Creative Dad and Daughter (ft. Justin Leddick with Special Guest Eleanor, Augustine Institute Studios)

This is a special episode! I welcome Justin Leddick and his daughter Eleanor. Justin is not only a friend, but he is also my boss. We’ve worked together for the past 8 years at the Augustine Institute creating video content. He was the first video creator hire for the institute and now serves as Executive Director for the Studios.

He is joined by his teenage daughter, Eleanor, who also is a creative and co-host for her podcast called Talking Puppies.

LINKS

Augustine Institute Studios

Augustine Institute

FORMED.ORG

Thank you to Justin and Eleanor for being part of Girl Dad Nation.

Check out the links in the description to learn more about the Augustine Institute and the video programs mentioned in the interview. As mentioned before, it’s a blessing to work with Justin and I truly am proud of what we have produced.

I encourage dads to find ways to be creative with your kids and invite them into your life as much as we should also be interested in theirs. Just this past week, I had the joy of taking my oldest daughter, Caley, with me to work and she got to see this new children’s drawing show we’re working on. She absolutely loved it! (even though it’s still in the early stages) And so did I seeing her joy!

Thank you for journeying with me.

If you've enjoyed this podcast, please let me know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and sharing the show with a Girl Dad! I’d also love to know what creative projects you do with your kids. Drop me a note! I might feature it in a later episode.

Girl Dad Nation is on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.

You can also email me at girldadnationpodcast@gmail.com

There is no greater joy than being a dad!

IG: @‌girldadnation
Twitter: @‌girldadnation

GirlDadNationPodcast@gmail.com

Look for more episodes in 2025!

Transcript

**Transcript Auto-Generated**

00:00:00:02 - 00:00:21:05
Matthew Krekeler
Welcome to Girl Dad Nation. This is a special episode. I welcome Justin Lytic and his daughter Eleanor. Justin is not only a friend, but he is also my boss. We've worked together for the past eight years at the Augustan Institute, creating video content. He was the first video creator hire for the institute and now serves as executive director for the studios.

00:00:21:15 - 00:00:38:03
Matthew Krekeler
He is joined by his teenage daughter Eleanor, who also is a creative and co-host of her own podcast called Talking Puppies. Let's get to it.

00:00:42:00 - 00:01:05:20
Matthew Krekeler
Awesome. Well, welcome to the podcast. It's great to have Justin and Eleanor. With me now, Justin is my boss and has been my boss for about eight years at the Augusta Institute. I ran into his wife, who kind of cornered me in a way and said, he is a girl, dad. And we are having kind of this debate at the office.

00:01:05:20 - 00:01:29:22
Matthew Krekeler
Like what is a girl, dad? And people are saying that a girl dad is is a dad who only has daughters and Justin also has some sons. So some people are saying he was disqualified, but I disagree. So just to set the record straight on that for Jenny and anyone else listening, a girl dad is a dad who has daughters, but it doesn't have to be exclusive.

00:01:29:23 - 00:01:46:13
Matthew Krekeler
So I've had other guests on my podcast that also are Dads to Sons, and that's perfectly all right. That's great. We celebrate that. But we also on this podcast want to highlight the special relationship between dads and their daughters. So thank you so much for being here.

00:01:47:05 - 00:01:51:12
Justin Leddick
Thank you, Matthew. Sorry for the soft pressure from the mama bear.

00:01:52:13 - 00:02:15:03
Matthew Krekeler
Now, this is great and it's a great discussion, too, because. Yeah, since you have sons and daughters, Eleanor, it's great to kind of hear your perspective, too, of just the different ways that having a daughter has challenged you and your parenting. So, yeah, first, Eleanor, how old are you for context?

00:02:15:17 - 00:02:16:13
Eleanor
I'm 13.

00:02:17:12 - 00:02:22:15
Matthew Krekeler
13. Okay, great. So, yeah, you have a teenager and are you the middle?

00:02:23:05 - 00:02:24:00
Eleanor
Yes. Is that correct?

00:02:24:01 - 00:02:32:03
Justin Leddick
Child okay. Because boy, girl, boy. And Eleanor's smack dab in the middle.

00:02:32:03 - 00:02:41:14
Matthew Krekeler
Assert and then. Yeah. Justin, for you, what was that like when Eleanor first came into the world? And yeah, when you first became a dad of a daughter?

00:02:42:23 - 00:03:12:16
Justin Leddick
Yeah. You know, I can't say that I was prepared for or really anything there. You know, even when when we had our son to begin with, it was like, okay, we are off to the races. And then, you know, baby number two, I think you're just holding on tight. You're you're along for the ride. And, you know, we were we were excited for for a girl, for sure.

