So, You’re a Dad… Now What? With Zachary Perez

What actually happens when you become a dad — and realise you have absolutely no idea what you’re doing?

To kick off Season 3 of The Fathering Project Podcast, Dr James Brown sits down with screenwriter, author and first-time dad Zachary Perez for an honest conversation about the early days of fatherhood: the identity shift, the expectations, the uncertainty, the funny moments and the things no one really prepares you for.

Zachary is the author of Becoming Dad, a candid account of his first 100 days as a father, written in real time as he navigated life with a new baby.

Together, James and Zachary unpack the gap between the dad you imagine you’ll be and the reality once your baby arrives — and why figuring it out as you go might actually be the point.

They talk about:

• How becoming a dad can change your sense of identity
• Expectations vs reality in those first few months
• The pressure dads can feel to know what they’re doing
• Friendship, loneliness and finding your tribe as a new dad
• Asking for help — and why dads need support too
• Taking what you learnt from your own upbringing while deciding what you want to do differently
• Why being a good dad isn’t about having all the answers

Whether you’re expecting your first child, deep in the newborn haze or a few years down the track, this episode is a reminder that there’s no perfect way to become a dad.

You learn. You adapt. You keep showing up.

Listen to Season 3 of The Fathering Project Podcast.