Some days, being a dad feels like trying to assemble flat-pack furniture with half the screws missing and a toddler eating the instructions. That’s probably why I’ve fallen so heavily into dad podcasts over the last couple of years. There’s something comforting about sticking my headphones in and hearing other parents admit that they’re just as confused, exhausted and emotionally tangled as I am.
They’ve become little pockets of sanity for me. Sometimes I want something light-hearted and ridiculous to break the mood. Sometimes I need reassurance that I’m not the only one questioning whether I’m doing a decent job. And sometimes I want advice, perspective or just the sense that I’m part of a wider club of dads trying to get it right. What I love is that each of these podcasts offers something genuinely different – from the cathartic honesty to the proper laugh-out-loud moments to the deeper emotional conversations you don’t always get around to having in real life.
These are the dad podcasts that have stuck with me. They cover different angles, different moods and different stages of fatherhood, but they all feel like they’re speaking from a real place. If you’re looking for something to listen to on the commute, during a late-night feed or while hiding in the kitchen for five minutes’ peace, these are my go-tos.
Parenting Hell
Parenting Hell is probably the closest thing you’ll get to a universal dad language in podcast form. Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe have turned the daily grind of family life into something genuinely uplifting, simply by talking about it with the kind of honesty most of us only share with close mates. It’s messy, chaotic, warm and deeply relatable, which explains why so many of us keep going back to it.
What I like is how unfiltered it feels. They swing effortlessly between comedy and vulnerability, which is exactly what real parenting looks like. One minute they’re tearing into the latest disastrous school run or a night of broken sleep, and the next they’re talking openly about anxiety, guilt or the pressure of trying to balance work and family. It never feels forced, and it never slips into the kind of smug “parenting expert” territory that so much family content falls into. They’re just two dads trying their best, laughing at themselves and letting the rest of us laugh along with them.
It’s also packed with brilliant guests – celebrities who, once you remove the PR gloss, are just other knackered parents surviving the same emotional rollercoaster as the rest of us. The listener stories are a big part of the charm too: unhinged, heartfelt, occasionally horrifying entries that make you feel instantly better about your own household. Parenting Hell is the podcast equivalent of a night down the pub where everyone admits they’re winging it and suddenly everything feels much lighter.
The Parenting Tools Podcast
The Parenting Tools Podcast has a very different energy – calmer, more reflective and very much centred on the slightly bewildered but well-intentioned dad trying to keep things moving in the right direction. Jason and Jordan speak with the tone of two friends who’ve only recently realised they’re responsible for actual human beings and are doing their best to make sense of it all. It’s the kind of show that feels like a gentle check-in each week rather than loud entertainment.
There’s something refreshingly normal about these two. They talk about things most dads live with every day but don’t always voice out loud: the low-level guilt that hovers over everything, the pressure to stay patient, the anxiety about whether you’re handling a situation the right way, or the creeping worry that everyone else is coping better. Rather than trying to solve anything, they explore it in a way that feels open and reassuring. Their chemistry makes the more serious topics approachable, and their sense of humour steps in at the right moments without overshadowing anything.
What stands out is how grounded the conversations are. They’re dads with regular jobs, regular worries and the same lack of sleep as the rest of us. They don’t pretend to have the answers, but they’re good company while you try to figure them out yourself. If Parenting Hell is chaos and laughter, Parenting Tools is the cup of tea afterwards when you quietly admit, “Yeah… this is harder than I expected.”
DadPod UK
DadPod UK has a lively, matey feel to it that makes it instantly engaging. Hosted by Natty, Chris, Bobby and Will, it brings together four dads who each have slightly different family setups, approaches and challenges. The result is a lot of conversation, plenty of banter and a surprisingly wide range of perspectives, all wrapped up in a warm, distinctly British tone.
What I enjoy most is how each host brings something different to the table. One might be navigating the mayhem of younger kids while another is dealing with older children and everything that comes with that stage. They don’t shy away from the realities either: tech battles, school pressures, shifting family roles, work–life balance, late-night worries. It’s the kind of podcast where you can go from laughing at something wildly familiar to nodding along seriously in the space of a few minutes.