00:03:12:16 - 00:03:34:05
Justin Leddick
I grew up all brothers. So I was like, okay, this is this is definitely going to be some some new territory for me. I'm going to have to learn quite a lot. But it was a it was an interesting time. You know, we were busy in life, as you are when you're in, when the new ones are coming along.

00:03:34:05 - 00:03:50:07
Justin Leddick
And, you know, I can't think that we were particularly intentional saying, okay, you know, things are going to go this way or or that is, you know, to me, it always felt like, hold on tight and let's see where we go.

00:03:50:19 - 00:04:07:09
Matthew Krekeler
And then, yeah, you've been with you guys institute for a long time. And where was Eleanor? Like, since I'm trying to do the math, you've been at the Agassiz Institute. Has it been longer or shorter since you've been? Since you had Eleanor?

00:04:07:21 - 00:04:38:02
Justin Leddick
Yeah, no. Eleanor is in August and institute, baby. Okay. Yeah, yeah. And that that's been very interesting. You know, first of all, Matthew, we are thrilled to have you as a major part of the Augustan Institute. And it is a it's still a very early start up, as you know, and we are always running around. But Matthew, you know, you've been there within our studio team, which has grown tremendously.

00:04:38:02 - 00:04:55:07
Justin Leddick
It is incredible. Now, I mean, I know you are as well, but we're so proud of what we've got. But you now as a senior leader on that team, you are you are really making this thing go with us. And it is awesome. I'm proud of what we're making. And I know you are, too.

00:04:56:01 - 00:05:24:03
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. Oh, I love all the content I've often like we talk about this, we're some of the first people to be transformed by the stuff that we're making. And yeah, as a Catholic graduate school and Catholic film production company, we're trying to produce things that sort of speak to the Catholic truth that we believe this podcast, Girl, that Nation is not like religiously or politically affiliated, but it's great to be able to share kind of our background on that.

00:05:25:00 - 00:05:53:16
Matthew Krekeler
And yeah, I came here before, before having kids, even before being married actually. So yeah, I was started working here like six months before I got married and then it's just kind of been part of the journey through all of that. But it's great to see people like yourself and Kevin, many other people on the team that have young families and committed to the work that we do together, but also trying to find that family balance.

00:05:54:03 - 00:06:22:13
Matthew Krekeler
So yeah, how have you found, especially in a creative world and doing film, it's so difficult. I think if you look at any other place, Hollywood, New York, it's such a rat race sometimes trying to just get ahead, advance a career, make connections, but there's so many sacrifices that people make. How have you found like your ability to like balance that, like your career and also raising your family?

00:06:23:15 - 00:06:48:11
Justin Leddick
Yeah, I've thought about that a lot. You know, even early on, going to school to be a filmmaker, you know, wanting to do that. And then you start to dove in and you see what that world's like. And it's very nomadic. You know, you have you can get on a film production for a time, two months, and then you got to go find the next one and they take you all over the place.

00:06:48:11 - 00:07:16:17
Justin Leddick
And I remember speaking with a friend of mine who was a a mentor and, you know, kind of thinking as much of a dream as it is to make a film, make something great. I, I remember saying to him that I've got more so more of a dream to have a family to to make a great family that that we love and are doing great things.

00:07:16:17 - 00:07:41:20
Justin Leddick
And and there are some choices you have to make in there. I was thinking, being on set for a handful of independent features, you know, you're you're with folks that just are gone all the time. And I was working for folks who were my parents age and they haven't put down roots at all. And I'm like, okay, we're going to have to probably choose a route through here.

00:07:42:06 - 00:08:13:04
Justin Leddick
But, you know, getting scrappy early on and you know, and there are many ways to still create make stories and do this. But we, you know, extremely blessed to find a role like we did in the Augustine Institute, too, where it not only allowed us to to pursue a dream in this way, but but to do it and foster great things with the family.

00:08:13:08 - 00:08:38:05
Justin Leddick
I didn't know everything that we were going to be in for there. But I remember diving in and and like you said, Matthew, we get to be a fan of what we're learning and, you know, you start doing a lesson on marriage and so many things. And I'm like, okay, I'm learning a ton here. It's benefited the family, just me being able to be along the ride and and learn that way.

00:08:39:17 - 00:08:55:15
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah, that's great. Is there one particular project that you can look back on and say like that particular projects influenced the way that you approach family life or or your marriage or your relationship with your kids or.

