Mental Health Archives - DILF (Dad I'd Like To FRIEND)

Nonprofit Launches to Champion Inclusive Parental Support (Release)

fixxer — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 01:52:53 +0000

Nonprofit “All Parents Welcome” Launches with a Mission to Disrupt Parenting Culture and Champion Inclusive Parental Support
Organization debuts with Dads Supporting Dads Community

[Culver City, CA] — All Parents Welcome (APW), a new 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has officially launched with a bold mission: To reshape the modern parenting experience by building strong, inclusive communities that support all parents — regardless of how they arrived at parenthood. Through education, research, and community-building, APW is committed to advancing care equity, improving the mental health of parents, and ensuring that every parent feels seen, supported and celebrated.

In order to achieve its goal, APW aims to build tailored support systems for often underserved parenting communities — including, but not limited to: non-birthing parents (i.e. adoptive parents, LGBTQ+ parents, those who used surrogacy, and dads), blended families, single parents, and parents of children with disabilities.

First up, Fathers: APW’s first initiative is Dads Supporting Dads, uniting three leading fatherhood organizations, DILF (Dad I’d Like to… Friend), a top-ranking podcast, which reached #6 on Apple’s parenting charts last season, Fathering Together, an organization with over 130k members combined in their thriving Facebook communities such as Dads with Daughters and Dads with Sons, and City Dads Group, a local in-person meetups with thousands of engaged dads’ groups across the country. Together, these organizations form one of the largest and most engaged fatherhood networks in the country — offering meaningful connection, resources, and support to dads from all walks of life.

”Fatherhood comes with its own unique challenges, and while some minimal support exists, the knowledge and encouragement needed to become truly engaged, thriving co-parents is sorely lacking,” said Kevin Seldon, founder of All Parents Welcome. “I am thrilled for APW to build upon the incredible foundations laid by these pioneering fatherhood organizations in order to build a community with resources to better support dads, so they can better support their partners, their children, and themselves.”

Dads Supporting Dads launches with a WhatsApp-based community, which already includes 1,500 actively engaged dads across the U.S., and beyond. The network has grown rapidly to include more than 30 local groups, along with specialized communities for New Dads, Sober Dads, Dads of Kids with Disabilities, Divorced/Divorcing Dads, and Stay-at-Home Dads — with even more groups launching in response to evolving needs and interests.

Additionally, APW will be releasing Dads Supporting Dads first book: The DILF (Dad I’d Like To… Friend) Handbook: A New Dad’s Guide to Overcoming the Most Common Myths of Parenthood. Launching this fall, the handbook will provide honest insights, practical tools to thrive as an actively-engaged co-parent, and mental health support tailored to the unique experiences of modern fatherhood.

Launching Dads Supporting Dads is just the beginning, APW will continue with an ongoing expansion to strengthen support systems and expand resources for parents across multiple verticals, including original research studies in partnership with NYU that will explore the experiences and similarities between non-birthing parents.

“We believe that one of the best ways to raise well-balanced, kind and loving kids is to better support their parents,” added Seldon. “By uplifting often-overlooked parent communities, we’re laying the groundwork for a more inclusive parenting culture — one where every family, no matter how it’s built, has access to the tools, knowledge, and support they need to thrive.”

To learn more or get involved, visit www.AllParentsWelcome.org

For press Inquiries, contact press@allparentswelcome.org

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All Parents Welcome

All Parents Welcome (APW) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to reshaping the parenting experience by creating a conversation around parenthood that truly supports all parents — no matter how they arrived at their parenting journey. From adoption and surrogacy to single parenthood, blended families, LGBTQ+ parents, and parents of children with disabilities, APW is committed to advancing care equity and ensuring every parent feels seen, supported, and celebrated. The organization takes a three-pronged approach to building parenting verticals, focusing on support systems, resource hubs, and original content. Through education, research, and community-building, APW is working to build a more inclusive, compassionate, and empowering future for parents everywhere.

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Dads Supporting Dads (DILF Quick Hit)

Admin — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 07:05:00 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/67ee151802e789100f4f5ac5/media.mp3

In this DILF Quick Hit, host Kevin Seldon provides an exciting update on a new partnership between DILF and City Dads Group to build a new supportive and welcoming dad community on WhatsApp — including a growing list of localized dad groups across the United States, as well as a number of specialized global dad groups from “Dads with Kids 5 & Under” and “Divorce(ing)d Dads” to “Sober Dads.”

Join us today at https://chat.CityDadsGroup.com

Most importantly, as always, we just want you to know that in whatever you are dealing with on the parenting front, you are not alone.

// If this episode was helpful to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// For questions, comments, or future topic suggestions, DM us on Instagram ->@DILFpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Looking for more Support as a Parent?

Admin — Thu, 25 Jul 2024 20:18:52 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/66a2b32cf8044f8b299503e7/media.mp3

DILF host, Kevin Seldon, provides an update on our upcoming third season, and announces the launch of a new nonprofit called ALL PARENTS WELCOME (APW) — a global coalition of parents working to create more support and inclusivity within parenting culture. To learn more about APW or to sign up to join the coalition, visit https://join.apw.ngo

Kevin also discusses what he’s been working on since the end of DILF season 2 — the creation of new book: a sanity-saving guide to better support the new dads, providing the tools needed to become the type of actively-engaged, emotionally-evolved parent that every partner and child needs and deserves. SO, if you’re a new or expectant parent, or a dad who could have ever used more support, or a mom who wishes your partner had more resources to better support you and themselves… this is your opportunity to make that a reality for new parents across the globe with 100% of net proceeds donated back to APW. To contribute (every little bit helps), visit https://daffy.apw.ngo

// If this episode was helpful or informative to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// For questions, comments, or future topic suggestions, DM us on Instagram ->@DILFpodcast

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Surviving Infertility (a father’s journey)

Admin — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 19:53:59 +0000

With National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) upon us, I wanted to take a moment to share a personal story for those presently struggling with infertility, or as a reminder for those in the parenting trenches of how our greatest resources are often the ones standing right in front of us.

For as long as I can remember, I had a plan. A family plan. I know it may sound foreign for a man to openly express this, but it’s not actually as rare as many might think. Deep down, I always knew that becoming a father was one of the main reasons I was put on this earth. I yearned for the opportunity to watch proudly with my partner-in-crime as our child did something unexpected that left us simultaneously amazed and terrified. For all my past missteps to be transformed into amusing bedtime stories with an overly-simplified, 80s sitcom-like moral at the end. I could already picture the three of us walking hand-in-hand on the beach at sunset as a passerby whispers: What an attractive family.

Unfortunately, after a year of pregnancy test disappointments, my wife and I realized that the plan might not be as simple to achieve as previously estimated. And then, as anyone dealing with infertility could probably predict, I changed. I slowly began to go in my own head as I quietly obsessed about how great our lives would be… if we could only get pregnant.

Three more years passed as we struggled with further failed attempts. It was heart-wrenching. I tried throwing myself into work, but often struggled to find the passion that had made my work fulfilling in the past. I attempted to pack our social calendar to the point of exhaustion. I put on a smile, as I watched our friends have their first babies… and for some, second and third. But behind closed doors, I was falling into a deep depression as those same friends who used to say, “it’s only a matter of time” began making awkward statements like: “maybe it’s just not in the cards.” Or even worse, avoiding the topic entirely. But who could blame them? We had made absolutely no apparent progress. For the first time in my life, I began to question if dreams actually come true.

Looking back, I think one of the hardest parts of the experience was that as the non-birthing partner (even one with a lifelong dream of becoming a parent), not once did anyone ask me how I was feeling — not my friends, not my family, not my wife… not even me. And I get it. It almost felt selfish. I saw how much my wife was struggling. How could I think about myself?!

I should have known that bottled up feelings help absolutely no one, and usually end up creating much more chaos down the line, but you know what they say about hindsight. I think some part of me hoped that all my melancholy would simply evaporate with time. That’s the annoying thing about feelings though, pushing them down only makes them bubble up stronger than ever before and often ends in some form of internal combustion. Mine manifested as a need for control. I slowly transformed into a full-on helicopter husband. I studied what my wife was eating, and how much she was sleeping and exercising — analyzing every aspect of her life. And no surprise, she felt suffocated. I guess I thought getting pregnant would solve everything so the tension I was creating was worth it? But in my desperate attempt to gain some semblance of control over the situation, I was slowly pushing the person closest to me further away.

It wasn’t long before my wife and I felt so lost that we began to contemplate ending our marriage. Luckily, neither of us were willing to give the other up. And then one night, after an extremely tumultuous fight-turned-therapy-session, I broke open. I had spent years encouraging her to discuss her feelings with others, yet I never allowed myself that same space. I confessed how utterly useless I felt. In turn, my wife expressed how much pressure she felt. And then we each admitted how lonely we’d felt throughout the rollercoaster journey thus far – standing beside one another, yet buried in our own heads. Never taking the time to actually communicate what we were feeling with one another… or even ourselves. And with that, the pressure valve released. It seemed we had been ignoring one of the most important factors throughout our fertility journey – each other.