It also manages to hit that sweet spot between entertainment and genuine reflection. The group dynamic means they’re always bouncing off each other, but they’re not afraid to dive deeper when a topic calls for it, especially around dad identity, expectations and how fatherhood changes your relationships. It feels like joining a conversation between good mates who are honest enough to admit what they’re struggling with as well as what they’re proud of.
DadPod UK is a great listen if you want something that feels relaxed and social, but still rooted in the real day-to-day experiences of modern fatherhood.
The Dad Cave Podcast
The Dad Cave Podcast is a bit different from the others because it isn’t an ongoing show – it was created by Care for the Family as a self-contained series with a clear purpose. Rather than entertainment or weekly updates, it’s designed as a resource for dads who want space to think about their mental health, relationships and the pressures that build quietly around fatherhood. Even though they don’t record new episodes anymore, the conversations hold up because they were never chasing trends in the first place.
What sets it apart is the tone. It’s calm, thoughtful and grounded, almost more like sitting in a workshop session than listening to a casual chat. The hosts and guests spend time unpacking things that dads often brush past: the strain of trying to be the steady one, the guilt that creeps in when you feel you’re falling short, the money worries, and the challenge of keeping communication open when you’re both stretched thin. There’s a sincerity to it that makes you slow down a little and actually take in what’s being said.
It’s also one of the few dad-focused podcasts that openly acknowledges the different roles father figures can take in blended families or more complex situations. The conversations are delivered with real care and without judgement. While the other podcasts I listen to help me laugh, vent or feel understood, The Dad Cave helps me pause and think. It’s a valuable series precisely because it isn’t trying to entertain – it’s trying to support, and it does that really well.
Dad Still Standing
Dad Still Standing is easily the most personal one on this list for me. I found it after my partner had a miscarriage, at a time when I didn’t really know what to do with the emotional mess I was carrying around. Hosted by Liam Preston and Matt Dearsley, both bereaved dads themselves, it’s a podcast that doesn’t flinch away from the pain, confusion and silence that often surrounds baby loss. Instead, it offers something I desperately needed at the time: two men speaking openly about an experience most dads aren’t encouraged to talk about at all.
The conversations are incredibly honest, but in a way that feels safe and grounding rather than overwhelming. Liam and Matt talk about grief in its rawest form, but they also explore the long tail of it – how it affects your relationship, your sense of self, your future and even the way you move through everyday life. They bring in guests whose experiences are different from their own, which makes the podcast feel broad and inclusive rather than limited to one type of story.
What I appreciate is that they never rush to tidy anything up. There’s no pressure to find silver linings or wrap things up neatly. They allow space for anger, confusion, numbness and the points where you simply don’t know what to do next. It’s an emotional listen, but an incredibly important one. For any dad who’s had to navigate loss, or who wants to understand what that journey looks like for others, this podcast offers a rare sense of solidarity.
The Dad Edge
The Dad Edge sits in a category of its own. It’s more structured, more intentional and more self-improvement-focused than anything else I listen to. Hosted by Larry Hagner, it’s built around the idea that dads can actively work on becoming better partners, better fathers and more grounded versions of themselves. It’s American, but don’t let that put you off – the themes are universal and the conversations often hit closer to home than expected.
Larry’s style is direct and earnest. He talks about discipline, communication, emotional control, marriage, personal growth and the parts of fatherhood most of us handle quietly in the background. Rather than leaning on comedy or casual conversation, he brings in experts, authors, psychologists and other dads to break down practical approaches to parenting and relationships. It’s the podcast I turn to when I’m feeling a bit stuck and want a push in the right direction.
What keeps me coming back is how actionable it feels. You leave each episode with something to try – a new way to handle a difficult moment, a better way to talk to your partner, a challenge to look at your own habits, or even just permission to let go of something that’s been weighing you down. It’s definitely a different tone from the more laid-back podcasts on this list, but that’s exactly why it deserves a spot. When you want to level up a bit and put the work in, this is the one that helps you do it.