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Hey, I’m Graeme
Dad to Poppy whos almost 3 going on 33, From not so sunny Scotland
Hi I’m Huw and I’m an alcoholic…
Oh damn this isn’t AA.
I’m 37 and dad to Esmé currently 3 going in thirteen ?
I’m Danny. 28 years old, married and I have a little boy called Noah who’s 6 years old. I live near Middlesbrough.
Dad to two girls 7 and 10, going on 17 living in Sunny Wiltshire!
@martin That’s the spirit :)
Welcome everyone!
Hi, I’m Sam. Dad to two kids, 4 and 1. From Michigan, USA.
Hi, I’m kirren,
I’m a 37 year old (444 month old) father of 2 –
Stepfather to a 17 year old transgender son, although he’ll always be MY son and father to a 12 year old daughter.
Recently married (not my children’s mum) and planning on a baby of our own soon.
Active (and fully paid up member) of TheDadsNet on the Facebook page and I cannot thank Al enough for creating a community of dads that support and love each other no matter what!
Glad to be here.Hi all,
Technically I am a stepdad and stepgrandad but I think I have earnt my place here. Due to circumstances me and my wife are bringing up our grandson at the moment. We have done since he was born (he’s 5 now) and I am 50. Very tired but I love that boy as if he was my own flesh and blood! All goood with “mum” now and she sees him every other weekend but looks like the wife and I are in this for the long haul! Biological dad is not on the scene (nor is any of the biological grandads) and all this is good as their influence would not be positive! So it’s me playing the role of dad/grandad! Hence why he knows me as “Papa”!Hey i’m Kim. Dad of a 2 year old boy, and soon a girl =)
My wife is always on mumsnet so i figured there must be one for us as well right?
Well here it is!
Hi All,
I’m John, new to the site and dad to 5 month old Freddie.
29 year old northerner who lives in Leicester.
After recently being a shoulder to cry on I think somewhere like this is a great place to come for a bit of advice.
Men don’t open up enough about their problems, me included, and that needs to change.
Looking forward to getting involved.
Hi I’m Jo
Father of 6 year old twins.
Live in the midlands.
Keeping it a bit vague so I can be truly honest.
Have used Mumsnet in the past for tips and advice, good to see this started. How long has it been running?Hi everyone. Im Andy and have 3 wonderful kids who i would do anything for, all teenagers and still at home. Im in a loveless relationship and trying hard to get out!!
Hi Dads! If you could spare a few minutes to my dissertation survey it would be greatly appreciated :)
Its about food shopping behaviour and takes less than 8 minutes!
https://readingagriculture.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_beH7qy2S9dIcxOB
Thank you in advance :)
Hi
Dad to 2 kids soon to be 3 also a grandad with 2 grandsons..
Big gap in childrens ages going through it all again after 20 years blimey i must be mad..
Hello anyway everyone pleased to meet youDave
Hi Everyone
I’m “DDP1268”, sorry for such a rubbish tag but if I am to get stuck into any discussions here I need to be anonymous, and using a false name didn’t feel right!
I’m the dad of a lovely boy. It was good to see this website, I’ll have a good rummage and read some of the backposts.
I have no idea where DDP1268 came from. It sounds like a star wars droid name.
OMG it’s taken me forever to manage to sign in. I think my mind is going lol.
Hi all, I’m Tommy, Dad of 8 kids, 7 at home. I live in Kent and have been with Dadsnet since the beginning. My kids range from 6 to 13 and if you ask the Mrs, she’ll say I’m a kid too. Hope to see you at DadsconThanks Dan. Fingers crossed you can make next year. I’ve been to everyone so far. All been awesome in their own way
Hi all, I’m Robert and single father to a wonderful soon to be 5 year old boy.
I don’t really have much of an opportunity to socialise with other dads, I’m usually working or with the kid full time. Signed up today and made a post asking for advice but do plan to be a long term active member on here if I can help it.
Hi I’m Andy, I have a son (4 1/2) & a step son (4) both with the same name.
My partner & I have been together closing on 2 years & living together for close to a year.
I find being a step parent to be toughest job in the world.
The Fatherhood Study

Men, is your partner or wife pregnant? We invite you to participate in a university research study!Participating in this study will help scientist understand men’s thoughts and feelings during their partner’s pregnancy and after the birth.
If you complete both surveys, you will be entered into a raffle to win 1 of 10 $100 Amazon gift cards.
Click on the link below to participate in the survey!
If you have questions, you can email sbfatherstudy@gmail.com
Thank you!
https://stonybrookuniversity.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eEXfvjg9G7CzmW9Hey there. Glad I finally looked for this site. I’m Charlie and we have a little 6 mos old boy who is the best little fella. I just finished a summer school holiday and it was harder than teaching teenagers in some ways. As much as I love the little guy, I’m struggling to accept that my old life is over forever. It is a very hard job. Can’t believe this is what most parents go through. Whoa! Respect.
Hi all,
I’m Adam, rugby fan and dad to 6 month old Edith (Edi) living on Herefordshire and Shropshire border.
Looking forward to speaking to lots of dad’s about dad stuff.
Hi fellow dad’s after listening to about 20 don’t tell your mum podcasts I’ve finally signed up. My name’s Bradley dad to Bella nice to see so many replies :)
That’s me been here on dad’s net since my boy Stewart was three months. He’s just his first birthday and wow what a change and thanks for everyone’s posts and it’s helped me big time
Hi all,
just joined today. Had a look through the forums and its good to see a community for dads/dads – to be. I have 2 great kids both under the age of 10.
Morning guys!
I’m Mark in Manchester.My ex and I divorced ten years ago, however she has recently passed away and I have returned to be single Dad to Oliver (21) and Millie (13).
Still recovering from the shock of my daughter spending £120 on her hair!!!!
Anyone else out there with teenagers, especially teenage daughters?
Evening Gents,
I’m Jack, just joined tonight after the birth of our baby boy Jude, who is now 4 days old. Listened to the podcast all through my partners pregnancy thought it was time to get involved.
Hello all! My wife and I are expecting our first child in April 2020!
Expecting a child is exciting but also puts your priorities and dreams into perspective. I have decided to follow a dream of mine and wanted to share it with you all. It is to write children’s book that convey meaningful messages for my child and others but also give back to charities. To learn more please visit my campaign site where I am raising money to bring this vision to life, igg.me/at/benefitbooks. So far we have raised enough to provide a family of 3 with eye exams!
All of the support would mean the world!
Thanks.
Evening All,
I’ve been a long time stalker(<7 months) of this forum but first time posting.We’re expecting in April and thought it would be a good time to get active.
Looking forward to gaining knowledge and learning from others.
The lack of sleep is scaring me slightly.
WO
Welcome mate! First thing I’d say is try not to stress about it, easier said than done though I know!! Becoming a dad can be a very daunting experience (it was for me too), and I’d be lying if I said it was without challenges, but it’s so utterly rewarding that those challenges will pass before you know it.
Lack of sleep and rest can be tricky, it’s just important that you find a way that you and your partner can support each other and overcome it together. Sleeping when the baby sleeps will help you recharge, and try to ignore the urge to get other stuff done in these times if you’re struggling for rest.
If you haven’t already checked them out, the dadsnet Facebook group is an incredible resource if you have questions or need some help, so are the local groups!
You’ve got this! April will come in a blink of an eye, and you’ll look back and wonder what you were worried about! ?
Hi all
I am new registered to the forum but been reading it for a while
french Dad of elliot 15 monthAvail the best convection microwave oven in india with 100 % good quality buy now! best microwave convection oven
Hi All
My name is Ian, and i’m due to be a Dad in June, to our first. I found the group through the podcast Don’t tell your mum, its brilliant!! I would really appreciate some advice.
I have successfully gained a place on a PE PGCE, starting in August, 3 months after our baby is born!!
TBH i am sh*tt*ing being a Dad, but extremely excited. The PGCE will put certain pressures on me and my family, which I’m not sure its fair to do – these are in no particular order!
1) Financial – I will only get certain loans and grants to help, which may (we’re still working through budgets) put a strain on us. TBH my wife has been saving like a trooper to cover her gap in maternity pay. I feel guilty as potentially doing this its not fair to her and will destroy the plans she’s had i.e. more time at home, using our savings for the baby and not to keep us afloat etc.
2) Family – There is going to be a lot of study in this course. My wife will need me and so will my baby. Is it fair that I do this? Will I miss out on special moments :-(
3) Mental health – I’ve suffered in the past with work related stress and am scared what this will do to me. If i do it, I feel there is no going back and I will have to carry on because I have a son and wife to look after!So you’re prob a) switched off this, because the message is long b) thinking why the hell does he want to do this? Well
1) I want to give back and have a job where I actually feel valued – I don’t get that in my current industry and have tried to carve a career for 10 years, be happy and on a decent salary. Honestly I’ve tried so hard in my industry :-( :-( I’ve also wanted to do this for a very long time and actually been accepted at last. PE is an extremely competitive PGCE where you’re often in competition with 300 other candidates for a place on the course!
