No Perfect Dads Allowed: The Truth About Love and Showing Up with Sean Harvey
In this first half of our conversation, The Kids Are Sleep co-host Sean Harvey joins Shaun to talk about the messy, meaningful side of marriage and modern fatherhood. From late-night talks with his wife Shannon to the daily rhythm of keeping love alive while raising two boys, Sean opens up about what real connection looks like when life gets chaotic. They explore how humor, honesty, and presence keep a family grounded—and how redefining masculinity starts at home.
Key Takeaways / Topics Covered
- Connection is daily work — Sean and Shannon intentionally sit down together every night to talk and decompress.
- Presence over perfection — Fatherhood is about showing up, not having it figured out.
- Evolving masculinity — Redefining strength through gentleness, humor, and communication.
- Raising sons means modeling love — Kids learn how to love and respect by what they witness between their parents.
- Balance is the new success — True fatherhood integrates ambition, love, and emotional awareness.
“If you don’t sit down together every day, you risk losing your connection—and that’s when things start to drift.” — Sean Harvey
“You can’t quit being a dad. So if you can’t stop, you just keep trying.” — Shaun Dawson
“Our kids learn how to love by watching how we love their mother.” — Sean Harvey
“Once I realized there weren’t many masculine, public fathers, I knew there was value in showing that side of myself.” — Sean Harvey
01:02 Inspiration: The Show Was Born from Post-COVID Couple Laughter
02:57 Marriage Dynamics: Having Each Other's Backs vs. Ribbing Each Other
04:22Marriage Seasons: Friendship vs. Transactional Partnership (Especially with Kids)
05:00 Parenting Strategy: Why You Can't Undermine Your Partner
06:08 The Kids are Ingenious: How Children Exploit Cracks in the Routine
07:05 Discussing the Joy and Planning of Children (Gender Preferences)
08:55 The Terror of a Teenage Girl vs. Early Troubles with Boys
10:13 Balancing Kids, Marriage, and Self: The Need for Late-Night Space
12:25 Risking It All: Why Constant Daily Connection is Crucial for Marriage
13:08 The WFH Dynamic: Learning How to Share Space and Not Kill Each Other
14:36 The Beard Principle: Optimizing for What Your Partner Wants
16:23 The Unorthodox Childhood: How a Dream-Chasing Father Shaped Sean
18:56 The Sacrifice of Excellence: Choosing Family Over Journeyman Fame
19:26 Parallel Story: A World-Class Sportscaster Father and the Cost of Excellence
23:04 The Moment of Realization: Seeing His Dad Through New Eyes in Portland
27:14 The Generational Divide: Confronting Fatherhood in the Modern Era
28:42 Finding Balance: The Next Generation of Parenting
29:38 New Threats: Why Fathers Must Be More Present Than Ever
30:51 Tech Gap: Kids' Savvy vs. The "Turn It Off and On Again" Rule
32:00 Dealing with Loss: Announcing a Close Family Death to Children
34:56 The Grieving Process: Observing Kids Looking for Emotional Cues
35:58 Coping with Loss: The Life Lesson of Normalcy After Death
37:42 A Story of Empathy and Normalcy: Going to Work After Losing a Parent
40:00 Coping Mechanisms: The Power of Humor and Levity in Trauma
41:05 The Tension: Joking About Seriousness to Retain Poignancy
42:17 The Final Interaction: A New Coming-of-Age Threshold
44:08 The Pressure Motivator: Writing the Eulogy the Day Before
46:15 Intergenerational Realization: The "Asshole" Dad Who Asked Too Many Questions
Supporting Content
- The Kids Are Sleep podcast: https://thekidsaresleeppod.com/
- Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2BLqNnuXNGpzCioZOlzKsM
- Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-kids-are-sleep/id1678661363
- Instagram (Sean): https://www.instagram.com/therealseanharvey/
- Instagram (Shannon): https://www.instagram.com/therealshannonharvey