Episode 285 - One Conversation Can Change a Life - Check In On Somebody Today - Movember Daily Dad Episodes

One Conversation Can Change A Life

Movember creates an opportunity to talk about men’s mental health and physical health, but sometimes the most meaningful action starts with a single phone call. There may be someone in your contacts you have not spoken with for a long time. A friend. A fellow dad. Someone who once played an important role in your life.

Check In On Somebody Today

Life can pull people in...

Episode 284 - Movember Is More Than Just Growing A Moustache - Movember Daily Dad Episodes

Movember Is More Than Just Growing A Moustache

Movember gives men a visible way to start conversations about men’s health. The moustache grabs attention, but the real purpose reaches much further. Dad Space begins its daily November journey with a simple invitation: get involved, grow your Mo, and use it to talk about men’s mental and physical health.

Start With A Clean Face

The traditional Movember challenge starts with a clean shave on November 1. From...

Episode 283 - Dad Space Updates, Movember, Daily Episodes in November

Dad Space Updates, Movember, and Daily November Episodes

Dave shares an update from Dad Space and previews a major November challenge built around men’s health, encouragement, and daily connection. After a flood damaged the lower half of the Campbell home in August, the podcast studio has been out of action. Repairs and renovations are moving forward, and Dave expects to return to guest interviews soon from a rebuilt Dad Space studio.

Until then, Dave records from the kitchen table, a situation his wi...

Episode 282 - The Rocks in the River - Fatherhood, Obstacles, and Growth

The Rocks in the River

Fatherhood often feels noisy because life keeps meeting resistance. Dave uses the image of a river to explore the obstacles dads face, from sleepless nights and money worries to self-doubt, stress, and the pressure to provide for a family. The sound of a river comes from water pushing against stones. Those stones redirect the current, create movement, and give the river its voice. In the same way, the challenges of being a dad can shape patience, resilience, compassion...

Episode 281 - How To Handle Death, Grief and Loss with Your Kids and Build Resilience During Grief

DadSpace: Losing a Pet and Helping Your Kids Through Grief

Dave records a somber episode after the loss of Burton, the family dog of 15 years. The conversation explores the deep bond between families and pets, the physical weight of grief, and how dads can guide children through the death of an animal they love. This episode honors Burton and offers support for any parent facing pet loss, grief, and difficult conversations about death.

A Family Says...

Episode 280 - The Power of An Apology - 3 Things An Apology Will Do For Others and For You

The Power of an Apology

An apology can change the direction of a relationship. For dads, saying “I’m sorry” may feel difficult because it requires honesty, responsibility, and the willingness to face the damage caused by words or actions. Yet someone comes to mind when you think about an apology you still owe. You already know who it is.

Restoring Trust and Dignity

A sincere apology acknowledges that harm occurred. It shows the ot...

Episode 279 - Celebrating 33 Years of Marriage - 3 Free Things That You Can Do With Your Partner to Celebrate Your Anniversary

Celebrating 33 Years of Marriage

Dave marks his 33rd wedding anniversary on October 2 and shares three free, meaningful ways couples can celebrate their anniversary without spending money. He reflects on his own journey from a nervous groom to a husband of three decades, then offers practical ideas that prioritize thoughtfulness, memory, and presence over expensive gestures.

Why anniversaries matter

Dave admits he often loses track of dates because he works night shifts...

Episode 278 - At Your Next Parent Teacher Meeting - Ask These 7 Questions and Get A Better Understanding of Your Kid

Parent teacher night offers a rare chance to see your child’s world through their teacher’s eyes. Most parents ask generic questions about grades or behavior. This episode gives you seven specific questions that reveal how your child learns, connects, and handles challenges. Use these questions to build a stronger partnership with your teacher and support your child more effectively at home.

Why These Questions Work

Teachers spend hours observing your child in s...

Episode 277 - The Need for More Spaces Dedicated to Men and Boys, Teenage Suicide and a Parent's Regrets with Paul Darling

In this episode, the guest shares a deeply personal reflection on fatherhood, family, grief, and the lessons he has carried through a military life and a long season of loss. Speaking from the Cumberland Plateau in East Tennessee, he talks about raising three adult children across different places and seasons of service, and how constant moving shaped his family while also making it hard to build lasting roots.

At the center of the conversation...

Episode 276 - Feed Drop - Dr. Liz, Nutrition For the Early Years - 7 Mistakes NOT to Make in Feeding Your Toddler

7 Mistakes NOT to Make in Feeding Your Toddler

What if the nutrition choices you worry about most are not the ones that matter most? In this episode of Nutrition for the Early Years, Dr. Liz Daniels shares seven common feeding mistakes parents make during the baby and toddler years. With warmth and honesty, she explains why multivitamins are not always the answer for picky eaters, how kid-friendly leftovers can add to parent guilt, and...

Episode 275 - Four Months Left - What Kind of Dad Will You Be by December

The Intentional Final Four

Four months remain in 2026. This window offers dads a chance to finish the year with purpose instead of letting time slip away. The episode lays out a simple monthly focus for September through December. Each theme builds connection, presence, self awareness, and gratitude without requiring a complete life overhaul.

September: Reset the Family Rhythm

September brings new school schedules and a return to routine after summer. Use this shift to reset the...

Episode 274 - Thoughts and Feelings That Flood My Mind After Spending Time with my Adult Kids

Thoughts and Feelings After Spending Time with Adult Kids

Spending time with adult kids can stir deep emotions for an empty nest dad. Dave reflects on the strange feeling that follows a visit, when he drives home wishing he could return to the years when his children lived under the same roof. Dad Space explores the emotional shift that happens when adult kids build lives of their own.

When Home Changes

Two major floods forced...

Episode 273 - When the Water Rises - 3 Life Lessons for Dads About What Really Matters

A crisis like a flood has a way of stripping life down to its essentials. The things that seemed urgent yesterday—possessions, schedules, status, unfinished projects—can suddenly become irrelevant. What remains is often much simpler: people, safety, presence, and the choices we make when control disappears.

For dads, a crisis can expose the difference between being busy and being useful. It can remind us that providing for our families is not only about earning money or maintaining a home; it i...

Episode 272 - The Awkward Dad Conversation, Building in Public, Personal Identity and Regrets with Guest Andy Vargo

Fatherhood After Major Life Changes

Andy Vargo shares a deeply personal look at fatherhood after divorce, major changes in personal identity, and the challenge of rebuilding relationships with children who have grown into adults. He describes the silence that followed leaving a busy family home and the struggle to understand his identity as a dad when he no longer lived with his children.

Those everyday conversations can carry enormous value. A discussion in a parking lot...

Episode 271 - Slow Down Dad, Look Around - You Are Going To Miss This - A Caution for New Dads from an Empty Nester

This episode offers a reflective and heartfelt message to dads in the middle of raising young children, delivered from the perspective of an empty nester looking back. It begins with a light, relatable tone but quickly shifts into a meaningful reminder about how fast fatherhood moves and how easy it is to rush through it.

At the center of the conversation is a simple but powerful caution: the constant desire to...

Episode 270 - Eric Church, 6 Strings, 6 Life Lessons - Being in Tune and Playing Your Instrument

This episode of Dad Space takes inspiration from a powerful talk by Eric Church, where he uses the six strings of a guitar to share six life lessons. Dave brings that message into the world of fatherhood, translating each string into a meaningful reflection on how dads can live with intention, connection, and purpose.

The conversation begins with a simple but striking idea: when a guitar is out of tune, you can hear it instantly. The same is true in...

Episode 269 - Dr. Christopher Choukalas - Even the Darkest Night - journey through paternal depression—an often undiagnosed condition that affects millions of new fathers

This episode features Dr. Christopher Choukalas, an anesthesiologist and critical care physician, sharing a deeply personal and professional perspective on fatherhood, mental health, and the often unspoken reality of paternal postpartum depression.

Drawing from his years in high intensity medical environments, Dr. Choukalas reflects on what it means to support people during their most vulnerable moments. Whether in the operating room or the delivery ward, he highlights the importance of qu...

Episode 268 - Dad Rules - Rest, Recovery, and Real Life - Teaching Kids to Listen to Their Bodies

In this episode of Dad Space, Dave introduces the first installment of a new series called Dad Rules, exploring practical household guidelines that help families thrive rather than simply control behavior. The focus is on rest, recovery, and teaching children how to listen to their bodies in a world that often pushes everyone to keep going no matter what.

Using examples from sports and everyday life, Dave explains why rules matter. Without structure, families can easily drift...

Episode 267 - Not All Dads Are Broken - Healthy Dads, Help a Dad That is Struggling and Share Your Strength

Opening question: “Are men okay?” → Reality: many aren’t, but some are just better at hiding it.

Pushback on narrative: Not every man is secretly broken, despite what social media suggests.

Cultural exaggeration: Online messaging often paints all men as emotionally unstable or on the edge.

Balanced truth: Some men are genuinely struggling and need help, therapy, and better communication skills.

Core message: Not all men are broken—some are actual...

Episode 266 - Navigating the Empty Nest with David Campbell Guesting on the Great Dad Podcast

In this special Shared Mic Series episode of Dad Space, host Dave Campbell shares a conversation from his appearance on the GreatDad.com podcast with host Paul. The discussion centers on a topic that many fathers eventually face but few are prepared for: navigating the transition to an empty nest.

Dave reflects on his own experience as a father of three children and the unexpected reality of watching his family dynamic change almost overnight. What began as a full and...

