From Winging It to National TV: Joe Gidjunis' Journey to Becoming a Better Dad

Philly guy wanted to learn how to be a better dad, so he asked around. Now he has a national PBS show

Grown Up Dad: Redefining Fatherhood in the Modern Era

Joe Gidjunis’ Journey to Becoming a Better Dad

Joe Gidjunis is a regular guy. Like many of us, when he first stepped into the world of fatherhood, he was winging it. Growing up in the ’80s, his role models were often absentee fathers or the bumbling TV dads like Al Bundy from “Married with Children.” Joe knew he wanted to be something more for his son, Gabe, but what exactly did that look like?

To find out, Joe started asking questions — lots of them. He sought advice from other dads and parenting experts, embarking on a personal journey to discover what kind of father he wanted to be. Little did he know, this quest would evolve into “Grown Up Dad,” a national TV show premiering a month on nearly 300 PBS stations.

“I cannot believe I’m going to get to turn on TV in a couple of weeks and see my face and my son and my family trying to help everyone — including ourselves — to be better parents,” Joe said.

For Joe, a resident of Manayunk, this project is both a labor of love and a dream come true. Formerly an education and general assignment reporter, Joe left journalism in 2010. He and his wife, Rebecca, now an assistant provost at Eastern University, realized that the demanding hours of a news career weren’t conducive to the family life they envisioned. Joe shifted gears, building a successful commercial and event photography business. Inspired by characters like Bandit Heeler from the Australian children’s show “Bluey,” Joe conceived a series exploring contemporary fatherhood.

When Joe presented his idea to WNED PBS in the Buffalo-Toronto area, they immediately saw its potential. Kathryn Larson, vice president of content distribution, noted, “There are a lot of programs that help new mothers, but I had never seen one for dads.”

The show stems from Joe’s personal quest to be the father his son Gabe, now 7, deserves. Growing up, Joe’s own father, a management consultant, was often away on business trips, missing significant moments. Joe didn’t want to repeat that pattern. He wanted to be a present and active dad in Gabe’s life.

As Joe interviewed fathers from diverse backgrounds, he discovered varying approaches to fatherhood. One featured dad, Orlando Rios, 37, grew up with teenage parents in North Philly. His father worked long hours and often came home too tired to engage, while his mother juggled work and child-rearing. Now, Orlando and his wife, Erica Bou, run a hair salon and raise their two sons, Omari Eli and Emir Owen, together with no strict gender roles.

Orlando shared, “It should be kind of an eye-opener. I think there are people here that are kind of stuck. I hope it would force some conversations between moms and dads. Everybody has to work in today’s world. If we’re talking about two-income households then we also need two parents involved to raise our children today.”

Another father, Adam Woods, 42, from South Philadelphia, lives with his husband Justin and their daughter Emi, 8. Adam hopes the show highlights the joy and fulfillment active fatherhood can bring. Having lost his father at 10, Adam found father figures in his community and learned valuable lessons about work-life balance and proactive parenting.

“Grown Up Dad” is set to air in the top 50 markets in the U.S., with future episodes delving into topics like technology and children, mental health, toxic masculinity, and financial challenges of parenthood.

Grown Up Dad — Teaser

Joe’s son, Gabe, who appears on the show, already has his own advice for dads: “Be a nice person to your kid, but don’t overdo it. If your kid keeps getting whatever it wants and when it doesn’t, it would be really mad because it’s used to getting whatever it wants.” Gabe also emphasizes spending time with kids over just buying them things, enjoying games, and sharing funny jokes with his dad.

When asked to rate his dad, Gabe said, “I think he’s a pretty good dad, like 60 to 70 out of 100%.” Laughing, Joe responded, “Wait, I’m getting a C or a D over here?” Gabe reassured him, “Well, you’re not below average.”

This exchange captures the essence of “Grown Up Dad” — the constant evolution and effort to become better parents. As Joe Gidjunis continues to navigate fatherhood, he invites us all to join the journey, learn, and grow together.

“Grown Up Dad” will air on NJTV in New Jersey on June 13 and 15, 2024 and on Philadelphia area WHYY on Father’s Day, June 16, and then again on June 20. It will air June 17 on WLVT and can also be streamed on pbs.org. Several more episodes will air next year.

Sources: