2 Dads 1 Car

"Seek to understand before being understood"- Ricky Cunningham Hello friends! I am very excited to introduce my friend Ricky, an entrepreneur who grew up in Jamaica and made his living in Canada and is a proud loving father of a preteen son and daughter. In this episode, we discuss how Ricky's experience growing up with an absent father impacted his fatherhood journey and mindset, his navigation of being twice married with kids, and lastly, how he balances the time vs money and discipline dichotomy with raising his family.  Thank you for joining us in this episode of 2 Dads 1 Car. Podcast Guest: Ricky Cunningham  Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Editor: En-Li Su 

“Not everyone is playing in the same sandbox” - Brandon Jang  Hello friends! Welcome to this episode of 2 Dads 1 Car. Today, we have a special guest and best friend I’ve known since kindergarten, Brandon Jang! In this podcast, Brandon will be sharing his journey of becoming a parent at 38 through IVF and the process and procedures it took for him and his partner to reach there. I hope you find this episode eye opening as I did!  Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: Brandon Jang  Podcast Editor: En-Li Su

Seven Grandfathers – love, respect, honesty, humility, bravery, wisdom, and truth.” -Angeline Boulley  Hello friends! I am so excited to introduce you my friend and executive coach with over 20 years of experience, Karey , to my podcast! Karey is one of my more senior podcast guests in his 60s with three adult children in their 30s!  In this episode, we will examine the evolving changes of fatherhood through the lens and wisdom of an executive coach, discussing how parenting boundaries change and evolve from children growing into adults and helping others be grounded in their own wisdom. Thank you so much for joining us for this episode! Podcast Guest: Karey VanBuren Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Editor: En-Li Su 

"Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it".- Lou Holtz  Hey everybody, welcome to another episode of 2 Dads 1 Car where we talk about modern fatherhood. My friends, I'm going to be bringing on board a very, very long-time friend of mine. We've known each other since grade 10 and went to three schools together, Brian Cheng! Brian is a proud father of a 10 month-year-old son and in today's episode, we will be exploring the challenges and joys of fatherhood in areas of navigating sleep deprivation, differing parenting philosophies and work responsibilities, and most importantly how staying flexible and rolling with the punches keeping one's eyes on the bigger picture makes the journey of fatherhood much easier. This will be the last episode released this year, happy holidays and Merry Christmas to all my listeners out there, and may you have a great time with your children, families, and friends!

“Conflict is good in a negotiation process... it's the clash of two ideas, which then, all being well, produces a third idea.” -Luke Roberts  Greetings friends! Today I am very excited to introduce my friend Darren, who is a proud father of three boisterous children and also, a police officer!  In our episode, we will be exploring how Darren navigates his schedules and family tasks with his partner in shift work as a cop, how he and his partner work on conflict resolution with his children, and lastly finding strategies for him and his partner to be able to carve times for themselves to build quality time for rest and for growth.  We also discussed how Darren found his unique parenting style in not trying to do what “mom” does in areas such as making breakfast, but finding a unique rhythm and pattern where he can parent his three kids his way while learning to give grace to his children and his partner from his work.  I hope this podcast can enrich your parenting experience and enhance your toolkits in your parenting skills!  Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: Darren Wong Podcast Editor: En-Li Su

“Fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man.” -Frank Pittman Today we have a special guest who is a bit different from our other guests. While my regular podcasts interview fathers and their unique challenges and perspectives on being a father, my friend James is a father-to-be. In this episode James and I discuss the unique challenges prior to being a father, such as the struggles couples face in getting pregnant, how to build healthy communications with one's partner through emotional check-ins, and most importantly, how to build a supportive community for the parenthood journey. In addition to our discussion, we also explored different parenting styles and expectations based on our own experiences with our respective upbringings. I hope you find this episode insightful to your fatherhood journey and planning and find a sense of connection that you are not alone on this journey, but father growing together as fathers in the community. One cannot be a perfect father, but the process of fatherhood helps one become a better father. Credits: Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: James Thomson Podcast Editor: En-Li Su