00:08:55:15 - 00:09:02:05
Justin Leddick
Sure. Beloved was a huge one for sure in there. And, you know, it was really neat as.

00:09:02:13 - 00:09:11:06
Matthew Krekeler
An beloveds on marriage. Yes. Yeah. For the folks listening at home, it's it's a multipart series on on the Sacrament of marriage. So.

00:09:11:23 - 00:09:35:09
Justin Leddick
Yeah, yeah. And what's really great there is I think this is another part to what you were asking a moment ago, but kind of balancing these things. The family, the kids have been apart throughout all of this. They show up in the films. You know, we we have them participate. And even now that they're getting older, Eleanor is helped behind the scenes.

00:09:35:13 - 00:10:03:23
Justin Leddick
Many times when we're building extra studio spaces, we've got behind the scenes footage of her painting and preparing floors and building and all the different things we've been doing. So they've been along for the ride, which is great. Yeah, the, the series on marriage, of course, taught me a ton, you know, mostly how to give, how to give of yourself, of course.

00:10:05:00 - 00:10:10:03
Justin Leddick
Still, we're still works in progress always. But we're doing our best.

00:10:11:07 - 00:10:49:09
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah, like when you get married, it's amazing how much you have to learn to give of yourself and your time and your even your ambitions and stuff. Like it's now it's everything is in context of the other person. Like even what you're doing on the weekend has to be considerate of the other person's time. And then that same thing also like with kids, like once kids come along now it's not just the other person, but now it's, it's all of the kids that you are like, you know, co-parenting with and stuff and, and managing their time and, and your spouse's expectations and stuff.

00:10:49:20 - 00:10:59:18
Matthew Krekeler
And even more so, like, like as a parent, the way that you have to look at your life and be selfless in those things.

00:11:00:18 - 00:11:23:13
Justin Leddick
Yeah, the biggest thing I think there is, I'm just glad that this isn't your typical job where it's like, I can't invite my family in to like an accounting position or if I were a lawyer, you know, or things like that. But what we do, it is truly great. Yes, we spend a huge amount of time going above and beyond.

00:11:23:13 - 00:11:50:13
Justin Leddick
It takes late hours. It takes extra time on the weekends, you know, to to gather materials, to build, to set up shots, travel, you know, so many different things that are a part of this. But it does offer it, allowing the family to be apart. And and that's the biggest thing we you know, when we're all doing it together, it's not just me disappearing to go do a job, but they all love it.

00:11:50:13 - 00:11:54:09
Justin Leddick
They all appreciate it. And they're now finding their spots to chip in.

00:11:54:21 - 00:12:15:08
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. Yeah, that's amazing. I love how you invite your family in that creative aspect. And yeah, like trips or building sets or any kind of thing like that. You're trying to find ways to bring them in. And so it's truly like a family investment investing in them, like teaching them practical skills and then stuff that you're proud of too.

00:12:15:08 - 00:12:35:01
Matthew Krekeler
Like I know you're talking about your kids saying like, Hey, I worked on that and being able to point to the DVD box and say like, Hey, I might like my name's in the credits on those kinds of things. So Eleanor, what, what can you remember or. Yeah, just different ways that you've been involved in those kinds of things, helping your dad.

00:12:36:06 - 00:12:38:17
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. I'm sure your experience.

00:12:38:20 - 00:12:50:19
Eleanor
Yeah, it helped set up a couple. I like you said, I painted the floor in a big studio area and I did some voice acting for episodes of The Word of Life.

00:12:51:16 - 00:12:52:07
Justin Leddick
That's right.

00:12:52:17 - 00:12:59:13
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. So you played an animated characters in the Children's Curriculum series? Yeah. What was that like?

00:13:00:15 - 00:13:24:07
Eleanor
It was. That was like really my first time ever getting into being a part of this. Like the films and the show. And I think it's a lot of fun. It's just really cool and it's fun experiencing what happens behind the scenes in Backstage because it's not, oh, it's not like what you see.

00:13:24:21 - 00:13:36:16
Justin Leddick
So yeah, it's not all jump in and and, and it's done and it's awesome. It is take after take after take and it can get boring, huh?

00:13:36:16 - 00:13:50:21
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. You're only 13, Eleanor. So have you thought about, like, where you want to go to college? What kind of things you want to do? Is it like in the creative realm or. Yeah, what what are your hopes and dreams and all that?