Together, we decided that it was no longer a matter of if we would become parents, but merely a matter of how. We put everything back on the table — from surrogacy to adoption. Yet to our surprise, before we officially dove into any of those options, we found ourselves… pregnant.

The truth is that neither of us can exactly put our finger on what flipped the switch – most likely a perfect storm. Yet, the entire experience opened me up in a way for which I will forever be grateful. It removed the armor that I thought was protecting me, but was actually keeping others at a safe distance. It reopened me to connection rather than hiding behind professional accolades, and… I soon found myself wondering if I was the only one out there who felt this way. That’s when I decided to create a forum to unite moms and dads with honest and inspiring stories of modern parenthood – stories like this that are too often swept under the rug. That concept became a podcast called DILF (DAD I’D LIKE TO… FRIEND), which helped me to not only build a support network of like-minded parents, but also helped me to realize that none of us are ever truly alone… if we exert the energy to let down our guard and truly engage with those around us.

Our baby boy is now almost five years old — equal to the amount of years we struggled to bring him into this world, and my first not-so-simple, 80s sitcom-like moral is finally glaringly clear:

Life does not often offer the easiest and most transparent path, but dreams can come true… if you’re willing to let go of your picture-perfect plan and remember that no matter where your journey leads you, you are not alone.

*As seen on The Good Men Project

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How I Re-Found the JOY in my Life as a Parent

Admin — Sat, 10 Sep 2022 11:51:57 +0000

I fell into a deep depression a few years back as my wife and I struggled to fulfill a lifelong dream of starting a family. It took five years. Five long years of suffering in silence — which unfortunately is not uncommon for either men or women. But as lucky as we were to finally fulfill that dream, the stress and anxiety I experienced did not simply dissipate once we finally got pregnant. (Yes, infertility is hard on men as well). There were five years of struggles, of fights with my wife, of feeling numb and deeply lost. But I did find my way back to myself, back to JOY. And the pandemic had the potential to bring back all of those dark feelings… yet instead, it provided me a life-altering and sustainable opportunity to become the best version of myself.

First, I had to ACKNOWLEDGE what I was feeling… to myself. I had to realize that no matter what I was feeling, I was entitled to those feelings. I had to dig deep and attempt to put a label on them.

Second, I had to find a way to COMMUNICATE those feelings with others – be it a therapist or my partner or a friend. Reaching out to others helped me to realize that I was far from alone.

Lastly, I had to find a way to ENGAGE with something or someone… it’s not about the specifics. It’s about becoming actively invested in something outside of your own head.

For me, it was about engaging with my son. After years of struggling to get pregnant and then struggling as a father to feel connected with my newborn son, I made the decision to fight my depression head on by becoming a stay-at-home dad for the first year of my son’s life. With no one else to rely on, I was forced to step up… and the more I did — the more I became actively invested in spending time with my son — the more I felt like myself again. And then quarantine hit. Luckily, this same skill-set worked to keep me afloat.

But that did not mean I was consistently living in joy because life is stressful. And children are stressful. Balancing life and work and kids and the relationship with your partner and your parents and your friends is A LOT. In my opinion, our only chance of gaining perspective and living in any sense of joy is SELF-CARE. For many, that could mean taking the time to work out or sleep in one day a week. The options are actually endless. Everyone has their own unique path. I chose to put my energy into launching a podcast in order to reach out to other parents and see if I was alone in what I was experiencing. An opportunity to build a community that could unite moms and dads through the common experience of being a human while raising little humans… and not forgetting that we ALL have our own needs to tend to as well.

What started as a side-hobby to connect with other parents and lift me out of my funk, has become a top parenting podcast that I am proud to say has helped not only me, but many other parents to acknowledge and communicate their struggles. These are stressful times for parents, no matter our gender. Let’s face it, being a parent is tough enough — amazing, but also often overwhelming, exhausting, and lonely — but add a year-long quarantine into the mix and it’s no wonder anxiety numbers amongst parents have skyrocketed…

The following is the first episode of our second season: REPRIORITIZING SELF — because taking a moment for yourself does not mean you hate your kids or your partner, it simply means that YOU matter, too!