2) Its short term pain for long term gain – Within a year I should be back salary wise where I am now, I hopefully will be happy at work and ill be in an industry which is fairly secure. I would hope to climb the scale quicker as well
3) My wife is teacher, so in theory we would have exactly the same holidays! I have to take the same holidays as her anyway.Thank you to anyone who replies x
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Hey I’m Tom from the West Midlands, we have our first child on the way with the due date of December the 31st! 12 weeks scans now out the way we’ve let friends and family know (parents knew from 8 weeks). Found dadsnet from the brilliant Loose Dads podcast. Bit of a tech lover so i’ve already spent too much time reading up on various gadgets and nursery furniture. Handy that we’re in the middle of renovation most of the house so once we know the sex we can fully decorate.
Hello all!
Been looking for a mumsnet equivalent since my daughter was born (she is now five y.o.) and
have posted on the dadsnet space within Mumsnet…I think this site is looking quite healthy (not a deadzone like the above space)!
I look forward to posting and reading a few things… Better late than never :)
Francesco, Aberdeen
Hi all,
Tom from Sheffield here. New dad, 2 week old girl. Finding things tough right now, but I’m determined to give her as much of me as I can.
Looking forward to hopefully getting to know some dads and open up about some of the challenges, highs and lows.
Hey congrats, hope everything is going well.I am currently finding my feet with a 3week old. How’s your experience of the pregnancy and aftercare? Because for me I’ve been treated at best like I’m not even there, at worst like I’m a threat (the practice midwife literally asked my partner if I was abusing her when I came to one of her).
Hi All,
Thank you for accepting me into your community. my reason for joining is in hope to discuss and listen to dads in a similar position to myself.
A Background on me:
I am a 30 year old dad of 2 amazing boys, I work full time, study part time and have 50% (if not more) contribution into my sons lives, this covers financial support, education, development, and above all TIME. since the separation between me and my wife 2 years ago I have found the struggle to be ever increasing to continue to keep it together.My current situation is that I live between 3 houses (2x friends and 1 Family). I feel there is minimal if any support for fathers in my position. I have applied for a council property and have been put at the bottom of the pile and only allowed to seek a studio or one bedroom property, as you can imagine this has created major upset for me and resulted in my taking my case to the local MP in seek of answers to the lack of support given to full time working dads.
I have been reluctant to but am thinking about a GoFundMe page to help -yes myself but also others in my situation get into stable housing so that we can continue to be role models to our kids and have the space to develop there brilliant minds and create long lasting memories.
Any friend, inputs & support would be great as this is a project that I have been perusing entirely on my own.
Keep it strong fellow fathers, remember your awesome and together we will eliminate the long standing mentality of ‘part time fathers’
Hi I Terry, Dad to Ella who’s 3weeks old. At the moment I’m puzzled because she’s currently losing her birth hair (and she was born very very hairy), but there’s no sign of hair anywhere in the flat. And it’s jet black too, that stuff should stick out like a man at a hen doo. Where’s the hair gone ?
Hey guys! Just signed up and here to introduce myself.
My name is Mike, I’m a single dad with full custody of my 2 year old son. I live in north west England and in addition to being dad, I also work full-time (remotely). I’ve recently started sharing my experiences and perspective as a single dad doing it alone online under the name ‘The Solo Dad’ as I’ve found there is very, very little out there for dads in my position. I’d love to chat with any other dads out there in the same boat as me.
Hey everyone,
I’m Steve my wife and I are expecting our first baby in 6 weeks time. We are having a little boy and providing we don’t change our mind we plan to call him Austin Harper (the names were taken from our grandmothers maiden names).
We are in the process of buying our first house too so any time saving tips on redecorating would be much appreciated.
Look forward to hearing from you all.
Steve
Hi,
I am Sam.
A Background on me:
I am a 42 year old dad of 2 beautiful girls, I work full time, and have 80% (if not more) contribution into my daughters lives, this covers financial support, education, development etc. since the separation between me and my wife 4 months ago who has relocated 230 miles away with my daughters without any application the court or my knowledge and agreement.My current situation is that I live in family home. The mother currently living in overcrowded accommodation in her mothers flat. My children have moved to one of the poorest areas in the UK. The last hearing was a couple of days ago. The judge ordered a section 7 report to be done by CAFCASS which is going to take up to 14 weeks by which time the next Dispute Resolution Appointment the children will continue in their new schools where they started in May 2022. I am currently a litigant in person and need a recommendation of a family solicitor, ideally in London as this is where the mother is residing and hearings taking place in London.
