In this episode of Just Four Dads, the guys welcome a special guest — Brent Tipton, a high school football coach, middle school principal, husband, and dad who spends his days leading students and his nights showing up for his family.

Brent joins the podcast as our honorary “5th Dad” substitute while Ryan recovers from surgery, and the conversation dives deep into what it really looks like to balance leadership, responsibility, and fatherhood when your job constantly pulls you away from home.

From coaching football and mentoring young men to coming home and being fully present for his kids, Brent shares the reality of navigating dad guilt, time management, and the pressure of leadership in multiple areas of life.

The guys also discuss:

• The challenge of being present when work demands so much of your time
• Why coaching and mentorship can be a calling beyond wins and losses
• Dad guilt and how to mentally transition from work mode to dad mode
• The importance of humility and owning mistakes as a leader and father
• Supporting your spouse when life gets chaotic
• Practical ways dads can create intentional time with their kids

Along the way, the episode includes the usual segments:
🔥 Fathers in the Fire – Shoutout to Dakota from Kansas City
📞 Dads in the Wild – A surprise call with a fellow dad sharing wins and losses
🏆 Dad Wins & Dad Hacks – Real-life moments and practical advice for everyday dads

One of the biggest takeaways from this episode:
Sometimes the most important thing a dad can do is pause before walking through the door and intentionally shift from work mode to dad mode.

If you're a dad trying to juggle work, leadership, and family life — you're not alone.

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Welcome back, dads! The "Ry Guy" is back from the Bahamas, and the whole crew is finally back together for an early-morning recording session. In this episode, we’re unpacking the "Dad Essentials Kit"—not the clichéd white New Balance sneakers or cargo shorts, but the real tools, habits, and mindsets that define us as fathers right now.

We also introduce two brand-new segments that might just become your favorites: "Dads in the Wild" (where we cold-call a dad live on the show!) and a hilarious (and slightly embarrassing) round of Dad Wins & Losses involving Taco Bell mishaps and midnight diaper disasters.

In this episode, we cover:

• ​🌴 Bahamas Debrief: Ryan shares stories from "Pig Island" and surviving a family vacation with zero undershirts.
• ​🌮 Dad Loss of the Week: Michael’s Taco Bell fail that proves "fine" never actually means fine.
• ​📞 Dads in the Wild: We make our first-ever live cold call to a listener (shoutout Collin Wrede!) to hear a real-time win and loss from the trenches of fatherhood.
• ​🎒 The Dad Essentials:

◦Ryan: The "Dad Pack," Ricoh camera, One-on-one trips and connecting with a daughter who is basically his "female version”.

◦Nick: "Tickle Time," sports balls of any kind, and fart songs on the aux.

◦Noah: Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on repeat, a 9mm under the seat, and the lifeline that is the diaper bag (plus... mango jerky?!).

◦Mikel: Disco Ball, D&D Bedtime Stories, Video Game Controller, Dumb Phone

Whether you're packing a diaper bag or just trying to survive the middle school years, this episode is about identifying the unique tools you need to be the best dad you can be.

Weekly Challenge: Identify your own "Dad Essentials." What are the 3-4 things (objects, habits, or mindsets) that you cannot parent without? Share them with us or just take stock of what keeps you going.

Support the Pod: Like, comment, and subscribe! And if you know a dad who needs a laugh or some encouragement, send this episode their way.

Join the Community: Create an account at JustFourDadsPod.com to connect with other dads and jump into the conversation.

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Welcome back, Dads! In this special episode, our regular host Ryan is away in the Bahamas (sending selfies from underwater), so we brought in our very first guest: Ryan Farrell. Ryan is a firefighter, a former bandmate, and a dad with an incredible story of resilience and faith.

We sit down to hear Ryan’s difficult road to fatherhood. After experiencing three consecutive miscarriages and receiving a diagnosis of "unexplained infertility," Ryan and his wife Olivia faced a season of grief and questioning. Ryan opens up about the emotional toll this took on him as a husband, admitting he went from "hero to zero" and realized he couldn't fix the situation on his own.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Adoption Journey: How Ryan and his wife moved from heartbreak to hearing God’s call to adopt, eventually meeting a birth mother who changed their lives.

• Meeting Quentin: The humbling moment Ryan held his son for the first time and realized that despite the suffering, his son was exactly where he was supposed to be.

• Marriage First: Ryan explains his philosophy on prioritizing his marriage, telling his son, "I love you, but I love your mom a little bit more".

• Men & Grief: We talk about why men struggle to show emotion and the importance of swallowing your pride to find a support group because life is not designed to be done alone.

Plus, the usual Dad chaos:

• Dad Win: Michael shares a hilarious Advent mishap involving his son reading the word "sharted" instead of "starred".

• Dad Loss: Ryan (the guest) watches his son faceplant immediately after his wife warned him it would happen.

• Dad Hack: Nick admits to being an "idiot" for double-booking recording night with his wife's book club—use a calendar app, guys!.

Tools for the Toolbox: If you are struggling or in a dark valley, do not do it alone. Ryan challenges every dad to reach out, find a community, and get people to pray for you when you can't pray for yourself.

Note: The "Bowen Boys" crash the studio at the end to give their football predictions!.

Support the Pod:Like, comment, and subscribe to join the Just 4 Dads community!