Fatherhood doesn't come with a manual—but the journey is deeply rewarding, especially when you're intentional about connecting with your daughters. In a recent episode of the "Dad and Daughter Connection" podcast, host Dr. Christopher Lewis sits down with Wes Piatt and Chris Roness—two dedicated dads and founders of WeBus International—to dig deep into the realities, challenges, and incredible rewards of raising daughters.

One of the main themes woven throughout this heartfelt episode is intentional presence. Both Wes and Chris reflect on their own meaningful moments with their daughters, highlighting how vital it is to be truly present. As Chris shares, "It's those moments where they come to me because dad's got the answer… it's all about being present with my kids." Wes echoes this commitment by intentionally setting aside daily time to let his daughters choose activities, stressing that, "Whatever they want to do, I'm going to be a part of it."

The episode doesn't shy away from the hard parts either. Both guests open up about mistakes and moments of failure, offering reassurance that vulnerability and honest communication are essential. Chris tells a story about miscommunicating with his daughter about their schedule and how owning the mistake, genuinely apologizing, and learning from it turned it into a powerful teaching moment. Wes reinforces that failure is not only inevitable but also an opportunity for growth, both as a father and for teaching his daughters resilience.

Another profound theme is connection among fathers. Wes shares his personal struggles during a challenging time and how reaching out to other dads led to the creation of WeBus—a supportive community where men can share experiences (not unsolicited advice) and lift each other up. Through this network, fathers form bonds, share practical solutions, and most importantly, realize they're not alone on this path.

The episode wraps up with actionable wisdom: be present, cherish powerful moments, communicate openly, and seek connection—both with your children and other dads. As Wes and Chris emphasize, it's about being the man and the example you want your daughters to look up to.

Whether you're looking for inspiration, a reminder that imperfection is part of the journey, or simply some practical dad-to-dad guidance, this episode is packed with genuine stories and strategies. Tune in to the "Dad and Daughter Connection" for insights that will help you become the dad your daughter needs—and maybe find a brotherhood along the way.

Ready to listen? Find the episode at dadanddaughterconnection.com and take the next step on your fatherhood journey.

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TRANSCRIPT

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:02 ]:
Welcome to the dad and Daughter Connection, the podcast for dads who want to build stronger bonds and raise confident, independent daughters. If you're looking to build a stronger bond with your daughter and help her grow into a confident, independent woman, you're in the right place. I'm Dr. Christopher Lewis, and the dad and Daughter Connection is the podcast where we dive into real stories, expert advice, and practical tips to help you navigate the incredible journey of fatherhood. In every episode, we'll bring you conversations that inspire, challenge, and equip you to show up as the dad your daughter needs. So let's get started. Because being a great dad isn't just about being there. It's about truly connecting.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:00:51 ]:
Welcome back to the dad and Daughter Connection. Really excited to have you back again this week. Every week. I love being able to reconnect with you, to talk with you, to be on this journey that we're both on together in raising our daughters and building those strong connections that we want to have with our daughters. One step at a time. Because none of us are thrown into fatherhood with that manual, per se. We have to learn it along the way. And it is so important to have strong connections with our daughters, and especially our daughters, because of that bond that happens between a father and a daughter and all of the research that shows the power of the relationship between the father and the daughter.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:01:36 ]:
So every week, I love being able to talk with you, to walk with you on this path that you're on, but also introduce you to other dads that are doing their best to be the best dads they can be. And we got two great guests today. We've got Wes Pyatta and Chris Ronas are here. And we're gonna be talking to them not only about being fathers of daughters. Cause Wes has two daughters himself and Chris has three daughters. And we're also, though, going to talk about their new venture, their new business that they've been working on for a bit now that is called Webus International. And we're gonna be talking about that as well. So we'll learn a little bit more about that.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:20 ]:
So, Wes, Chris, thanks so much for joining us today.

Wes Piatt [00:02:23 ]:
Heck, yeah. Thanks for having us on.

Chris Roness [00:02:25 ]:
Yeah, man, thanks for having us.

Dr. Christopher Lewis [00:02:26 ]:
This is the dad and Daughter Connection. And I think one of the things that I'd love to ask you first is as you think about the relationships with your daughters, what's one of the most meaningful moments that you've shared with your daughters and what made it so special?

Wes Piatt [00:02:39 ]:
Man, I had some pretty amazing moments with both of My daughters, they were born early and both in the NICU for a few months. And I remember there was specifically one moment with my daughter Joey where we had a rough time in the parking lot right before we went in and just kind of soaking in the extreme nature of everything we were dealing with and our first child and all this stuff. And I've got my hands in the little incubator and I'm trying to change her diaper on this little tiny, tiny human. I mean, she was the size of my hand. And the nurse walks over and goes, oh, let me show you how to do that with one hand. In that moment, I was so grateful for all the time that we had in the nicu, all the time that we were going to get in the nicu, because I felt like I got like a. You said we don't have a manual for being a. I felt like they gave me a manual on so many things.

Wes Piatt [00:03:26 ]:
I was in the NICU both with Joey and with June because June was also born early. And having that time going into the nicu, June and being actually excited about it, knowing she was going to be fine, and then knowing I was going to learn even more from these amazing nurses that were there for 20, 30, 40 years teaching me how to do all these little things that most dads don't get. It was an amazing, not necessarily like moment in time, but I guess like per se, but, but amazing time within their lives where I learned like, man, bad things can really lead to some pretty awesome stuff.

Chris Roness [00:03:58 ]:
Wow, dude, that's powerful, man. Dude, Chris, that's hard. You want me to just pick one? I've been blessed to have millions of them. And I think if there's a theme about any one of them, it started just like Wes was talking about. From the day they were born until even today, Even with my 12 year old who's doing the pre teen thing, it's those moments where they come to me because dad's got the answer, you know, they're coming to me as a sign of strength and all the things and. And to me it's feedback. To me, the second that I got my first daughter, the doctor handed her to me. He goes, $150 a month.

Chris Roness [00:04:30 ]:
And I was like, what is this? My bill? Like, what are you talking about? He goes, $150 a month. That's how much you need to put in the bank every month for this child. So that someday down the road, whether it's education or a wedding or something meaningful to them, you've got that Money set aside to give them a good quality life. But it was the awe of having this kid in my hand and still realizing it's so much more than that. It's so much more than that. And, and for the kids, like this 12 year old now who doesn't even know that I've been putting $150 a month towards her. You know what I mean? Like, it's not about some sort of material thing. It's those moments where, like we talked about that bond that we've had through all those little moments where they've come to dad because Dad's the answer.

Chris Roness [00:05:12 ]:
Even at 12, it's not exactly the same conve