Lockdown Dads

The musician who doesn’t read music, the drummer who didn’t play the drums and a calming, pragmatic influence in Coldplay. In this episode of Lockdown Dads, we discover how a focus on their relationships has been as important as the music, what work life balance means in a band when you have kids and what Will is looking forward to most when lockdown finishes.

Self described (with tongue in cheek) “soft rock dinosaur,” we find out how Will feels about the A Head Full of Dreams documentary - the good, the cringe-worthy and the comforting.

We explore how the pandemic has been for the band, for his family and sadness he feels for artists on the cusp of success - with momentum pulled from under them.

Will talks openly about family, fatherhood and masculinity - the similarities between his role as a dad at home and his role in his second family where fortunately no one is a frustrated frontman!

Luck, personalities, hard work and a focus on relationships and above all else being grateful.

Contents

01:00 Definitely an air of optimism, a bit of light at the end of the tunnel for my kids.

01:50 Not touring with the last album turned out to be almost clairvoyant...

02:45 We're lucky because we can afford to wait and we can we can choose the right time to do it for us

04:00 Ian looking forward to the end of home school and binge watch Marvel films for the first time.

06:20 James - great weather, but an irritating Joe Wicks injury!

08:00 Will’s working dad status - father of three and freelancer

08:56 Olga Fitzroy is like Bruce Wayne. (Read more about her Parental Pay Equality campaign)

09:50 Children, touring and balancing family life with work.

12:40 Being in a band is like being in a family.

15:15 Too busy for boxsets, books and learning new languages

17:00 We talk about the A Head Full of Dreams documentary

20:00 The secret to Coldplay longevity - dynamics, personalities, friendships and a bit of luck.

23:30 Will’s lack of previous drumming experience - could Ian have been in Coldplay?

25:30 It’s been tough for Will’s kids, especially his eldest.

27:30 Making memories and making the best of Lockdown - The Quarantine Bar at 5pm on a Friday.

30:45 Studio time, being productive and Brian Eno’s advice

32:30 Weekly zoom calls and very intense, but very productive 2 week slots of time.

33:15 Multiple masculinities - Will’s role as a dad v his role in the band

36:30 Ambition, competition and balance

38:45 What are we going to do first, when we’re allowed - Will visiting his dad.

40:40 This Week’s Bumper Selection Of Tips

More Reading And Links

Annie Lennox (subscribe to read)

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/only-if-the-women-s-movement-opens-a-dialogue-with-men-can-we-end-misogyny-c8zxp0pcj

James’ review of previous guest Martin Robinson’s New Book

https://www.workingdads.co.uk/martin-robinson-masculinity-book-you-are-not-the-man-you-are-supposed-to-be/

Yash Puri, Founder of Papa Penguin and Finance Tech Specialist joins, James and Ian to discuss the ups and down of lockdown – doing everything and then having to slow down. We learn how moving away from cultural expectations and taking shared parental leave led to a feature with the BBC and creation of the Papa Penguin platform.
Plus night-time ninja nappy changing (definitely worth watching that bit on You Tube), trying to get to Center Parcs for half term and how just telling your story helps other dads to reassess their lives.
Contents
01:30 Family communication via headwear.
03:30 Excitement of the early days of lockdown, going Insta crazy – plaits, cooking and extreme arts and crafts.
04:30 Survival mode.
05:30 Super Dad – trying to do everything!
07:30 The corona rollercoaster – trying to plan for half term?!
13:00 The path to Papa Penguin via Shared Parental Leave and a BBC interview, getting inspiration from David Attenborough’s Dynasties.
16:30 The penguin is my role model, reflecting on fatherhood through the generations.
18:15 Talking cultural pressures and expectations with the BBC Asian network.
20:30 The importance of gender neutral Covid leave at FIS.
23:00 It’s only ever been my female team who have asked for childcare leave.
25:00 Creating impact by sharing stories on Papa Penguin.
28:30 Tips – James professional pen choices, Yash on nappy changing in the dark and Ian on recognising what you need to do to decompress.
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Yash Puri
https://papapenguin.org/
https://www.workingdads.co.uk/working-dads-lockdown-yash-puri/
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About Lockdown Dads
James Millar and Ian Dinwiddy are recording a weekly ‘show’ exploring the impact of lockdown, self-isolation and social distancing on working dads. We’ll share tips, thoughts and stories with special guests, discuss our hopes for the future and the opportunities that all this represents, especially for dads who want to be more active and involved fathers but who until now have struggled with the expectations of what it means to be a man in the workplace.
We hope you enjoy watching and listening!
To get in touch, submit your tips and learn about us click here:
https://www.inspiringdads.co.uk/lockdown-dads

A look back at 26 episodes of Lockdown Dads - the good, the bad and the ugly as we ponder the "annus horribilis" that was 2020. We talk guests and the tips that inspired us and the tips that shocked us, it's all here as we discuss what 2021 has instore for dads and their families and how as a show we can continue to bring you interesting and informative content onward into season 3 of a project we wanted to kill off. Too much lockdown...!

(Recorded pre-Tier 4 / Christmas cancellation)

Contents

1:30 This week - Webinars, Xmas cards and good people doing good things.

03:30 The importance of the Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse fishing programme.

05:30 The good - walks and family time, Saturday night movies.

07:30 All fathers should watch It's A Wonderful Life.

08:30 Scepticism about the Rona-coaster - until James hit it.

The emotional impact of freedom being snatched away.

Looking ahead to his daughter being nearly 14 next year.