00:13:51:16 - 00:14:14:07
Eleanor
I don't know exactly what I want to do yet, but I do want to do something creative. I think that's a lot of fun. I love doing like filming stuff. I'm in a film class at my school that's a lot of fun and I just really love all the creative aspects in my dad's line of work.

00:14:14:20 - 00:14:36:16
Justin Leddick
You know, Elena's already doing a great job making things happen on her projects. You know, she she did a film a little short piece for her school and won an award, which was great. But even as a when she was really little, you know, she's wanted to make it in the same vein of the things that we're making.

00:14:36:16 - 00:15:03:06
Justin Leddick
And yeah, I remember we you want to be the boss. This is always when it seems like it comes down to you. We, we were at a national park and they have like the amphitheaters that are just open there. Right. And so the kids all jump up there and they're putting on a show. Nobody's around the the ampitheater is empty, but a park ranger comes by and you're like, oh, okay.

00:15:03:06 - 00:15:14:13
Justin Leddick
Like, you know, you must there's the kids ready. And Eleanor has taken charge and she's like, Are you the lead actress? Are you the director of the show? And Eleanor just goes, I am the producer.

00:15:14:13 - 00:15:46:05
Matthew Krekeler
Oh, that's great. I love that. Yeah, I had one of my guests on the show we were talking about just like, you know, with with girls sometimes the term bossy is used and he's like, no, no, no. Like that's strong leadership skills. Like being the boss and being bossy is different. Like, and I love that he kind of like, turn that on its head, like to encourage girls and women to be the boss and have that confidence to, to do those things.

00:15:46:05 - 00:15:56:18
Matthew Krekeler
So that's awesome that like you have those qualities and yeah, you're taking charge and probably bossing your brothers around to you to be the leader. That's great.

00:15:57:06 - 00:16:28:18
Justin Leddick
Yeah, she. She does take charge for sure. Yeah, but I mean, I'll say things that you probably can't say for yourself. You would be too humble to say. But, Eleanor, even in great leadership that she's already learning, I think she does an incredible job of taking care of everybody. She, you know, even when she's leading her friends or if they're doing something together, she's the one that is is taking care of everybody.

00:16:29:01 - 00:16:45:19
Justin Leddick
She's the sympathetic one. And she she's, you know, leading by what does everybody need and making sure everybody is, you know, even really cheered on. Eleanor has a great gift for that.

00:16:47:10 - 00:16:52:04
Matthew Krekeler
That's great. And then so 13, are you in high school now?

00:16:53:01 - 00:16:54:19
Eleanor
I'm in my last year of middle school.

00:16:55:09 - 00:17:13:04
Matthew Krekeler
Okay, cool. Yeah, I guess her dad. What advice would you give Eleanor? Yeah, preparing for high school or other dads having a daughter. That's. Yeah. Teenager this.

00:17:13:18 - 00:17:38:00
Justin Leddick
This is a crazy time. It's a tough time. Friends are getting older, and this is also that time when you're figuring out friends, which ones you actually are aligned with, you know, which friends are trying to do great things the same way you are or which friends are you having a harder time with. And this middle school is not an easy time, huh?

00:17:38:01 - 00:17:38:23
Eleanor
No, it's not.

00:17:39:05 - 00:18:09:23
Justin Leddick
But. But one of the things that we just keep doing is, is, you know, it's okay. Yeah. So, you know, it is difficult with these with friendships sometimes because these friendships change. And I don't know, I think that was one thing that I wasn't quite prepared for. I guess I didn't put much thought into is that you're helping your daughter, your, your, your children navigate, you know, more higher level relationships with other people.

00:18:09:23 - 00:18:41:08
Justin Leddick
And, you know, when like when other kids when other girls can either get mean or, you know, or or start to change and there's a lot to to helping in their I know you say this routinely a matthew but but I'm by no means I'm an expert and you know the two of us we're just part of the nation as it is the girl designation.

00:18:41:08 - 00:19:01:23
Justin Leddick
We are not experts. So you can't take any of her advice on how this thing goes. But, you know, I think that's probably the thing is, is that you just have to you're going to have to be there be present with the kids as they have to muscle through what it's like to have to get into these kind of crazier relationships as they get older.

00:19:03:07 - 00:19:28:08
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. And then for Eleanor, what things have you gone to your dad for or like, you know, share as much as you're comfortable with. But yeah, those different challenges that he was kind of speaking to. Yeah. What are those things that you've leaned on your dad for in that kind of relationship? And I know you could always go to your mom as well, which is a great gift to you.

00:19:28:16 - 00:19:36:21
Matthew Krekeler
But yeah. And that relationship with your dad, can you speak to like a specific thing. Yeah. Or how that relationship works?

