Just Winging It

If time travel were possible today, would you do it? What would the world look like if it were as commonplace as flying in an airplane? As a follow-up to there recent just imagine it segment, Patrick and John delve into the subject of time yet again, this time through a crazy ass thought experiment. As parents, we're constantly aware of the passage of time. What if time didn't carry that same weight in our lives?

What, there's a national day to bring your kids to work on the fourth Thursday in April?! Is it a wonderful idea or totally bonkers? John and Patrick talk about how they pulled off their first-ever, world-colliding experience taking kids to work for a day.

We've talked about becoming a new dad and the transition to two kids. But what does it look like when you've got more than that? This episode features a very special guest who, in his own way, is a father of billions.

When it comes to potty training, there are lots of strategies to choose from. But like all the rest of parenting, strategy only gets us so far. Getting kids to use the toilet is messy—physically and emotionally. Patrick updates John on the last few days of potty training his youngest son, and the two dads go a level deeper to try and understand this milestone and its challenges from their kids' perspectives. Happy 50th episode! If you're enjoying the show, drop us a review and share it with someone you love... or hate.

There's nothing quite like the magic of entering a new Spring. Dark days yield to sunshine, and warm air beckons us all outside, finally. Patrick and John reflect on the challenges and joys of getting outdoors with little ones, and some back-in-my-day stories you'd expect from the old fogies.

Entering parenthood is rough. No matter how prepared you think you are, the first few weeks home are utter, sleep-deprived chaos. Jeff Deutsch returns to the show, now as a new dad, to talk to John and Patrick about the reality of this deeply challenging transition into fatherhood.

Sometimes we just need to take a bit of time to catch up: with our kids, our partners, our selves, and our co-hosts. John and Patrick catch up on their latest adventures including a vacation, a science fair, and an unfortunate poop.

Remember that person you have a relationship with outside of co-parent? It's all too easy to lose touch with that person when you're both so focused on the daily demands of parenting life. Patrick and John talk through how they try to keep strong connections with their partners amidst the craziness, including some ideas for breaking out of the daily routines that can keep us taking our better halves for granted.

Every now and then it's nice to recharge with a dose of inspiration—open our minds to some new ways of thinking. Not that there's much time for that as a parent. John shares with Patrick his experience traveling to a conference recently, featuring a healthy serving of wisdom he heard from the likes of President Obama and Oprah Winfrey. But first, some proper dad-whingeing in yet another new segment on the show.

Winter with children can be a magical thing, filled with sledding, snow angels, and hot cocoa. But magic takes work, and a ridiculous amount of laundry. Patrick and John chat about how they enjoy (and make it through) winter with the kiddos with a variety of outdoor and indoor activities to keep life full.

We all know someone who has fought cancer. It carries a particularly heavy weight in life, taking away far too many people we love and remaining high on our list of fears. What happens when it strikes us? John recounts his episode with cancer ten years ago as he was graduating college. He and Patrick work through the perspective shifting moment that comes with this diagnosis and how it impacts more than just the individual. Heavy topic, but don't worry, we manage to get in the usual Just Winging It insanity—poop jokes and all—up front.

The decision to become a parent is probably the biggest one we make in our lives. And we each have a unique series of events that bring us to that decision point. Patrick and John bring on Dad-to-be, Jeff Deutsch, to hear what led him to the decision a little later in life, and to explore his current state of blissful ignorance when it comes to the earth-shattering world he's about to enter.

She's taken America by storm with her novel approach to tidying up. Now Marie Kondo joins John and Patrick for a conversation about how she manages the spotlight, the fame, and the clean house, all while raising her children. That would be a pretty great conversation. Instead, the two dads will fumble through the KonMari method to see whether it passes the just winging it test. Can it really be done with kids? Is it possible to stay this organized? Can anyone really fold like that?

Were playdates even a thing when we were kids? Getting together with our friends sure seemed simpler then, but maybe that's because we weren't the parents who had to deal with the dynamics of organizing with other families. Patrick and John navigate the interesting, the fun, and the sometimes awkward situations that arise when planning with other parents. On another note: Did you know studies have shown that people who share this podcast are eleven times happier than people who don't? Give it a try!

Obsessing about the best preschool option for our kids is probably not something most parents anticipate happening. But once the time comes to make a choice, the same part of our brain that craves reviews (Yelp!) before going out to eat or purchasing a product kicks into full gear. John and Patrick discuss the stakes when it comes to choosing the right preschool: will it set their kids on a path of future success (or failure)? Is it just daycare under the guise of school? And why does it have to be so expensive!?

Teaching our kids to share is one of those fundamental things we're supposed to do as a parent, lest we have the kid who isn't sharing toys at a play date. Combine that challenge with the sibling dynamic and we've got some explosive situations—even without poop. Patrick and John work through the difficulties of teaching sharing between siblings and whether it can even be done with young kiddos. But first, and more importantly, what would you do if your kid turned into a zombie? You'll hear John and Patrick talk about it in this episode. But seriously, what would you do? Let us know: JustWingingItDads@gmail.com

A new year, a new season, and the same two dads who know everything about nothing—and can't wait to share it with you. John and Patrick are back from holiday break chock-full of useless stories about taking time off, getting kids (and ourselves) involved in recreational activities, and—of course—poop.

The end-of-year festivities and craziness are upon us! As with most of parenting, the magic and the stress are a package deal during the holidays. In this episode, Patrick and John close out the year—and the first season of Just Winging It—with the latest stories, a reflection on the year, and a look ahead. Thanks for, you know, putting us in your ears this year. From our just-winging-it families to yours: have a fantastic holiday and joyous new year.

'Tis the season to buy lots and lots more stuff. Gift-giving (and getting) can be another magical aspect of the holidays, especially for the kiddos. How do we keep consumerism at bay this time of year, and keep grounded in ye olde spirit of generosity and gratitude? John and Patrick prep for holiday fun, strategize gifts, and think about how to add a dash of thankfulness to the festivities.

We're living at a time where more than half of families with children have two working parents—a shift from the days when it was typically expected that mothers would stay home. Yet even with today's increasing acceptance that either parent can bring home the bacon, so few dads choose to stay home. Enter this episode's guest, Joe Ketner, who is about to transition from the workforce to the diaperforce. Joe talks to Patrick and John about what went into his decision and how he's planning to enter life as a stay-at-home Dad.