As we begin to get back to some sense of normalcy, it’s foolish to think we’ll all now take that much-needed time for ourselves that we’ve been putting off for the past year or more. There are some fundamental changes that will need to happen for most of us, and that starts with re-assessing our priorities based on what we’ve learned from the past year. And it all starts with taking the space to acknowledge what we’re feeling. Because whenever I do, and I find the courage from within to vocalize those struggles, I find, more often than not, that I am never alone…

*As seen on TODAY.com

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The Road to Happy

Admin — Thu, 03 Feb 2022 08:05:00 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/d69a5a7d-4712-436e-a6fb-f01f46092ecb/media.mp3

As parents, our focus is often firmly planted on our children and their wellbeing, but how can we be expected to provide them with the very best if we’re completely neglecting ourselves and our own needs?!

In DILF’s Season Two Finale, we explore a short list of actions that we can take as parents in order to attempt to refill our own cups and access more joy in our lives…

// If you have suggestions that you feel are missing from the list, we’d love to hear from you… join us at ->@DILFpodcast

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// If this episode was helpful to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

*Episode Art Photo byZsuzsi Steiner

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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The Key To Accessing More JOY (DILF Quick Hit)

Admin — Thu, 21 Oct 2021 07:05:00 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/025e5c6b-6a70-4488-b0fc-3930727c4ade/media.mp3

In this DILF Quick Hit, Kevin once again digs a bit deeper into a moment from our last episode to explore the obstacles to accessing more joy in our lives.

// If this episode was helpful to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// For questions, comments, or future topic suggestions, DM us on Instagram ->@DILFpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Balance is Bullsh*t

Admin — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 07:05:00 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/25b8ef54-5fda-4487-ac57-3e71c309cafd/media.mp3

If you’ve ever felt hurt or useless due to your child’s close relationship with your partner, you are NOT alone.

In today’s episode, host Kevin Seldon welcomes successful entrepreneur, Ari Bloom, who’s made a career out of manifesting the dreams of others while remaining behind the scenes — similar to his life as a parent. So, how does this versatile entrepreneur somehow still find the time to make his family a priority? The answer may surprise you…

Together, Kevin and Ari —Founder and CEO of A-Frame Brands, the company behind Kinlo (Naomi Osaka’s suncare brand), Loved01 (a skincare line from John Legend), and Proudly (a baby care line for children of color by Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union), as well as the co-founder of Wise Sons Delicatessen — share an honest discussion on everything from the power of transparency and the importance of fighting our tendencies toward auto-pilot, to why the concept of balance… is bullshit.

// If this episode was helpful to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// For questions, comments, or future topic suggestions, DM us on Instagram ->@DILFpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Why You Need a Hobby (DILF Quick Hit)

Admin — Thu, 23 Sep 2021 07:05:00 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/e4ccccad-adb7-40a6-a439-346bea315e36/media.mp3

A hobby is defined as an activity done regularly in one’s leisure time for pleasure. However, as a parent, few of us are able to find the time (let alone the energy) for such “selfish” endeavors. But what’s selfish about finding a moment for yourself from time to time? What if a task as easy as starting a list of potential hobbies to pursue was the answer to opening your world to more joy, more energy, and more possibilities…

// If this episode was helpful to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// For questions, comments, or future topic suggestions, DM us on Instagram ->@DILFpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The post Why You Need a Hobby (DILF Quick Hit) appeared first on DILF (Dad I'd Like To FRIEND).

What Doesn’t Kill Us, Makes Us Stronger | Dave Callaham

Admin — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 07:05:00 +0000

https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/66887372fc882c395b1ed0bf/e/4bbd5aca-eef5-4c79-9ab1-1965b2b935ee/media.mp3

Once known as “the scary dad” in his daughter’s pre-school class, top Hollywood screenwriter Dave Callaham (writer of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Marvel’s groundbreaking Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings) joins host Kevin Seldon for an intimate discussion on how looks can be deceiving, how to overcome past trauma to build a brighter future, and the importance of being transparent with your feelings — no matter how awkward and scary that may be….

/ To see this episode’s #ContestGiveaway winners, visit: https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkZQHHF6KP

// If this episode was helpful to you in any way, please consider sharing it with others or writing a REVIEW…and help us to reach more like-minded parents in need of support!

/ For more information on DILF, visit us atDadIdLikeToFriend.com

// For questions, comments, or future topic suggestions, DM us on Instagram ->@DILFpodcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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