Tony Berardo, a full-time content creator and father to a 2.5-year-old daughter, opens up about the raw realities of modern fatherhood when his wife unexpectedly gets laid off after 10 years with her company. This honest conversation explores the emotional weight of being the sole provider, learning to regulate emotions alongside your toddler, and the constant tension between building a business and being present for your family.

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

[00:01:20] - The Weight of Sudden Job Loss

Tony's wife gets laid off after 10 years with a multi-billion dollar company

Key quote: "Nothing is guaranteed. Even if you're at a big corporation where she thought she was going to retire, and now she just got laid off for no reason."

[00:03:33] - The Entrepreneur Dad's Dilemma

Balancing work-from-home entrepreneurship with wanting to be present for his daughter

Key quote: "I want to work hard and support the family, but I also just want to be with my kid. So that's the struggle."

[00:05:32] - Breaking Down Emotional Walls

Discussion about men's tendency to suppress emotions and the importance of communication in marriage

Key quote: "We put up a wall and we try to be tough and strong for everybody, but mentally we're struggling."

[00:09:45] - The "Other Room" Strategy

Tony's method for self-regulating before speaking to his wife during stressful times

Key quote: "I'm going to go to the other room where she's not in and say it out loud and see if it makes sense."

[00:16:46] - The "One Day" Realization

Prioritizing play time with his daughter over work demands

Key quote: "One day your kid's not going to ask you to play with them. So that hurts if you say, 'Hey, sweetie, 10 more minutes.'"

[00:19:16] - Learning Emotional Regulation Through Fatherhood

How becoming a girl dad forced Tony to develop patience and emotional intelligence

Key quote: "I realized how shitty I am at self-regulating. I realized how angry I can get."

[00:23:50] - Teaching Emotional Regulation Together

Practicing breathing exercises and emotional regulation with his daughter

Key quote: "Kids never listen to what you say, but they're always going to do what you do."

[00:27:10] - The Mirror Moment

Realizing his daughter was copying his behavior with their dog

Key quote: "She said, 'Oliver, enough!' And I was like, do I say that a lot?"

[00:32:25] - Embracing Different Interests

The importance of letting children develop their own hobbies rather than forcing parental interests

Key quote: "I want their hobbies and things that they like to be different than mine."

[00:37:43] - The Dad Connection Gap

Challenges men face in opening up to other fathers about parenting struggles

Key quote: "It's one of those isolating things I think that men just have to get over."

[00:39:52] - The Blowout Story

A humorous tale of an epic diaper disaster at a thrift store

Key quote: "If the wife says pack a diaper bag, just do it, dude."

On June 17th, I’m hosting a free, live workshop, Become a Better Leader By Becoming a Better Dad, for fathers who are tired of living a divided life. We’ll explore how “Default Dad” shows up when you’re tired, overloaded, or distracted, and how those same patterns affect your leadership at home and at work. Register here: https://www.ambitiousdads.com/better-dad-better-leader

Sign Up for the Ambitious Dads Newsletter: https://www.ambitiousdads.com

Connect with Jeff Hittner: https://jeffhittner.com

Subscribe on:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ambitious-dads/id1815863328

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4xCHG30Ms9wcGRJmDqHcW8?si=46654ba2a0654099 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AmbitiousDads