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The Fatherhood Challenge Podcast & Radio Program

The Fatherhood Challenge Podcast & Radio Program

Written by: Jonathan Guerrero
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 The Fatherhood Challenge is a movement dedicated to encouraging fathers to engage with their children and educate society on the positive impact involved fathers have on their communities and society from generation to generation.All rights reserved. Christianity Ministry & Evangelism Parenting Relationships Self-Help Social Sciences Spirituality Success
Episodes
  • The Blueprint & The Mundane

    The Blueprint & The Mundane
    Feb 19 2026
    In this episode we’re talking about moving from 'Passive Spectator' to 'Lead Architect.' We are diving into a movement that treats fatherhood with the same level of intentionality as a high-stakes professional venture. We will explore how to close the 'engagement gap' and build a relationship with our children that is rooted in more than just shared DNA.Joining us is Jon Hord, the founder of The Engaged Father Project. Jon is on a mission to help men reclaim their place at the center of their families, providing the tools and the blueprints necessary to build a lasting legacy.To learn more about The Engaged Father Project or get coaching visit: https://theengagedfatherproject.com/Join me, Jon and The Engaged Fatherhood Project community on school at: https://www.skool.com/the-engaged-father-project-9143/aboutSpecial thanks to Smile Online Course & Books for sponsoring this episode. To learn more visit: https://thefatherhoodchallenge--smileteenskills.thrivecart.com/social-career-skills-accelerator/Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastrhttps://zencastr.com/?via=thefatherhoodchallenge00:06.52Jonathan GuerreroIn the world of business, we wouldn't dream of launching a major initiative without a blueprint, a strategy, and a dedicated team. We track our metrics. We pivot when things aren't working and we stay engaged until the project is a success.00:22.04Jonathan GuerreroBut for many of us, when we walk through our own front doors at the end of a long day, we go on autopilot. We become present absent dads physically in the room, but mentally we're elsewhere.00:36.82Jonathan GuerreroWe've mastered the art of being a provider, but we've forgotten the art of being a participant. Fatherhood isn't something that should just happen to us. It's a role that requires our best thinking, our highest energy, and a relentless commitment to showing up, not just for the big moments, but for the messy, quiet, and mundane ones in between.00:59.83Jonathan GuerreroToday, we're talking about moving from a passive spectator to a lead architect. We are diving into a movement into a movement that treats fatherhood with the same level of intentionality as high-stakes professional ventures.01:15.26Jonathan GuerreroWe will explore how the engagement gap, we will explore the engagement gap and build a relationship with our children that is rooted in more than just shared DNA. And we're going to explore all of this in just a moment, so don't go anywhere.01:31.88Jonathan GuerreroGreetings, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me. Thank you so much for joining me. And also joining us is John Horde. John is the founder of the Engage Father Project.01:42.74Jonathan GuerreroJohn is on a mission to help men reclaim their place at the center of their families, providing the tools and the blueprints necessary to build a lasting legacy.01:53.46Jonathan GuerreroJohn, welcome to the Fatherhood Challenge.01:55.99Jon Hordah Thank you so much for having me on, Jonathan. I do appreciate it.02:00.28Jonathan GuerreroJohn, i got to ask, what is your favorite dad joke?02:06.20Jon Hordum Okay, here goes. What do you call a fish that wears bow tie?02:12.69Jonathan GuerreroWhat do you call a fish that wears a bow ti I've never heard this one.02:18.03Jon HordSophisticated. Okay.02:19.77Jonathan Guerrerolove this one.02:23.99Jonathan Guerrerolove this one02:30.78Jonathan GuerreroSo good.02:31.86Jon HordYeah.02:33.73Jonathan GuerreroNow I got to share this one with my son.02:38.01Jonathan GuerreroWell, John, what is the story behind why and how you started the Engage Father Project?02:46.58Jon HordWell, i i worked um in a corporate job for about 20 years. It was like 18 and a half years. And I was on this path that so many people are familiar with, right? It was sort of that American dream path. you know Go to school and get good grades and go to college and get a job and make a good living, start a family, get promoted,03:11.77Jon Hordmake as much money as you can and then retire. Right. It was that it was on that track and, you know, had some kids, two kids along the way. And I got to a point where, you know, the material boxes were being checked. Right.03:30.74Jon HordAnd it was like, well, I should feel really happy and fulfilled, right? Because I've been working for so long to get to this point. It was like I was running toward a finish line or like, you know, running on a rainbow looking for that pot of gold. And I got to the end where it's like, well, it should be here, right?03:49.08Jon HordAnd not only was it not there, But my life was filled with more stress and more anxiety than I'd ever been experiencing. And it was significantly affecting, you know, not only me, but my ability to be the husband that I wanted to be for my wife and the father that I wanted to be for my kids. And so it was this really painful and jarring experience.04:16.54Jon Hordmoment or really I refer to it now as an opportunity as hard as it was i wouldn't give that ...
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    29 mins
  • Twice a Father

    Twice a Father
    Feb 15 2026

    In this episode, we are talking about the 'grandfamilies'—the men who are doing it all over again, with more gray hair but also with a much deeper perspective on what actually matters.

