Dan Flanagan, founder of Dad La Soul, tells us what brought him to create the dad-friendly group and what it’s all about.
Dan Flanagan led a typical life. Commuting to work early in the morning each day and returning home late at night. While his job in the PR and digital marketing field set up a comfortable life for his family, he found that he was missing out on life at home.
Flanagan then turned to blogging. And though his Don’t Believe the Hype dad blog grew into a successful group of dad bloggers, Flanagan still felt as if there was something not quite right.
Flanagan also tried parenting groups. However, most groups were not so welcoming to dads. Flanagan was met with questions such as, “What are you doing here and why don’t you have a proper job?? if he attended meetings during the week. Or, “Are you here for an affair?”
After this, Flanagan decided to take matters into his own hands and created Dad La Soul, a parenting group open to dads of all backgrounds.
We’ve got loads of different dads. We’ve got dads who commute all week, we’ve got step-dads, we’ve got blended families, we’ve got dads going through the adoption process. There are single dads who have sole custody. A real mixture.
Dad La Soul brings together generations to forge bonds and touch as many hearts as possible by including residents at the retirement stay centre, where the group is based. “You’ll see four-year olds next to 80-year olds and they’re building unicorn bird boxes,” says Flanagan.
What’s most exciting about this group are the themes. Each month a volunteer dad leads the group with a skill of their choice. You can enjoy anything from a DIY project to a stand-up comedy show, or even learn how to make a film on your mobile phone. All from regular dads like you.
This dad’s group also offers a safe space for fathers. A place where they can make new friends and express their feelings. “Fatherhood can be quite lonely… But we’re not allowed to admit that,” says Flanagan. This group combats parental loneliness and encourages fathers to open up.
Flanagan is quickly making his mark in the UK and has no intentions of slowing down. His next big project, Dad La Soul festival. This will take place in August of 2020 and will bring together 500 dads and kids for a camping trip in Brighton. Check out Dad La Soul online for more information.
Viva la Dad’s Revolution.
