The SocialDad Podcast

Kids don’t need to watch the news to feel it. They hear things at school, catch clips online, overhear adult conversations, and suddenly you’re getting hit with questions at the dinner table like: “Is our family safe?” or “Why are people doing that?”In Season 2, Episode 7 of The SocialDad Podcast, James sits down with Eric for a calm, practical conversation about helping kids process heavy headlines in an age-appropriate way. They cover how to respond when your child brings up topics like immigration enforcement and detention in the U.S. (ICE), the “Epstein files” chatter kids may overhear, and war abroad. You’ll get simple scripts, “pocket phrases” you can use on the spot, and a clear approach for keeping the conversation open without overwhelming your child.They also dig into the tech side of it all: how algorithms and short-form video can amplify fear, what trends are shaping social media right now, a quick Apple update, and a few genuinely hopeful stories to end on a better note.If this episode helps, you can support the show by leaving a review, sharing it with another parent, or visiting BuyMeaCoffee.com/SocialDad.

Why "Gentle Parenting" is out, "Sturdy Leadership" is in, and how to stop your parents from getting scammed by AI.This week, the parenting pendulum is swinging back.We look at the mom who went viral for raising her kids like it’s 1985—no Xbox, no shoes, and definitely no guilt about serving carrots for dinner. Plus, why Dr. Becky Kennedy says it’s time to stop being "gentle" and start being a "sturdy pilot" when our kids hit turbulence.It’s a heavy week for news, too. We discuss the reality for families with trans kids right now, and the heartbreaking vigil in Sault Ste. Marie for fathers fighting to see their children.Finally, we talk about the other people we take care of: our parents. The world shrinks as you get older, and loneliness is a killer. We look at:AI Companions: Why robot friends like ElliQ aren't as dystopian as they sound.Mental Health: How Total Life is getting seniors into therapy without the stigma.The Grandparent Scam: AI voice cloning is terrifyingly good. We explain how it works and the one "safe word" trick that stops it cold.Tech Support: Why you should stop fixing their printer and send them to a "Today at Apple" session instead.Links & Resources:Total Life - Therapy for SeniorsToday at Apple SessionsNewsweek: The Mom Parenting Like It's 1985SooToday: Equal Parenting VigilFind more at SocialDad.ca

Today we’re saying the quiet parent thoughts out loud. 🙃From “Dads aren’t babysitters” to “your kid doesn’t need a perfect childhood, they need a soft place to fall apart,” we’re running through a whole slate of spicy-but-kind hot takes about modern parenting.In this episode, we chat about:Why “back in my day…” advice doesn’t always work for kids growing up with iPads and group chatsThe difference between gentle parenting and zero boundariesToddler meltdowns, public judgment, and what our reactions are teaching our kidsScreens as survival tools vs screens as babysittersRed flags in kids’ products and “smart” toysThe pressure to be a “content creator” parent while staying sane and keeping your kids’ privacy intactIf you’ve ever reheated the same coffee three times and questioned everything you’re doing as a parent, you’re in the right place.

When the feed gets weaponized, who cleans up the mess? This episode digs into coordinated harassment, doxxing, and AI deepfakes that silence women — with facts, hard feelings, and practical ways you can help. Key takeaways:Deepfakes and AI “nudify” tech are lowering barriers to image-based abuse; the volume of complaints is large and takedowns are slow.  Even prominent women get targeted — the Phica scandal in Italy shows how doctored sexual images are used to humiliate and politically attack women.  Platforms have policies but enforcement at scale often fails; regulation (e.g., the UK Online Safety Act) and targeted laws are part of the solution.  Children and teens are already being harmed by AI-enabled bullying — schools and parents need updated policies and education.  You can help: document abuse, use reporting channels, support victim-service orgs, pressure platforms and lawmakers, and don’t amplify harmful content.  