Any positive experiences with family solicitors in London from dads would be appreciated as I need to get a family solicitor on board immediately.
Many thanks
Hi
I am Richard, I have a stepdaughter aged 8 nearly 9 she is great most of the time. We also have a 2 year old.
Currently, we are having huge issues with eating. Our 8 year old really struggles to eat a meal she could take over an hour to eat something as simple as fish fingers, mash and beans. Does anyone else have this?
The two year old is also digressing and was doing really well feeding herself and now she has stopped and is refusing to feed herself after a few mouthfuls. Did anyone else go through this?
Hi. My name is Leo and im 13 from gothenburg, i hope its okey that im here, i live with my mom and never met my dad. I feel like talking to someone who maybe can be like a rolemodel n someone to look up to, i always knew i was gay but im scared of telling my friends and family, i often cry myself to sleep and want someone to talk to and give me advice n guidence.
Love, Leo
Helloo
I’m charly, 29, from Norfolk and have 4 year old pain in the ass.
I feel like I’m getting better at this dad stuff (the dad jokes are definitely getting worse).
I’ve come to learn we only want bigger gardens because it takes more time to mow it back.
I’ve come to see how others are doing, exchange ideas of activities and listen to others if you need it.
Thanks allGood evening
I’m 42, a married father of three wonderful children we were very blessed to receive. I’m married to my wife now for 19 years after meeting her 22 years ago. My wife is no. one in my life, she is the life-giver of our family. We had a tricky start being told we’d never have children together due to some shortfalls diagnosed with both of us, so very pleased to be parents for each of our beautiful surprises we made together – we were euphoric when the third popped in there shortly before I arranged an appointment for the bricks.
Neither my wife nor I had an easy time of things. Both of us have ongoing, intermittent mental health issues we’ve dealt with since our teens and generationally imposed social pressures from older family and friends. I almost lost my life due to an accident in my teens and my wife is predisposed with a condition which doesn’t help any woman. She achieved so much by herself in the last ten years which benefitted all of us, with so much effort and passion, it changed our lives unmeasurably.
We live with very little and as a benefit not only to us but our children, we learn a wealth in practical abilities, self-sufficiency and personal help.
I would like to help if I can. I’m a husband and father first but I have abilities in: mechanics, plumbing, electrics, building, interior design, computers, programming, business analytics, accounting, AI, ML, art, playtime with our children (though they’re getting a bit old for that now), baking, cooking, horse-husbandry, etc. and probably a whole lot more. The last one is a bit odd but you can ask about that later.
The point I want to make is that I would like to help and ask for some advice in return, hopefully making something better for someone else.
Thanks
Me
Hopefully this forum isn’t run by mumsnet.com woke lot, pleasuring yourself with a cheese grater more fun.
No interest in hearing that climate change and wanting to be Male Heterosexual in a rainbow mentally ill world is wrong.
As a dinosaur I want to look after my family and drink a beer in moderation.
I came from mumsnet too after wrong assumptions were made by a couple of quite tenaciously vicious characters who seemed to have too much time on their hands to belittle something they hadn’t even tried to discover the details of beforehand. Judged before given a chance.
I’m glad to welcome you, as a new member myself to what I hope, is a friendly and supportive place to express yourself and gain suitable advice should you need it.
There’s WOKE and there’s WOKE. I consider myself WOKE in that I am aware and understanding of social injustices, but I won’t attempt to impose my own personal beliefs on others – I would rather understand and help if I can.
Mr D…you sound like an absolute chief!
Anyway I’m 8 weeks into being a first time dad. Sleep is a rare commodity these days… Been to work after 8 weeks of paternity next week. Any advice on getting the little one to sleep through appreciated. Currently 3-4 hours at a time
Hi Andy,
Well We have an 11 year old, a 15 Yr old and shockingly after thinking we were over the hill, currently it appears number 3 is developing after 8 years of trying-boom one month of medication changes and B12 injections.
(both absolutely amazing and slightly terrifying at our age in our 40’s)My suggestions are keep to a routine and make time for yourself as parents and accept help from close trustworthy family members.
Be kind to your partner and yourself as sleep deprived, take a deep breath if your feeling stressed and avoid conflict due to the sleep deprivation.
Sometimes a parent sitter is what we had, we went to bed and had grandparents in same house watching baby or an hour on a date at local cafe or similar 10 minutes down the road-but keeping relationship and communication etc going.