00:19:36:21 - 00:20:02:13
Eleanor
Yeah. There's been a lot of challenges. Do middle school just finding like really what I've been leaning on my parents for is being able to find the right people and good people because I've had some challenges with people that I thought were good, but they weren't. And it's just it's been a very hard time finding those right people.

00:20:02:21 - 00:20:13:21
Eleanor
But my parents felt we kind of navigated and directed me towards what our family is good with and what we personally believe in.

00:20:15:16 - 00:20:39:01
Matthew Krekeler
That's great. And then, Eleanor, could you just give any advice to dads out there that maybe have a daughter like approaching teenage years and they're like, oh, no, like I've never had a teenager or like, I like me, like I, I grew up with brothers as well. So sometimes like, raising daughters is a little bit daunting of a task.

00:20:40:05 - 00:20:46:21
Matthew Krekeler
But yeah, what advice or encouragement would you give for dads that yeah, I just want to be present for their daughters and.

00:20:47:07 - 00:21:18:18
Eleanor
Yeah, yeah, just kind of what I find so great that really gives so much to my dad's relationships is just going places together, even just like dropping your kids off like a sport or an activity. Just those kind of times where it's just you guys. Because I know a lot of times it's hard because I have two brothers and it's hard with siblings because if you want to talk about something but your brothers are in the car, you're not going to wanna talk about it.

00:21:19:07 - 00:21:24:17
Eleanor
So there's those times when you just get alone time. I find really great.

00:21:25:05 - 00:21:25:21
Justin Leddick
A lot of time.

00:21:26:02 - 00:21:26:18
Eleanor
Yeah yeah.

00:21:27:08 - 00:21:40:21
Justin Leddick
We yeah we do try to carve out time for for daddy daughter dates I think we're kind of long overdue. Yeah, I think we'll probably have to do one after this.

00:21:41:17 - 00:21:42:04
Eleanor
Yeah.

00:21:42:17 - 00:21:47:08
Matthew Krekeler
That's great. Do you have a favorite dad daughter activity that you guys like to do?

00:21:48:08 - 00:21:48:19
Eleanor
Uh.

00:21:49:02 - 00:21:49:16
Justin Leddick
Boba.

00:21:50:03 - 00:21:52:02
Eleanor
Yeah, my dad like boba.

00:21:53:01 - 00:21:54:15
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah, it's like the drink.

00:21:55:09 - 00:21:57:05
Eleanor
Yeah, I like it.

00:21:58:18 - 00:21:59:07
Justin Leddick
What else?

00:21:59:14 - 00:22:15:08
Eleanor
Uh, we've gotten, like, a couple. My dad, I think my favorite one was my dad took me downtown, and we went and hung out, and he got me this ice cream that was the size of my head. And we've gone to the rodeo together.

00:22:15:18 - 00:22:18:11
Justin Leddick
Oh, yeah. The stock show. Those are good.

00:22:18:11 - 00:22:18:21
Matthew Krekeler
That's cool.

00:22:19:01 - 00:22:20:09
Justin Leddick
Yeah. You know.

00:22:20:19 - 00:22:32:21
Eleanor
It's just awesome. We've got we've gone out to dinner and just really those times, it's just great being able to hang out with just my dad.

00:22:33:07 - 00:22:46:15
Justin Leddick
Yeah, lots of neat things. Like the stocks are great, but just be prepared. Eleanore always wants to come home with an animal she still keeps ask him for a bird every time she sees a bird I like. But it's not a good pet now.

00:22:46:15 - 00:22:48:01
Matthew Krekeler
Do you like all animals?

00:22:48:18 - 00:22:49:07
Eleanor
Yeah.

00:22:49:16 - 00:22:53:11
Matthew Krekeler
All right. Do you have any. That's, like, lowest on the list of animal favorites?

00:22:55:01 - 00:22:58:00
Eleanor
Probably. That's hard.

00:22:59:22 - 00:23:02:06
Justin Leddick
I'd say turtles. No offense, Alan.

00:23:02:09 - 00:23:03:09
Eleanor
I love turtles.

00:23:03:10 - 00:23:06:13
Justin Leddick
Oh, sorry.

00:23:06:13 - 00:23:11:22
Matthew Krekeler
I don't know if someone's listening, but she's the turtle girl in our office. Yeah, that's just.

00:23:11:22 - 00:23:13:16
Justin Leddick
Kidding. Turtles, I'm sure, are great.

00:23:15:00 - 00:23:26:05
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah, my. My daughter's too, like, love, all animals and stuff. Like, they're. They'll snuggle up with any of, like, our friends, cats or dogs or anything like that.

00:23:26:05 - 00:23:55:18
Justin Leddick
And Elena's protective for sure. So I'm sure she'll share with you later. But she does a podcast with her Uncle Ben called Talking Puppies. And similar to what you've got going here, Matthew, with this question that you're asking, Eleanor, it takes two defense with with my uncle there that all dogs are magical, all dogs are special, and my brother Ben is like, Oh, some dogs aren't that great.

00:23:55:18 - 00:24:06:11
Justin Leddick
And so every episode they take it on these animals. And Eleanor fights for showing what is so special about each and every dog.

00:24:07:11 - 00:24:25:14
Matthew Krekeler
I love that. Yeah. And I've listened to a couple episodes of Talking Puppies, so yeah, it's, it's just such a great show like I put on when I just want to be uplifted and then listen to something that's just fine because you just have such a love for the dogs that you talk about and you do research too, which is great.

00:24:25:14 - 00:24:37:17
Matthew Krekeler
So you'll go share fun facts about each breed of dog and and why they're great and then yeah. Spoiler that you like think all of them are great. Yeah. For different reasons.

00:24:37:17 - 00:24:52:07
Eleanor
So yeah, I really think they are. I just, I mean, I grew up with animals and I just really love them. I feel like it's just a really good place and they're just great.

00:24:52:07 - 00:24:56:13
Matthew Krekeler
Okay. So yeah, that makes me they are.

00:24:56:16 - 00:24:59:10
Eleanor
They are a lot of work, but I think it's worth it.

00:24:59:18 - 00:25:09:22
Justin Leddick
It's worth it. Okay. All right. Sometimes all the messes and things that you have to clean, okay, it's a big trade off.

00:25:09:22 - 00:25:30:16
Matthew Krekeler
So I guess that leads me to this other question is for people on the show or listening to the show that don't have pets or maybe they have a pet and they're going to introduce a new baby to a family with a pet. Yeah. What advice would you give for like, that sort of balance? Like having a pet in the home?

00:25:31:09 - 00:25:55:22
Eleanor
I think having a pet in the home is just really great. I found it really comforting and it's also like a kind of just an area that it grows a lot because it shows kids like to how they have to take care of animals. And they think like when I first when we first got pets, I thought it was just like all fun and games.

00:25:55:22 - 00:26:15:19
Eleanor
But yeah, there's a lot of hard times, but you have to. It teaches the kids personal responsibility was like, who feeds the dog or the pet and take them out for walks and cleaning up their messes. And it's just I think it gives a lot of great life lessons.

00:26:17:10 - 00:26:41:22
Justin Leddick
Yeah, I've seen you guys. If you have something hard going on at school, tough day or your brain's dead from a whole bunch of tests and things like that, we had the good fortune of having a big giant dog for so long, but you guys would just come and bury your head in his lap and give him a big hug.

00:26:42:06 - 00:26:51:22
Justin Leddick
And, you know, as much as anybody, it's just another place to another. Something to give a hug to. Yeah.

00:26:53:06 - 00:27:00:15
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. So, Justin, you're not advocating like, you know, save the money and energy and things like don't get a pet.

00:27:01:17 - 00:27:23:11
Justin Leddick
Oh, well, no. Saving that money and energy, you're going to pay for it with how many times they just keep asking you over and over again for a pet. So that's worth it. But no, I mean, we've definitely had ups and downs with the with pets.

00:27:23:11 - 00:27:29:20
Matthew Krekeler
It's a and you've had a variety of pets, too. Did you have like a journal or something like.

00:27:29:20 - 00:27:49:12
Justin Leddick
No, no, no. I think we we consider well, we've got a small farm here, although everyone's going to laugh at me because we really don't. I mean, we have a little tiny garden. I say it's a farm and we have a little we have to two apple trees. So I call that an orchard and then I'm hoping to have livestock.

00:27:49:12 - 00:27:55:16
Justin Leddick
But we really don't we. We had bunnies. Yeah, we had chickens. Yeah, we.

00:27:55:16 - 00:27:55:18
Eleanor
Are.

00:27:55:18 - 00:27:57:18
Justin Leddick
Cats. If we didn't.

00:27:58:20 - 00:28:00:18
Eleanor
Salt with freshwater or saltwater.