Instagram just rolled out a major safety update for teen accounts, and it's one every parent should know about. In this episode, we break down what the new PG-13 content filter means, how it works, and why Meta says it's the most significant change since Teen Accounts launched. From filtered content to stricter parental controls and new AI age detection, we explore what this update actually does—and what it doesn’t. Whether your teen’s already on Instagram or you’re debating when to let them join, this conversation will help you feel more informed, more prepared, and maybe even a little more hopeful about navigating social media as a parent.

In this special ADHD Awareness Month episode of SocialDad, host James opens up about being diagnosed with ADHD at 42 and how it completely changed his life as a dad. Joined by co-host Sam, the two explore how ADHD really looks in adults, why so many people go undiagnosed, and how new research and tools—like the online platform FasTreat—are making diagnosis and treatment easier than ever.They dive into global ADHD trends, from Canada’s rise in school diagnoses to Finland’s movement-based classrooms, and talk honestly about parenting, mental health, and learning to embrace your brain’s quirks.It’s funny, heartfelt, and refreshingly real—a must-listen for dads, parents, and anyone trying to make sense of their own busy mind.ADHD Awareness Month, ADHD in dads, adult ADHD, ADHD diagnosis, FasTreat, parenting and ADHD, ADHD in education, ADHD Canada, ADHD treatment online, fatherhood podcast, SocialDad

The SocialDad Podcast is back! After a well-earned break, I’m back behind the mic with a fresh season full of good news, real parenting talk, and cozy fall vibes.In this comeback episode, I’m sharing a few uplifting stories from around the world (including one about a very good therapy dog), some easy autumn crafts that don’t cost a fortune, and simple comfort-food recipes that’ll make your kitchen smell amazing. We’ll also talk about new tech updates parents should actually know about—like Apple’s latest screen-time feature and AI tools showing up in schools.Grab a coffee, pull up a chair, and let’s kick off the new season of The SocialDad Podcast together.#Parenting #DadLife #GoodN

According to The Trevor Project’s 2022 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health, 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year, and LGBTQ youth who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate social support, proving that educational resources and support do make a difference. “Research shows that LGBQ+ youth suffer more than heterosexual youth from depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns,” said Conrad. “This correlates directly to a high suicide rate. Resources for LGBTQ+ must be vigilant and accessible in order to foster well-being.” Find Kollyn and Publicly Private here: https://www.publiclyprivate.org/ https://www.instagram.com/pblclyprvt/

On today's show, Michelle Dittmer, President and Co-Founder of the Canadian Gap Year Association talks about the structure and benefits of a gap year for students needing a little growth or new opportunity between high school and college. 

Are you and/or your kids a bit of a mess on school mornings? That's ok. Today we go through a few quick and easy tips I've learned to help kids and parents on hectic mornings. 

Content lives forever, what we hear isn't always true, and how algorithms can keep us from getting new opinions. Social media and an online world keeps changing and we need to be able to help our kids navigate it safely and that starts with education. 

In this episode, we meet Myles, a Therapist at Alli.io  and discuss a few helpful tips about how to listen, when to offer advice and when to hold it, and how/why/when to get therapy. 

Author and parent Alison McGregor joins to share the power of storytelling and why raising mischievous kids is important.  Little Antoinette is on an adventure of a lifetime to Africa. Lions and elephants are jolly to see but where could all the giraffes be? Will she see her favourite animal, the giraffe, or are they make-believe? A totally true tale as she makes her way to her new home in Tanzania. Find the 'Antoinette and the...' series here: Amazon

On this episode Michael Kwan (Twitter, Instagram, blog) joins to talk about the amount of screentime and if there's more to it than that. We also start planning for 5 Dads Go Wild: An Inconvenient Trip

In this episode, James talks to Janelle Chalouhi and Natalie Dumond, Co-Founders of Venusverse, the first Canadian female-founded, female-focused educational program, incubator and NFT collection. Our goal is to close the gender gap by removing the barriers to entry for women in NFTs, cryptocurrency and Web3

In this episode, I spoke to John Baker, CEO of D2L who recently did a study into how parents are feeling about school openings and the education of their kids throughout and beyond the whole pandemic. We talked about the ripple effects of the education gap, and what happens to the kids without access to the tools they need. 