We have a weekly family meeting, there is an item to hold and the person talks in turn-we have a planner and chores.
?
Hi Andy
I only offer my experience and can’t give you the right answer for your situation.
I remember being a first-time dad well. Not to bore you with those details – my brief was: a four week premmy, working full-time, my wife with considerable detachment syndrome and post-natal depression. I spent most nights ’til 4am bottle-feeding while working overtime from home then going to the office for 8am and getting back home at 6pm, I had two weeks paternity leave most of it with calls from the office for support, but did most of it from home.
I’m sure I did it wrong and in hindsight would change a lot. What I learnt far too late was: keep communication with your partner as open as possible, do not take criticism negatively and control your emotional urges to react to them, they only exacerbate an already volatile environment. You have a lot to deal with but she has had so much more already with much physical and emotional change in such a short space of time. Be gentle.
You both need space to unwind, you both need time together to embrace and strengthen your relationship for the benefit of your child and your own sanity. Take every opportunity to get rest, but work on it together, work out how you both deal with your own time or time together, it’s a trickly balancing act and remember she is recovering and will do for some time yet despite a desire to put more effort into family life, she needs a lot of support to do it. That may put extra pressure on you to support her but you will both benefit sooner the more effort you put in to it now.
With the crying, this is a natural reaction to uncomforted stimulus – waking up and not having interaction from someone. If you react every time to crying, this can backfire however, be aware of changes in their cries – a higher pitch, a more pained cry or scream could mean something a little more uncomfortable like cholic. Our first suffered cholic and we found gripe water to be more effective than Infacol, but it’s best to speak to a health professional about it first if you think there are problems. Often too, regular wind can be mistaken for cholic, so make sure they’re relaxed and winded well after feeding, dry and clean before bed. We were given mixed advice on how to position our babies when in the cot, but I would suggest taking the current advice suggested to you by health professionals.
Keep a regular routine which is calming not just for your baby but for all involved. I did all the bathing for our first and found that quiet talking to them whilst doing it was more soothing than just going through the motions, even with no sleep. It also cheered me up and I would come up with some rather bizarre routines to entertain them.
You’re in a period of trial and error to find out what works for all of you. Stay calm and as Mr D says, be kind to yourself and your partner, keep trying routines you know work. Don’t change too much too quickly though if you think something else will work better, we’re all learning all the time, so making small changes which work are what you’re looking for.
I think I’m in a similar position to Mr D, we have three – 17, 16 and nine, we’re only just in our early forties, though I think with more limited support from family. Scheduling time for you-time, intimate time and family time is great if you can do it and from experience I wish I had sooner.
Keep talking, keep learning and be patient.
Congratulations on your new role as a dad! It’s indeed a challenging but rewarding journey. As you navigate through these early weeks, establishing a consistent bedtime routine can work wonders. Consider incorporating activities like a warm bath, a gentle lullaby, or reading a bedtime story to create a soothing environment. Also, try to keep nighttime feedings calm and dimly lit to signal that it’s time to sleep.
When my Emily was little, she enjoyed being comforted by my touch. Gentle touches and cuddles, like stroking her back, created a sense of security and warmth.
I wish you to discover your own method for soothing your little one to sleep.
Morning all.
My name is Bill, living in nr Basingstoke Hampshire. A school run Dad to 2 daughters and professional pooch mooches with the spaniel Eric, and devoted husband to Emily.
Thought i would join dadsnet as if been watching thinking of it for a while but only now decided to join…… i know what a fool.
Whats the best bit about dadsnet?
Where abouts are you all?Hi
Bill
Hey new here, know idea how to even start my post, but to cut a very long story short I don’t live with my son, he’s 8 I see him every other weekend and in the week.
I absolutely love being a dad, I feel its why I was put on this earth ( cheeky I know ) but I’ve never known what I wanted career wise, once my son was born I’d found something that I realised I needed in my life how ever I’ve found it tough being away from him I was diagnosed with depression about 3 years ago because I was away from him.My son has always been polite no trouble at all until last week when he called me a TWAT I’ve never heard him swear, like ever it took Me by surprise and he had a meltdown about the boys in his football team trying to pinch his ball and he called them fucking idiots, I took him out of the training session and took him home and spoke to him on the way home and told him he needs to talk about things on his mind, I spoke to his mum and she said they’ve had a lot of change recently at hers and he’s just lashed out at me….however and his is the point in my post. I’ve recently found out my current gf who I’ve been with 4 years Is pregnant and I’m worried how the change in my life is going to impact my son, can any one lend some advice that have been in the same situation ?
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