00:28:00:18 - 00:28:17:13
Justin Leddick
Well yeah. When you guys were really little, Jenni and I, when we first got married, we had a big freshwater or no saltwater fish tank. But that was one of the things you kind of have to you have to trade off. But yeah, that was a lot of maintenance and a lot of time and we're like, nope, babies are more important.

00:28:18:11 - 00:28:52:19
Justin Leddick
So we ended up taking that tank apart, giving it up, and people took it, took the animals, put them into their own quarantine and introduced them into their two separate tanks. But yeah, so we've had to, I guess, as they say, rehome a couple of things like that. But you know, we've had animals that have grown up with you guys like the dogs and they with even our son, we called him and the dog, they were both puppies at the same time.

00:28:52:19 - 00:28:59:10
Justin Leddick
They were puppy brothers. They grew up together just wrestling and. Yeah, yeah, it's worth it.

00:29:01:11 - 00:29:26:03
Matthew Krekeler
Well, I would say the same. My family has a small dog and we got our dog shortly after we got married. I never grew up with pets. My wife had dogs, not too many other like she didn't really have other animals besides the dogs, but she really wanted a dog. I said, No, we don't have time or space or energy for the dog.

00:29:26:15 - 00:30:01:02
Matthew Krekeler
And we compromised and we got a dog. So that was like when we were first married, first like sort of experience of trying to take care of something other than just the two of us. And then, yeah, but then we had kids. The dog was along for the whole ride. We still have our dogs now, almost a year, which is crazy, like, you know, but she's still doing great and our daughters love the dog, but they're not at the age like you are now, like where they can go in the yard and pick up after the dog or even fill the bowl and stuff.

00:30:01:02 - 00:30:27:02
Matthew Krekeler
So like, all of that is just on us, mostly me picking up after a dog in the yard. But yeah, it's, it's great like to watch our kids interact with our, our dog and they just love our dog so much. And it's a great excuse to, to like, get out, go for walks with the dog, play with the dog in the yard and yeah.

00:30:27:02 - 00:30:57:04
Matthew Krekeler
And teaching them to that responsibility, even if they don't, they're not quite big enough to do some of like the responsibility, but even just they'll go out in the yard with me and we'll like be on the search for dog for you have been the yard and though at least like pointed out to me and yeah that becomes something that you do together and then as they grow hopefully they'll have more responsibility with like holding the leash and, and filling up the bowl and that kind of stuff.

00:30:57:04 - 00:31:25:02
Matthew Krekeler
But yeah, so I, I encourage anyone listening. Like if you're afraid, like I was, I was like, oh, that's just another headache to worry about. Like, especially with kids, there's like so much of a headache already. But, but, yeah, don't. Don't be afraid. Take it from some experience. Not me, but my and my guests, Justin and Eleanor. Eleanor, especially as the puppy expert said, don't be afraid.

00:31:25:21 - 00:31:52:18
Justin Leddick
Yeah. I was going to say to you, you know, you do a lot of learning with the with the animals. And we had the the tough thing. What was it for about four or five months ago where the great big dog that that these guys have grown up with did die. And we learned a lot through their you know, we talked like this.

00:31:52:21 - 00:32:13:08
Justin Leddick
This is kind of those times where you can start to open and talk about things that everybody's going to have to deal with with the kids. And, you know, and then one of the things that we said, because he was that great, comforting animal that we had, but one of the things that we talked about was he did a great job, right?

00:32:14:03 - 00:32:26:14
Justin Leddick
His job was for us to come around and pet him and, you know, love him. And he loved us. And he was he was perfect at that job.

00:32:26:14 - 00:33:06:11
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. Yeah, man, that must be, like, so difficult to go through. Like, yeah, as I said, my dog is eight. And so and that's honestly my first dog. And yeah, like, like kind of, you know, eventually, like, you know, we all die. Our pets will face that too. So but yeah. How, how did you like you mentioned just being grateful for that dog doing its job for your family, being that comfort in your family, being big, fluffy, especially Eddie and knowing him.

00:33:06:19 - 00:33:09:03
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. Was it a brainiest mountain dog?

00:33:09:22 - 00:33:11:05
Justin Leddick
It was a two ahead.

00:33:11:10 - 00:33:12:12
Eleanor
He was a Newfoundland.

00:33:12:22 - 00:33:17:06
Matthew Krekeler
Newfoundland, yes. Okay, big boy. Just a big, fluffy dog.

00:33:17:20 - 00:33:19:07
Justin Leddick
Yeah.

00:33:19:07 - 00:33:20:13
Matthew Krekeler
Great to just hug it.