James interviews Ben and Nikki, who worked together after their divorce to become stronger than ever.  From weeknight dinners and homework sessions with their son to Christmas card photos and vacations, Nikki DeBartolo and Benjamin Heldfond have created a tight-knit, enviable family. They work and play well together, from the smallest daily tasks to the biggest life events—and it only took a divorce to get them there. Though their marriage has been over for nearly a decade, they still share a happy life with each other and their son Asher, along with their new amazing spouses and children. Buy the Our Happy Divorce book from Amazon.ca and follow them on Instagram. Don't forget my book 'DadLife: a bunch of tips that may or may not be useful to new dads' and follow @JamesRCS on Instagram and Twitter

David Stanley is a writer, Dad-blogger, and Father from Michigan. I asked him some pretty deep questions. Find him on Twitter @DStan58 -- My new book: 'DADLIFE: a bunch of tips that may or may not be useful to new dads' is available on Amazon right now https://amzn.to/3ETkr9N

No guests on this one, but I went live on TikTok. Was it worth it? Not really, but I had a few random comments to keep me going. 

Rowena, Programming Manager for UNICEF Canada talks about the evolution of the Halloween Orange Box and this year's campaign.  Want to donate? Here's our donation page. 

As British Columbia swelters in 40.c (104.f) temperatures, Casey Palmer and Stacey Robinsmith join a very late-night call to chat travel, parenting techniques, dealing with tantrums, and sweatbands. Guests: Casey Palmer - CaseyPalmer.com / @CaseyPalmer Stacey Robinsmith - ADadInTheBurbs.com / @adadintheburbs Host: James R.C. Smith - SocialDad.ca / @JamesRCS

David Wolfe, Founder and CEO at Olivers Apparel joins the show to talk about their Fall collection, new trends, and how Dads can stay cool this Summer. 

have so many questions about CBD, specifically, its use in various therapies, remedies, and supplements. As someone who doesn't even like to take allergy medication unless my Doctor tells me I need it, I've been a little timid about branching into CBDs, even when many of my friends rave about their uses in daily life. So I spoke to Wes and Joe, the Co-Founders of Sunnyside Botanicals.

Finally, the 5 (4 right now) Dads are back together and reconnecting after months of being locked down and tied up with family life.   With Stacey Robinsmith - A Dad In The Burbs, Michael Kwan - Beyond The Rhetoric, Stephen Fung - Stephen Fung, and me, James Smith - SocialDad

Another episode of call-ins. This time we talk to the inventors of the CartWhirler and my friend Marisa from SockFootage. A perfect Father's Day gift and creator of the first-ever charitable sock vending machine Want to come on the show? Send me a DM on Instagram - @JamesRCS

Taken from the blog on SocialDad.ca - 32 Life Lessons from a Dad. What would you add to the list of life lessons?

My friend Bisma Bhatti shared that she's having a rough time via her IG stories, so I called her. 

Andrea Lowe, writer of 'Avery Asks' calls-in to tell us about her first children's book and the journey to publishing. - Then I read it!  Follow them on Instagram Contact the show via @JamesRCS on Instagram or Twitter

On today's show, we hear some useful insights and tips from Dr. Zina from Lolo Smiles Pediatric Dentistry, followed by lessons on how to avoid screen burnout from Alicia Cuzner, teacher and course developer at Ontario Virtual School (OVS).

On-air expert, serial entrepreneur, cupcake aficionado, and now clothing line launcher with genderless items for all kids - Bisma M. Bhatti joins me for a chat and shares her story and a few useful tips for anyone thinking of launching a project or side-hustle. 