“Let me be as a feather. Strong with purpose yet light at heart, able to bend. And, tho I might become frayed, able to pull myself together again.” – Anita Sams Hi friends! I would like to introduce you all today to my friend and ballroom dance instructor Joel! He is a father of two daughters in grade 6 and grade 8.  Today in our podcast we will be exploring the challenges and learning curves of parenting approaches in relationship building and parenting, learning from Joel’s experiences in how one hammer approach may work for one child but the feather approach may be more suitable for the other.  Through trial and error, tears and fights, and seeking professional help, Joel and his partner were able to reflect upon their own parental upbringing and approaches that were not the healthiest way and learn how to accommodate their child’s needs in their unique way where they feel loved, supported, and cared for.  The three questions we will be exploring today are:  1: How does one navigate parenting styles when it comes to discipline? What worked and didn’t work?  2: How does one carve out space and priorities between being a father and a dance instructor? 3: What is something one can look forward to in the next chapter of fatherhood?  I hope you’re able to find some valuable takeaways from our conversation and find the best parenting approach that can fully support your children. See you next time!  Credits:  Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: Joel Marasigan Podcast Editor: En-Li Su 

"The thing about parenting rules is there aren't any. That's what makes it so difficult."-Ewan McGregor  If the renowned actor for Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi finds parenting challenging, how much harder will it be for us mere Padawans who are new to the lifelong occupation called parenting?  In today’s episode, I am inviting my dear friend Justin from my self-development group “Mastermind” to share his thoughts and experiences as a father of two children (baby #2 coming soon!) In this episode, we will be exploring these three key questions: 1: What does it mean to be a parent? 2: How can parents create opportunities for their children to grow in their passions and interests? 3: What values can a parent teach their child inside and outside of the home? 4: How to set healthy boundaries to raise a child?  I hope this episode can give you and your partner parenting insight for you and your families as we navigate this new life stage as parents, working together to give your children the opportunity to shine whenever they go. Credits: Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: Justin Mulholland Podcast Editor: En-Li Su

"We have to welcome, accommodate and support a wider range of 'normal', and only then will we benefit from the extraordinary difference these diverse minds can bring"- Roxanne Hobbs When we think about neurodiversity, one has to look at the world through the lens of those who see the world through a different lens. I am proud to introduce today's speaker and my good friend Dave Namkung to the show! Dave is a pillar and a legend in the BC community: working as a he's a lawyer and a recruiter running his own company. In addition to running his own business, he is also a big advocate in supporting the disability community as his son was born neurodiverse with autism on the spectrum. Dave's story is really unique in his self-reflection, changes in his ableist mindset, and the action plans he and his partner took to ensure their son has the best support as possible to thrive as a neurodiverse child. Some key questions covered in this episode: How much time does one prioritize one’s child?  How does one manage expectations as a parent? What are some ways to build a supporting environment for neurodiverse children?  How does one balance homeschooling and social life with friends and family? How does one stay healthy and resilient to take care of one’s family?  I hope you find Dave's journey of fatherhood in parenting a neurodiverse child with autism and a story that continues to inspire and motivate you as it has inspired me! Credits: Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: Dave Namkung Podcast Editor: En-Li Su

“If parenthood came with a GPS it would mostly just say: RECALCULATING” ~Amy Rees Anderson As a young father raising my own daughter, listening to Scott’s story has left a deep impact on me. Scott has lived and worked across several countries, raising his children cross-culturally in Canada, India, Vietnam, and the USA as a teacher. After experiencing a lot of challenges during COVID-19, Scott decided to leave the field of education and pursue the life he wanted to live: a full-time creative.  As a creative, Scott produces and writes his own music. In addition to making a living out of his passion, he’s grown out his hair and got a tattoo. Despite the social for him as a single father, Scott is actively taking the steps to live a life that is true to himself. Despite the difficulty navigating life as a single father, juggling new changes in his professional and personal life, I am constantly inspired by Scott's drive to improve the quality of life for himself and his children. If you are facing challenges as a single parent, I strongly encourage you to listen to Scott’s journey of growth and self-discovery. Parenting doesn’t have a straight path with one direction, but a process of constant recalculation. As long as we continue to love our children, we can give them maps and compasses to navigate this beautiful and complex journey called life. Credits: Podcast Host: Steven Ngo Podcast Guest: Scott Hsu Podcast Editor: En-Li Su