Why, Dad?

Andrew Stolpestad, Paul Wandrey

Andrew, an aspiring dad, and Paul, a dad of two, dig deep to find out what it means to be/become the best dad possible, why it matters, and how to do so.

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23 episodes
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Avg 50 min
English

Episodes 23

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#59
Tuesday · 1 hr 2 min
You’re Capable of More Than You Think | Chris Avery
Chris Avery is a husband, father, coach, and endurance athlete preparing to run 50K a day for 365 days around the perimeter of the United States. But this conversation isn’t really about running. Chris joins Paul and Andrew to talk about why dads need to model the lives they hope their kids will build, what it looks like to own your mistakes, how to handle conflict as a team, and why meaningful change often starts much smaller than we think. From apologizing to your kids to keeping promises t
#58
September 29 · 41 min
20 Years Later: Brotherhood, Belonging, and Going Back - What We Brought Home
Twenty years after graduating together, Paul and Andrew return from their high school reunion with more than nostalgia. They unpack what it felt like to reconnect with old friends, why the weekend felt more like a family gathering than a reunion, and how strong community can challenge us to become better men, husbands, and fathers. They also share a big update about the future of Why, Dad? and why the show is taking a short break before returning with a more intentional direction.
#57
September 15 · 44 min
20 Years Later: Brotherhood, Belonging, and Going Back
Twenty years after graduating together, Paul and Andrew are headed back to New Hampshire for their high school reunion. They look back at an unusual adolescence spent at an all-boys Catholic boarding school, the friendships forged through that shared experience, the ridiculous stories that somehow survived, and the ways those years shaped who they became as men and fathers. It’s part nostalgia, part reflection, and part wondering whether putting a bunch of middle-aged men back together will im
#56
August 4 · 38 min
Duosode 56: Not Perfect-But Better Than Before.
This episode of the Why Dad? Podcast explores the pressure many men feel to become the "perfect" husband, father, and provider—and why that pursuit often misses the point. Inspired by a scene from Everybody Loves Raymond, Paul reflects on how one father's simple decision to stop repeating the physical discipline he experienced as a child created a generational shift. The conversation argues that meaningful fatherhood isn't about perfection but about intentionally improving on what we inherited.
#55
July 21 · 44 min
Duosode 55: This one stumped us
In this episode of Why, Dad?, Andrew kicks off the conversation by asking Paul a simple question after a weekend of yard work: How important is it to teach our kids practical household skills? What begins as a discussion about landscaping and home maintenance quickly becomes a deeper conversation about fatherhood, intentionality, and the kind of men we hope to raise. Paul reflects on the tension many parents face—wanting to teach their children valuable life skills while recognizing that differ
#54
July 14 · 45 min
Are Your Unconscious Beliefs Parenting Your Kids? | Tim Shurr
A lot of dads don’t have a motivation problem or a values problem. They have unconscious rules about responsibility, protection, and provision that keep them stuck in work mode, correction mode, or rescue mode, even when they’re home with the people they’re working so hard for. In this episode, Paul and Andrew sit down with Tim Shurr, a father, author, speaker, and expert in unconscious beliefs, to explore the hidden mental rules shaping how we parent, respond to stress, and connect with our ki
#53
June 30 · 1 hr
What the NBA Playoffs Taught Us About Raising Children | Fred Moss
A fake NBA news story sparked an hour-long conversation between Dr. Fred Moss and his adult son that had almost nothing to do with basketball. Instead, it became a conversation about truth, corruption, honesty, relationships, and the kind of connection every parent hopes to have with their children decades from now. We explore why lying, cheating, and stealing destroy trust, what it looks like to own your mistakes as a parent, and why the deepest father-child relationships are built through ye
#52
June 23 · 38 min
A Paul Hot Take: Another Duosode
In this duosode of the Why Dad? podcast, Paul and Andrew discuss a parenting influencer whose videos sparked questions about discipline, physical punishment, and teaching children resilience. The conversation begins with an influencer who requires his young son to run suicides (sprint drills) to earn video game time and claims that raising children is "no different than training a dog." While Paul sees value in teaching responsibility and hard work, he is troubled by the comparison and by the u
#51
June 16 · 52 min
What If Being a Better Dad Starts With Knowing Yourself?
Matthew Jandernoa believes many men know what the right thing is… but don’t really know their own hearts. In this conversation, we explore what happens when fatherhood exposes the parts of ourselves we’d rather avoid. We talk about frustration, patience, humility, comparison, healing, and why becoming a better dad starts long before becoming a dad at all. Matthew shares a powerful story from his time as a missionary that changed how he viewed himself forever, explains why “offer it up” never qui
#50
June 9 · 1 hr 1 min
The Final Cause of Education
