Welcome back to the "Gray Hair & Daycare" podcast! Older dads Frank (56) and Carlo (56) kick off this episode with a laugh, describing Baby Josie's "North Side Lean" in her pink shopping cart cover (The Icopuca Cloud).
In the "Book Report" segment, the Gen X dads dive into a Newsweek article where a child psychologist reveals parenting habits that create struggling adults. This isn't just common baby advice; it's a deep-dive into parenting mistakes, like over-scheduling kids and helicopter parenting. Frank and Carlo discuss the importance of boredom for creativity and the "see-try-do" method for building confidence. Frank shares a hilarious and slightly depressing humor in life story about learning to ride a 26-inch bike, which led him to his current tendency to never ask for help—a trait he's trying to avoid when raising kids.
In "I Was Wrong," Frank clarifies a previous comment, and Carlo delivers some unsolicited fatherhood advice and fatherhood tips about having a smart wife, reaffirming that being a dad is a team sport. Finally, they talk about Josie graduating to the big tub and the inevitable question of what to do with the "grown out equipment". The episode wraps up with a frank discussion about the chances of Baby Josie having a sibling, highlighting the joy of their current dad life.
Chapter Markers:
0:00 - The North Side Lean: Baby Josie's Gangster Lean in the Cart
1:43 - It's Been a Year: We're Getting Good at This!
2:21 - Eight Months Old: Chicken in Her Hand, Dirty Jokes
3:52 - Book Report: Habits That Create Struggling Adults
5:11 - The Power of Boredom (and Childhood Trauma)
7:21 - Life is Not Bubble-Wrapped: Let Them Struggle
8:05 - The "See, Try, Do" Method: Building Confidence
10:59 - The Cadillac Bike: Frank's Unsolicited DIY Childhood
17:30 - I Was Wrong: Our Wives Are Smarter Than Us
20:21 - What Just Happened: The Grown-Out Equipment Dilemma
22:41 - The Sibling Question: Will We Do This Again?
26:44 - The Best Advice: Hold On to the Gear!
Relevant Links Mentioned
Newsweek Article (Child Psychologist Reveals Parenting Habits): [Search for Newsweek child psychologist Daniel J. Morin]
https://tinyurl.com/NewsweekParentingHabits
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I'll be on that when I'm 14
[Frank Cerio] (11:01 - 11:28)
It'll be great I'm telling this story To Kelly And she's like this makes a lot of sense Because I am now I'm always number one With whatever I do I'm never afraid to just I figure stuff out I've always been that way But I think for me it almost has worked To my detriment sometimes Because it is foreign I don't ask for help I don't like to rely on
[Carlo Russo] (11:28 - 11:31)
You're on the other spectrum
[Frank Cerio] (11:31 - 11:40)
I don't want I don't like Having that stuff And I think That's important to have
[Carlo Russo] (11:42 - 11:47)
Relationships, work You have to have that It's time for you to help me
[Frank Cerio] (11:47 - 12:16)
I feel very Alone In many parts of my life I can see that in you Because of that I don't want to ask for help I don't want to rely I will figure out how to do and build and create Whatever it is I want to do Or build or create Which is good But I don't want my daughter To think that way I want her to have The good parts of what I have But yeah
[Carlo Russo] (12:16 - 12:18)
We're human, we all need help
[Frank Cerio] (12:18 - 12:25)
I know that it's okay That you can rely on people If you have the right people in your life They want to help you
[Carlo Russo] (12:25 - 12:37)
You have to be a whole person I have a whole You have to be a whole person And that's complete Not that I'm saying I'm complete
[Frank Cerio] (12:37 - 12:39)
No man is an island No man is an island
[Carlo Russo] (12:39 - 12:47)
But I have a similar My dad, I don't know if he was depressed I think he was Obviously we didn't know what it was
[Frank Cerio] (12:48 - 12:50)
He just called it He was angry
[Carlo Russo] (12:52 - 13:44)
And also wasn't very Fatherly And my mother She did everything else Riding a bike was not even in the cards I remember For me to get a bike And I don't feel proud of this But that was back in the day I think I had to Talk somebody out of their own bike And I kind of like stole it I took their bike And I said I'm going to paint it for you And all that And I never gave it back And the father came So I remember my next door neighbor Older
