Dr John Greenall
What does it mean to be a connected dad in a world where fathers are expected to provide, be present, set boundaries and remain emotionally available to their children?
In this episode of the PublishU Podcast, Matt Bird speaks with Dr John Greenall, Consultant Paediatrician, father of four and author of Connected Dad: Becoming the Father Your Child Needs. Their conversation explores John’s experience working with children and families, his own journey through fatherhood, and why he believes dads have a unique and important role to play in their children’s lives.
Dr John Greenall has spent more than 20 years working with children, young people and families. Having begun his medical career in hospital environments, he now primarily works in community clinics, supporting families navigating challenges including behaviour, autism, ADHD, emotional wellbeing and disability.
A significant part of his work involves looking beyond labels to understand what may be happening beneath the surface of a child’s behaviour.
Throughout his career, however, John began noticing someone else in the room: the dad.
He recalls an early neonatal resuscitation in which, after the baby recovered, the overwhelmed father himself needed attention. Experiences such as this made John increasingly aware of fathers who may sometimes find themselves on the sidelines, unsure of their role despite the significant influence they can have within their families.
That observation eventually became part of the foundation for Connected Dad.
John is not approaching fatherhood solely from a clinical perspective. He and his wife, Heidi, have four children ranging in age from four to 17, giving him his own experience of parenting children at very different stages of life.
As he explains to Matt, professional knowledge does not remove the uncertainty that comes with raising your own children.
Modern fathers can also face seemingly contradictory expectations. They are encouraged to be connected to their children while remaining firm. They need to be available while also providing for their families. Add challenges around discipline, screen time, behaviour and busy family schedules, and it is understandable that many dads question whether they are getting it right.
John wants Connected Dad to offer something different from another parenting book listing all the things fathers should be doing better. Instead, his aim is to give dads greater confidence in the role they already have.
At the heart of the book is a simple framework built around three principles: calm, confidence and connection.
These pillars provide fathers with a practical way of thinking about their relationships with their children and how they respond when family life becomes difficult.
Despite years of professional experience, John initially struggled with the idea that he could write a book.
He describes dealing with imposter syndrome and wondering who he was to write about fatherhood. Finding the time was another significant obstacle. With four children and full-time work, writing a book had to fit into an already busy life.
The structured Writing My Book programme helped make the process achievable. By committing dedicated writing time and working alongside other aspiring authors, John was able to turn years of stories, observations and professional experience into a coherent manuscript.
The process also changed his perception of writing.
Rather than simply documenting what he already knew, writing forced him to examine his ideas more closely, organise his thoughts and consider how best to communicate them to other people.
What once seemed impossible became something he genuinely enjoyed.
One of the strongest themes of Matt and John’s conversation is confidence.
John wants fathers who encounter his work to come away believing: I can do this.
Fatherhood is not about having perfect techniques or possessing secret parenting knowledge. Nor does being a good dad mean never struggling or getting things wrong.
For John, much of it comes down to continuing to show up, remaining connected and recognising the unique relationship a father has with his children.
This philosophy also extends beyond the book. Through Connected Dad, John coaches fathers who are navigating challenges within their families. He hopes to develop courses that bring dads together, combining useful material with the support that can come from sharing experiences with other fathers.
Ultimately, he wants to contribute towards a culture in which dads feel able to speak to and encourage one another rather than believing they need to navigate fatherhood alone.
Publishing Connected Dad has also opened John’s mind to what might come next.
He admits that when he began writing, he did not imagine himself becoming someone who would write multiple books. Having completed the process, that perspective has changed considerably.
Writing helped him recognise that his broader passion is for families and creating environments in which people can flourish. While Connected Dad focuses specifically on fathers, John can see opportunities to explore other aspects of family life in future books.
As Matt points out during their conversation, this is one of the powerful opportunities created by becoming an author. John can only personally coach or work with a limited number of fathers, but a book allows his ideas and experience to reach dads around the world.
Connected Dad: Becoming the Father Your Child Needs is ultimately an invitation for fathers to recognise the importance of their role, understand their children more deeply and continue showing up — with calm, confidence and connection.
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