Episode 265 - Celebrating Father's Day - Dad, Embrace Your Day, You Have Earned This

This Father’s Day episode of Dad Space is both a celebration and a reflection, marking four years of conversations dedicated to supporting dads around the world. Dave opens with gratitude, recognizing the growth of the podcast and the global community that has formed around a shared goal: becoming better fathers through connection, encouragement, and honest conversation.

At the heart of this episode is a simple but powerful message: celebrate Father’s Day your way. Rather than following expectations or pressure on h...

Episode 264 - The Dad's Library - What Every Library Can Teach Us About Fatherhood

In this Father’s Day month episode of Dad Space, Dave explores a simple but powerful idea: what if the rules of a library could guide how we show up as dads? Drawing from the quiet structure and shared expectations of a public library, he builds a thoughtful framework for fatherhood rooted in presence, respect, and growth.

Libraries are calm, welcoming spaces where people come to learn without judgment, and Dave suggests our homes can reflect that same environment. Instead of re...

Episode 263 - When a Dad Runs on Fumes - where life stops feeling manageable and starts feeling like survival

When a Dad Runs on Fumes

There comes a point for a lot of fathers where life stops feeling manageable and starts feeling like survival.

You wake up tired. You go to work tired. You come home mentally checked out. The bills keep coming, the expectations never seem to slow down, and somewhere along the way you stop recognizing yourself. You become short-tempered. Detached. Quiet. Angry at things that normally would not bother you...

Episode 262 - Jon Gustin - The Tired Dad - Learning from Your Kids, Strength for Weary Dads and Content Legacy

Helping dads navigate parenthood with perseverance, vulnerability, and self-compassion. He speaks openly about mental health, sobriety, and the need to include fathers in the parenting conversation. His message to all parents is clear, keep showing up.

This episode of Dad Space features author and podcaster Jon Gustin, joining from Nashville, Tennessee, for a deeply honest conversation about fatherhood, identity, and the emotional realities many dads quietly carry. Blending personal stories with thoughtful reflection, Jon shares...

Episode 261 - Navigating the Teen Years - Connection Over Control. A Guide For Caring Dads

In this episode of Dad Space, Dave brings a grounded and personal perspective to one of the most challenging transitions in fatherhood: the teenage years. With humor and honesty, he reminds listeners that no dad is fully prepared for what happens when a child turns thirteen. While every father has experienced being a teenager, parenting one is an entirely different journey that requires learning in real time.

Dave reflects on how the relationship between dads and their kids begins to...

Episode 260 - Beyond, How Was Your Day - Boosting Family Communication for Dads

In this episode of Dad Space, Dave opens with his signature humour and reflection on fatherhood before diving into a deeply relatable moment many dads experience: the routine question, “How was your day?” and the all-too-common one-word response, “Fine.” From there, he explores why these surface-level exchanges often fail to create meaningful connection within families.

Dave reflects on the idea that while the question itself isn’t wrong, it often becomes a missed opportunity when it’s used out of habit rather than intenti...

Episode 259 - Achieving Work-Life Balance - A Dad's Blueprint for Presence, Not Perfection

In this episode of Dad Space, the conversation opens in a light, relatable way before shifting into a deeply personal reflection on what it really means to balance work and family life as a dad. The host shares stories from his early years of fatherhood, including long commutes, extended work hours, and the emotional reality of being physically distant from his children during critical moments. These experiences frame a larger question many dads face: is “work-life balance” actually achievable, or is something else more real...

Episode 258 - What Makes a Good Dad Today - Redefining Fatherhood in the Modern Age

In this episode of Dad Space, the conversation centers on a powerful and timely question: what actually makes a good dad today. Rather than offering a rigid definition, the episode challenges listeners to reflect on their own understanding of fatherhood and how that definition has evolved over time.

The discussion highlights a clear shift away from the traditional model of fatherhood, where being a provider and authority figure was seen as enough. While those roles still matter, they are no...

Episode 257 - Dad's Guide to Tech - Balancing Screen Time and Real Connection

Today on Dad Space, Dave is focused on the growing tension between technology and meaningful family connection. Technology is no longer optional in our lives. It shapes how we communicate, relax, and even how we relate to one another. While it brings convenience and opportunity, it also quietly pulls families into separate corners, replacing shared experiences with isolated screen time.

The episode reflects on how this shift has changed the rhythm of family life. Moments that were once naturally shared, like dinner...

Episode 256 - Getting in The Mud With Others - Caring and Knowing When To Fix It and When To Listen

In this episode of Dad Space, the conversation centers on a powerful but often overlooked skill in fatherhood: knowing when to step in and fix, and when to simply sit and listen. It’s a lesson that shows up everywhere in a dad’s life, from friendships with other men to relationships at home with a partner and kids.

At the heart of the discussion is the idea of “getting in the mud” with someone. Not solv...