11:50 Adapting and Accepting. Being kind to yourself.

Michael Ray and Nadia Nagamootoo talking about the small things.

13:30 Christmas - make the most of it, but not Kay Burley style.

14:00 Noel McDermott from Season 1 had the most striking tip - no drinking.

15:45 Yash Puri and the night time nappy changing, James and choosing the "right" pants.

17:30 Making time for yourself - Dan Reed, Ady Griffiths and Mari Williams.

18:00 Awe walks from Jessica Chivers.

19:30 Philip Simon re-record the punchline.

Dr Jasmine Kelland and Dr Laura Radcliffe with strong calls to action.

22:20 Freddie Bennett - The man who ran a marathon in welly boots and broke the Guinness World Record.

24:30 Dads exposed to genuine parenting challenge.

27:00 Future trends for 2021, it will be key for people like us - making the case for flexible working when the temptation will be for a return pre pandemic "norms."

31:00 Tip watch the Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse show. Cherry Vodka and Tonic make it your Christmas drink of choice.

James and Ian are joined by Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservative MP for Moray
We talked toddlers, tatties and tories and what it was like to hit the headlines in the wake of the Dominic Cummings lockdown travel controversy.
Douglas talks about how the pandemic meant he was there when his son started walking, while the increase in constituent work offset the lack of travel to Westminster.
We talk about steps towards modernising parliamentary work - for instance nearly 150 MPs are Proxy voting on Wednesday, including Douglas, whose wife is on a night shift as a Police Sergeant. While also recognising the importance of face to face interaction for select committee work.
We discuss the emotional impact of schools not going back yet - especially when in England we are only halfway through - assuming a September return - eye opening stuff!
We reflect on differences in Scotland v England in terms opening up the economy - with many Scots looking over the fence enviously at garden centres opening.
Plus we take dip into Douglas' second job as an assistant referee (his last appointment was Rangers v Celtic!) and ask him what it will be like as an official when high level football starts again behind closed doors and with covid protocols in place.
Top tips including hats to cover your dodgy haircut and buying duplicates of your child's favourite soft toy!
Douglas Ross
Twitter: www.twitter.com/Douglas4Moray
Website: https://www.douglasross.org.uk/
About Lockdown Dads
James and Ian are recording a weekly ‘show’ exploring the impact of lockdown, self isolation and social distancing on working dads. We’ll share tips, thoughts and stories with special guests, discuss our hopes for the future and the opportunities that all this represents, especially for dads who want to be more active and involved fathers but who until now have struggled with the expectations of what it means to be a man in the workplace.
We hope you enjoy watching and listening!
To get in touch, submit your tips and learn about us click here:
https://www.inspiringdads.co.uk/lockdown-dads

Living 50m from Central Park in Upper West side Manhattan sounds incredibly glamorous but not if you've swapped a house for a pandemic apartment in lockdown. This week's guest Steve Myall, former deputy features Editor of the Daily Mirror and co-host of the highly successful First Time Dads podcast joins James and I as the circle of podcasting is complete.

We talk shared parental leave, finding space in a big city and why diplomatic status is this year's must have accessory for the Real Brit Dads of New York. Steve talks about what it is like on the ground in New York - elections, parenting and being that elusive species - the hands on stay at home dad.

Contents

01:30 switching a house for an apartment, not realising that we would be in it 24 hours a day.

02:30 Home school and Boris the Cat

05:00 God alone knows what we're going to do at the weekend.

06:00 We had a friend who took some shared parental leave, he was in his shorts, had grown a beard. He was relaxed. He was chilled. And the relationship with his second child looked fantastic.

07:30 Condensed hours and changing how you look at work.

08:00 Moving to New York.

09:30 The First Time Dads Podcast - because we felt that dad's weren't really talking about the emotional stuff.

13:30 There was talk of a virus in China and then suddenly New York's in this epicenter.

14:30 If you're on the seventh floor of an apartment you can't take them to playgrounds or shop.

16:45 We are fortunate, because my wife works for the UN, we've got a diplomatic status here so that we were able to come back to the UK.

17:45 New York parks v Crystal Palace Park aka "have you got a big dinosaur with its face fallen off?"

19:35 Federal law allows you to have 12 weeks of unpaid parental leave as a dad.

22:00 Not only would it be unusual for me to see a dad taking their kids to this stuff, it would be unusual for me to see a parent because they're all nannies.

23:00 It's changed a lot since lockdown - you see a lot more dads doing drop-off and pick up because obviously they're working from home.

26:10 And then the adults all have a shrink, right?

28:00 We drove back into New York as the election result came over the radio and people were out in the street, opening bottles of champagne, cheering on the street corners.

29:00 If you go in Central Park, without wearing a mask outside, you will be shouted at.

30:00 Tips: Watch Soul, eat chocolate oranges and get in touch with mindfulness and the craft box.

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Twitter: @Stevemyalleats

Instagram: @StevemyalleatsHQ
About Lockdown Dads

James Millar and Ian Dinwiddy are recording a weekly ‘show’ exploring the impact of lockdown, self-isolation and social distancing on working dads.

We’ll share tips, thoughts and stories with special guests, discuss our hopes for the future and the opportunities that all this represents, especially for dads who want to be more active and involved fathers but who until now have struggled with the expectations of what it means to be a man in the workplace. We hope you enjoy watching and listening!

To get in touch, submit your tips and learn about us click here: https://www.inspiringdads.co.uk/lockdown-dads