    Joining us is Jerry Culver, a man who understands the grit and the grace required for this specific calling because he is on second watch as we call it. If you're raising your grandkids as Jerry is, he wants you to know you're not alone.


    Special thanks to Smile Online Course & Books for sponsoring this episode. To learn more visit: https://thefatherhoodchallenge--smileteenskills.thrivecart.com/social-career-skills-accelerator/


    Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastr

    https://zencastr.com/?via=thefatherhoodchallenge





    Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/thefatherhoodchallengepodcast/donations
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    29 mins
  • The Silent Crisis

    The Silent Crisis
    Feb 11 2026
    If you're a new dad and you’ve been feeling like a stranger in your own home, or if the joy you expected has been replaced by a heavy, silent struggle, this episode is for you. You aren't a 'bad dad,' and you aren't weak. You are navigating a massive neurological, hormonal, and lifestyle shift that no one warned you about. There is hope and there are answers.Dr. Shoshannah Guerrero has her PhD. in Marriage and Family Therapy and Dr Rachael Schmitz is the sole author for her first publication within the American Journal of Nursing on her dissertation work, the lived experience of fathers with paternal postpartum depression.You can contact Dr Schmitz at rschmitz@coastal.eduYou can reach Dr. Guerrero at sguerrero.lmft@gmail.comSpecial thanks to Smile Online Course & Books for sponsoring this episode. To learn more visit: https://thefatherhoodchallenge--smileteenskills.thrivecart.com/social-career-skills-accelerator/Create your podcast today! #madeonzencastrhttps://zencastr.com/?via=thefatherhoodchallenge00:05.55Jonathan GuerreroWe've all seen the commercials. the new The new dad glowing with pride, effortlessly rocking and a sleeping infant while his life... while his life feels perfectly in sync.00:16.89Jonathan GuerreroBut for many men, the reality of the new fatherhood looks and feels very different. Instead of a glow, there's a fog. Instead of instant connection, there's a crushing sense of isolation, irritability, or the feeling that you're falling ah that you're failing a task, that you're failing a test that you didn't even know you were taking.00:38.55Jonathan GuerreroIn our culture, we expect dads to be the rock. We are told to man up, to support the mother, to bury our own struggles under the weight of provision. But the data tells us a different story.00:50.74Jonathan GuerreroOne in 10 fathers will experience paternal postpartum depression. And yet, because it often shows up as anger or withdrawal rather than sadness, it goes undiagnosed and untreated.01:04.73Jonathan GuerreroIf you've been feeling like a stranger in your own home, or if the joy you expected has been replaced by a heavy, silent struggle, this episode is for you. You aren't a bad dad, and you aren't weak.01:18.45Jonathan GuerreroYou are navigating a massive neurological, hormonal, and lifestyle shift that no one warned you about. There is hope, and there are answers in just a moment, so don't go anywhere.01:33.18Jonathan GuerreroGreetings, everyone. Thank you so much for joining me in this episode called The Silent Crisis. I have two guests with me. My wife, Dr. Shoshana Guerrero, who has her PhD in marriage and family therapy, and Dr. Rachel Schmitz, the sole author of her first publication within the American Journal of Nursing on her dissertation work, The Lived Experience of Fathers with Paternal Postpartum Depression.01:59.06Jonathan GuerreroWelcome to the Fatherhood Challenge.02:01.75Rachael Schmitz Thank you.02:03.06Jonathan GuerreroThanks so much. So let's talk about, Rachel, let's start with you. You've noted that for men, depression is often, it often looks like sadness.02:13.88Jonathan GuerreroIt looks like a short fuse sometimes. Why does the male brain often funnel emotional pain into irritability or rage? And how can a dad tell the difference between new parent stress and clinical postpartum depression? Yeah.02:30.39Rachael Schmitz So for fathers, um they don't often manifest in the ways that we think about when we think about depression. Most people, when you talk to them about depression, they think about sadness, crying, a lot of those very typical depressive type symptoms. In fathers, they can manifest in very different ways, like you said. The reason behind that I found in my study was that a lot of the men felt very isolated.03:01.85Rachael Schmitz They felt very confused. They felt very frustrated by the um transition. They didn't really feel prepared. um a lot of them felt very helpless.03:14.07Rachael Schmitz um So a lot of different things happening at the same time, causing a lot of those different symptoms. And for some of the fathers in particular, they um identified the depression because they were so irritable or they started being very angry in situations that would not normally make them very angry.03:40.31Jonathan GuerreroInteresting. So they did they recognize that even they basically recognize this even in themselves, they could tell when those symptoms were coming on.03:50.01Rachael Schmitz They did, and oftentimes it was their partner that just said, you know, I noticed that you are not really yourself. ah Maybe you're isolating a little bit.04:03.29Rachael Schmitz um So a lot of their partners did recognize some changes, whether they were able to kind of pinpoint what exactly was going on um kind of depended on the relationship. But most of the, uh,04:20.14Rachael Schmitz partners did notice that something was happening.04:25.40Jonathan GuerreroMany dads feel a deep sense of guilt ...
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    29 mins
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