Episode 255 - Collecting Penguins, Noticing the Good That Our Kids Do and Not Just the Bad - Rethinking our Kids Scorecard

Instead of focusing mostly on mistakes, frustration, and correction, this episode encourages fathers to notice, name, and celebrate the good things their kids do every day.

In this episode, Dave shares a powerful story heard on another podcast about a father who began collecting penguins as a visual reminder to notice what he likes more than what he doesn’t. The story centers on a child who loved penguins, and on a parenting shift th...

Episode 254 - What Passion Really Means, Redefining Passion for Family, Partner, and Purpose

Rediscovering Passion as a Dad

As dads, we wear many hats — provider, partner, leader, teacher. But somewhere between school lunches, late nights, and chasing deadlines, our sense of passion can fade into the background. February, with its focus on love and connection, is a good time to ask: What does passion mean for me now — as a father, as a man, as a builder of something bigger than myself?

We often think of passion as enthusiasm — a burst of energy, a stro...

Episode 253 - March DadNess - Building A Championship Culture – Playing the Long Game

In this March Dadness finale, the conversation closes the five part series with a focus on building a championship culture at home and playing the long game as a dad. Using the language of sports as a frame, the episode argues that the real legacy is not the trophy or the scoreboard, but the character, confidence, and resilience our children carry into adulthood.

It invites parents to rethink what winning looks like in the family by valuing kindness, effort, integrity, perseverance, teamwork, an...

Episode 252 - March DadNess - Making Halftime Adjustments – Navigating Mistakes and Reset Moments

In this March DadNess episode, Dave invites dads into the locker room of everyday fatherhood to talk about making halftime adjustments when life and parenting don’t go as planned. He opens with a simple but powerful moment: finding his granddaughter’s teddy bear tucked into his bed, a quiet reminder that kids are always watching and quietly reflecting the love, presence, and consistency they experience.

From there, Dave explores the idea that being a dad is less about playing a perfect game a...

Episode 251 - March DadNess - The Coach and the Player – Knowing When to Lead and When to Step Back

Host Dave welcomes listeners to the third installment of March DadNess, flipping March Madness into a celebration of fatherhood lessons drawn from the sports playbook. From his home in Canada where snow lingers but spring beckons, he dives into the evolving dance every dad does with his kids: knowing when to lead like a head coach and when to step back like a trusted advisor watching from the sidelines. This solo reflection speaks directly to fathers navigating the sh...

Episode 250 - March DadNess - The Regular Season – Showing Up Consistently

Championships aren't won in the spotlight moments—they're forged in the grind of the regular season, those 82-game stretches where teams build habits, trust, and identity. Fatherhood works the same way. Most of parenting isn't buzzer-beaters or highlight-reel heroics; it's the ordinary Tuesdays with rides to practice, homework battles, bedtime stories, and quiet car talks on the way home from school. This is where you show up, week after week, turning small deposits into the unbreakable foundation of your family's championship run.

Consistency Trumps Inte...

Episode 249 - March DadNess - The Draft – Discovering Your Role as a Dad When You Get Called Up to the Big Leagues

The Draft – Discovering Your Role as a Dad

Think back to the most exciting day in sports—the draft. The cameras are rolling, the names are called, and every team looks at their first pick not for what they already are, but for what they could become. That’s fatherhood. When your child enters your life, you’re drafted to the team. You might not feel ready. You might not have a playbook. But you’ve...

Episode 248 - Act 4 - Connect and Renew - Strengthen What Strengthens You As A Dad

Connect and Renew — Strengthen What Strengthens You

Build a Challenge Network. Compliments feel good, but they don’t help you grow. Honest feedback does. Psychologist Adam Grant suggests creating a small group of people who care enough to tell you the truth. Ask better questions like, “What’s one thing I could do better?” Try a weekly Feedback Friday: send one piece of work to someone you trust and ask for one suggestion to improve it. Two or three honest critics ar...

Episode 247 - Act 3 - The Motivated Dad - Finding the source of what keeps us going as a Dad

In this third act of a four-part series inspired by Daniel Pink's insightful video on planning for 2026 (link in show notes), host Dave dives into motivation and becoming a more intentional dad this year. Drawing from Pink's framework, Dave reframes it specifically for fathers, urging us to adjust our inner operating system and embrace discomfort as a path to growth.

Dave highlights the "85% rule": aim for goals where you succeed eight or nine times out of...

Episode 246 - Act 2 - The Structured Dad - Some effective tools to structure your year

In this episode of Dad Space, host Dave dives into Act 2 of Daniel Pink's insightful 2026 video on preparing for a great new year, adapting its lessons specifically for dads. Even though we're into February, Dave stresses it's never too late to implement changes that reclaim time and intention as fathers. He urges listeners to watch the 26-minute video (link in show notes) first, then return to apply these tools through a dad's lens, moving beyond vague resolutions to practical structure.

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