also wrote occasionally about comedy and that's where Zito met him years ago, crossing paths from time to time. Steve was also a devoted father to his special needs son, Nick. Nick is an accomplished painter and his dad was his number one fan and champion. He passed away after a late lung cancer diagnosis on Sunday, October 27. This is the conversation he and Zito had on May 2, 2023. Rest in peace, Steve. 

Zito goes solo in this episode about his favorite parable. Not surprisingly, it examines fear of what's next and how dads can avoid that. He also talks a little about recovery and what that's meant to his outlook on...well, everything. 

The Manic Hispanic Preacher Tommy Morin and Zito go way back. They both have unsavory pasts and new lives today. There's talk of kids of course, and of travel, and faith. And oh yeah, the laughs. So many laughs! 

John Nero has authored a trilogy of books for new dads, "The Pregnancy Guide for Men," "The New Baby Guide for Dads," and "The Toddler Guide for Dads." He and Zito talk all things "new dad." 

Dr. Barry Plummer returns to discuss US Surgeon General Vivek H Murthy's report on the mental health crisis among America's parents. 

A relaunch of Steve Bjork's important story. Steve is a comedian who fostered four siblings, then adopted them. He and his wife went from no kids to four kids. Soon after, Steve found himself a full time single dad to kids who needed lots of help working through their trauma. 

Ken Reid is a comedian, pop culture maven, and podcast host of "The TV Guidance Counselor." We have a fun conversation about TV Dads! The best, the worst, the phoniest, and the funniest! 

Season 3 kicks off with a health update from Zito (he almost died, but no big deal!). Then Zito is joined by Tyler Graham, father of SIX (gulp!) who encourages Dads to unleash their love and let it "burn untamed!" 

Tyler Graham believes "fathering intentionally." Zito couldn't agree more. This conversation is warm, funny, and full of surprises. And speaking of full, Tyler's house is filled with a big family! 

Art Eddy is an author, podcaster, dad, collector, BIG Star Wars fan. A self proclaimed sneakerhead, Art is surrounded by Star Wars memorabilia during this conversation. He and Zito talk about being a girl dad, teaching driving, and Star Wars. Turns out, Art used to have a radio gig so they get into how that job has changed (spoiler alert: it's changed a LOT). 

Zito's guest is an author, improv actor, and father of three kids under 6. He's also a pharmacist. This is a fun talk about the realistic challenges of fathering and being a professional! Also, Zito gets takes a little time to get personal before the guest. Be sure to check Cory out at coryjenks.com and preorder his new book, "I Guess I'm a Dad Now here...https://www.coryjenks.com/i-guess-im-a-dad-now

Zito and Nathan delve into the choppy waters of parenting after divorce. Nathan Fink joined the New Hampshire Children’s Trust team in 2019.  As the Advancement Director he brings nearly 20 years’ experience in education, fundraising, marketing, and narration. Nathan can be found forever (re)hammering the floor nail of his old house in Durham, NH, where he lives with his wife and two feral sons. www.nhchildrenstrust.org

What exactly is a "lead dad?" Paul Sullivan breaks it down in this conversation about breaking down gender roles when it comes to parenting. Be sure to check out Paul's website, CompanyOfDads.com

This week Zito dips into his signature talk, "Dad Like It's Your Job" and gets into how to deal with the fear of becoming and being a dad. This is quick, but helpful. These are proven effective techniques to diminish fear in a real way. 

John Nero is an author who specializes in helping new dads. Zito's co-worker "Promotions God" Mike Perez is a first time dad. We dug through the archives and decided to relaunch this episode in his honor!!! 

Marty Nadler is television sit-com royalty and a hilarious comedian. He's also dad to Charlie Nadler, also a comedian (but not sit-com royalty-yet!) Zito talks to Marty about his reaction to Charlie wanting to follow in his footsteps, their trip across country, and life as a year round family on Martha's Vineyard. Be sure to see Marty and Charlie together this Father's Day at the Adams Theater in North Adams, Mass! https://ci.ovationtix.com/36681/production/1190115?performanceId=11419234

Apologies to anyone who tried listening to the episode with Dr. Barry Plummer. We fixed it and here it is. Great conversation about dealing with your kid while they transition into young adulthood. 

Dr. Barry Plummer returns for his record breaking third appearance on the pod! He and Zito discuss the transitions that take place once a kid turns 18 and suddenly they're an "adult," but of course they aren't. 

Zito flies solo with some honest talk about why so many dads work too much. Surprise! It isn't your boss's fault. Here's a few practical suggestions on how to prioritize your relationships and focus so that you're home with your family more. 

Zito chats with Mike Hall, a "recovering middle school principal." Mike's insight in to how to help busy fathers stay involved with their kids are simple and effective! Great talk with a veteran dad of two grown sons.