00:33:21:04 - 00:33:33:22
Justin Leddick
Gene, right? Yeah. And you guys were sad for a bit, but you did good. Yeah, it's. It's what we have to have to do, huh? Yeah.

00:33:33:22 - 00:33:35:11
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah. Well, thank you for sharing that.

00:33:36:09 - 00:33:38:12
Justin Leddick
You think.

00:33:39:06 - 00:33:46:08
Matthew Krekeler
Any other. Yeah. Words of wisdom you'd like to share? Yeah. Memories. Before I get to my final question.

00:33:47:17 - 00:33:48:09
Justin Leddick
Sounds good.

00:33:49:03 - 00:33:59:20
Eleanor
Uh, I just really. I have the best ad. It's just so great because he's always there for us.

00:34:00:00 - 00:34:20:01
Justin Leddick
Yeah, well, thank you, but that. I appreciate that. And my only trick there, my only. I don't know tool in my back pocket is just being present here. I don't have it.

00:34:20:01 - 00:34:21:11
Eleanor
Really makes a huge difference.

00:34:21:11 - 00:34:37:16
Justin Leddick
Yeah. Yeah, I think of any more secret tips or any tools other than yeah, we just we have to be present and, and do as much as we can together.

00:34:37:16 - 00:34:59:16
Matthew Krekeler
Thank you. Thanks for sharing. And then for Justin, I ask all of my dad's this and it's a special treat to have Eleanor on the podcast as well. But yeah, looking at Eleanor, go ahead. You can direct this to her directly, but go ahead and just leave her with a message. Yeah. Anything that you want to share.

00:35:01:01 - 00:35:27:12
Justin Leddick
Well, Eleanor, I'm proud of you and you are doing great things. And I'm proud of who you are becoming, who you have been, who I've seen you grow up as. And you are certainly, certainly special the way that you are. You care about people. You take great care of our family, but you take great care of your friends and everybody you meet.

00:35:27:17 - 00:35:51:19
Justin Leddick
And Eleanor is is truly gifted. True you are. You're special in this way. Like when you see people if you're at a park or playing somewhere, you're the first to run up and introduce yourself. It's like, Hi, I'm Eleanor and you were doing that since you were three. And and, you know, to me, I'm proud that that's not just like a phase in your growing up and becoming more shy or reserved.

00:35:51:19 - 00:36:18:09
Justin Leddick
But no, you're taking all those things and and using them to to to become a great young lady. Now, as we're at this phase and then you're going to become a great woman, I don't know what that distinguishing is like, but that's just I don't know. Those words scare me sometimes. You're doing great.

00:36:18:09 - 00:36:40:21
Matthew Krekeler
Yeah, well, I'm sure for you, Eleanor will always be your little girl. Like, and I look at my kids already. Like, four years has gone by my oldest four. So four years has gone by so fast already. And I remember when I just would, like, hold them just as a baby. And now my oldest, it's hard to like she falls asleep on the couch and trying to bring her upstairs.

00:36:41:06 - 00:36:43:01
Matthew Krekeler
It's like bed. You're so much bigger.

00:36:43:20 - 00:36:44:02
Justin Leddick
Than.

00:36:44:11 - 00:36:52:00
Matthew Krekeler
That. He used to be. And yeah. So it goes by way too fast, I think. But yeah. But thank you so much for those words.

00:36:53:01 - 00:37:04:04
Justin Leddick
Thank you.

00:37:05:23 - 00:37:27:07
Matthew Krekeler
Thank you to Justin and Eleanor for being part of Girl Dad Nation. Check out the links in the description to learn more about the Augustine Institute and the video programs mentioned in the interview. As mentioned before, it's a blessing to work with Justin and I truly proud of what we have produced. I encourage dads to find ways to be creative with their kids and invite them into your life.

00:37:27:13 - 00:37:46:00
Matthew Krekeler
As much as we should be interested in theirs. Just this past week, I had the joy of taking my oldest daughter, Caley, with me to work, and she got to see the new children's drawing show we're working on. She absolutely loved, even though we're still in the early stages. And so did I seeing her. Joy, thank you for journeying with me.

00:37:46:06 - 00:38:07:02
Matthew Krekeler
If you've enjoyed this podcast, please let me know by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts and sharing the show with a girl that I'd also love to know what creative projects you do with your kids. Drop me a note I might feature in a later episode. Girl Dad Nation is on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You can also email me at girldadnationpodcast@gmail.com

00:38:07:16 - 00:38:10:02
Matthew Krekeler
There is no greater joy than being a dad.