Episode Summary In this episode of Why, Dad?, Paul and Andrew tackle a question every parent eventually faces: What is the real purpose of education? Starting with Paul's search for the best educational path for his children, the conversation quickly moves beyond public school vs. homeschool and into a deeper discussion about what education is actually supposed to accomplish. The hosts challenge the idea that education is simply about getting good grades, earning degrees, or preparing for a
#49
June 2 · 48 min
Building Better Men: The Power of Modeling and Brotherhood | Shaun Dawson
How do we raise boys into good men when the world seems confused about what a good man even is? In this episode, Paul and Andrew sit down with Shaun Dawson, host of Raising Men, to talk about modern masculinity, brotherhood, emotional safety, ego in parenting, and what boys need from the men around them.
#48
May 26 · 1 hr 9 min
Episode 48: Boundaries, Apologies, and Spit-Takes
This week on Why, Dad?, Paul and Andrew unpack a family vacation that turned into an unexpected lesson on parenting, boundaries, and community. After a few tense moments involving overtired kids, public meltdowns, and well-meaning corrections from close friends, the guys dive into a difficult but important question: What happens when the people who love your kids discipline them differently than you would? The conversation explores: Why words like “bad” and “naughty” can stick with kids longe
#47
May 19 · 48 min
From Compulsion to Connection | Chris Rogers
In this episode, Chris Rogers shares insights on navigating digital challenges, especially around pornography and mental health, with a focus on parenting and self-awareness. The conversation emphasizes practical tools, the importance of identity, and fostering healthy communication between parents and children.
#46
May 12 · 1 hr
Episode 46: Are We Overstimulating our Kids?
This episode of the Why Dad Podcast is a “duosode” conversation between Paul and Andrew exploring whether modern kids are being overstimulated into passivity. They begin with light banter, then shift into a deeper discussion about how the number of toys, screen time, and constant stimulation may affect creativity, attention span, independence, and social development. Andrew references small-scale observational studies suggesting that children given fewer toys (such as four instead of sixteen) de
#45
May 5 · 42 min
Lead Yourself First: How Dads Rebuild Strength, Discipline, and Purpose with Sean McManus
Sean McManus shares his journey from feeling overwhelmed, impatient, and uncertain as a new father to becoming a coach who helps men rebuild themselves physically, mentally, spiritually, and relationally. This conversation explores how dads can stop relying solely on discipline and instead build practical systems that create consistency, strength, and leadership in their homes. Sean opens up about marriage struggles, escapism, mentorship, biblical masculinity, and why investing in yourself can
#44
April 28 · 22 min
Just a quickie...
In this reflective episode of Why, Dad?, Paul and Andrew take a step back after 43 episodes and over a year of conversations on fatherhood, virtue, and growth. Rather than introducing a new topic, they revisit the moments, lessons, and guests that have shaped the podcast—and their lives. They highlight the power of gratitude, recalling how a simple daily practice—especially within the family—can shift perspective even on the hardest days. What started as a concept became a lived habit, reinforc
#43
April 21 · 48 min
Paralyzed at 20, Father of Triplets at 54 | Ken Kunken on Fatherhood and Resilience
In this episode, Paul and Andrew sit down with Ken Kunken to talk about how a life-changing football injury at age 20 led him down a completely unexpected path. Ken shares how paralysis reshaped his identity, why he never thought marriage or fatherhood would be possible, and how meeting his wife Anna changed everything. He opens up about becoming a dad to triplets at 54, raising sons with empathy and strong values, and why family, patience, and presence matter far more than physical ability. T
#42
April 7 · 1 hr 12 min
Grief, God, and Fatherhood: Mick’s Story
This episode is different. We sit down with Mick Wienholt to talk about fatherhood that begins with loss. Mick and his wife lost their firstborn son, Luke, at full term. What followed wasn’t a clean or simple healing process. It was grief, questions, anger, surrender… and eventually, transformation. In this conversation, we talk about: • What it feels like to become a dad and lose your child in the same moment • How grief reshapes your identity as a man and husband • The difference between
#41
March 31 · 45 min
The Routine Struggle
In this episode, Paul and Andrew dive into a personal tension many men face: the balance between structure and presence. What begins as a casual conversation quickly unfolds into a deeper exploration of routines, habits, and the danger of letting them become the end goal rather than a means to something greater. Paul shares his struggle with relying on routine to stay disciplined, only to find that those same systems can pull him away from what matters most—being present as a husband, father, a
#40
March 24 · 57 min
Raising a Child on Purpose with Nate Turner
Most dads don’t have a plan. They just try to do their best. Nathaniel Turner challenges that completely. In this episode, we explore what it means to raise a child intentionally by working backward from who they should become. From building a “starting five” of mentors to writing letters that shape identity, this conversation pushes beyond surface-level parenting into legacy-level thinking. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re just reacting… or actually leading your family forward, this on

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