A new call-in format to the show where 3 Dads talk about their journey with mental health, counseling, and family. If you'd like to call into the show, just DM me via Twitter - @JamesRCS or check out SocialDad.ca 

Valene Campbell shares her story of diversity and bringing it to Children’s Literature as well as how we can learn so much from Black voices, celebrating differences, and being open to new stories. Find Valene online: valenecampbell.com and get a copy of her books right here. www.valenecampbell.com/a-queen-like-me

Have you been hearing about the GameStop Stock and wondering how Redditors made it fly up and crash back down? Interested in investing? Rob Ainbinder shares some valuable insights. 

Getting thoroughly in the mood for Christmas, I chat with Jennifer of Signed by Santa. The last call for ordering a Christmas Eve box or personalised letter from the big man in red is around Dec 14th, but don't delay! https://signedbysanta.com/

For another bedtime story episode, I read: The Ugly Christmas Sweater Rebellion, The Gruffalo, and the Elf on the Shelf - a Christmas Tradition.

Just a little distraction - here are 3 short bedtime stories.  Uni The Unicorn - Amy Krouse Rosenthal Dream Animals and Day Dreamers by Emily Winfield Martin

My good friend, Mom, and very clever person, Jaime Hamilton joins me to talk about how to cope with the new climate, how to talk to kids around the news of the pandemic, and what we can expect to see from people as things continue. 

As part of the Psychology month series of events, Dr. Duff joins us from Victoria, BC to share how we can recognize symptoms of anxiety in youth and some ways to help them work through them.

Joined by Jenelle Peterson of JoinTheWildLife.ca and Mom Blogger, Ladena Racine of MyFamilyStuff.ca we explore some tips on getting our kids outside, subscription boxes, life as an 'influencer', and what humans did with cow milk for 42,000 years before drinking it.

I'm joined by the rest of the 5 Dads Go Wild crew as we discuss our fears, the upcoming snow forecast, and everything we need to prepare for the next #5DadsGoWild trip - September 26-28, in beautiful E.C. Manning Provincial Park, British Columbia.

I know the Dads and I are recording the official 5 Dads Go Wild pre-show tomorrow but I'm just too excited. Here's a bit of background for the event and why it's so special to us. 

I joined EnviroDad, Eric Novak to talk about the future of electric vehicles, Electra Meccanica, Tesla, the new Ford Esacape, Honda Pilot and more. 

I'm on my way back from CES 2019 and am trying to get home! I talk about tech trends, flying cars, and life at the airport.

Sometimes we all need a little break. Whether she's getting antsy on a car-ride or you're in a restaurant and just want to eat your meal before it's gone cold, screen-time is often a necessity. Meet the Momtrepreneurs who created a real solution. https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/boredbox

Talking with my old friend, Jaime Hamilton of MomJail.com about gluten-free baking, Warrensburg, Missouri, and trying to get out of Mom Jail.

Recorded while out in the woods on a freezing night, the 5 Dads share their experience of the trip and why it was important. With Stacey Robinsmith, Michael Kwan, Dale Allen Berg, Stephen Fung, and your host, James R.C. Smith - SocialDad.ca

Talking with a professional Livestreamer, Mum and homeschooler. How does she have the time? Oh and clever me, the wrong mic was picking up. When will I learn?

In September, 5 Dad Bloggers from BC, Canada are heading to the wilderness for a weekend of bonding, content creation, and running from wildlife. Meet James Smith - SocialDad, Stacey Robinsmith - A Dad in the Burbs, Michael Kwan - Beyond the Rhetoric, Stephen Fung, Dale Allen Berg - Parenting101

I chat with Nicole Booz about her awesome guide to the Beginners Mind and how to be a Kidult.

Sitting in a noisy cafe, I spoke with Jessica from ThisSweetHappyLife.com about parenting in Vancouver, fun family events, our current giveaways, and much more.