Who I am
My name is Mark Szkudlarek, and my kids call me dad. That is the only title I have ever really wanted.
I live in North Texas with my wife and our two children. I am a parent, raising two complex kids, and learning something new every day. I am a dad who made plenty of mistakes along the way and I hope to share my learnings with others.
Why I started this
In 2026, I refocused the site on what matters most: faith, family, love, and life. I am a Catholic and we are all children of God. Everything starts with my faith, giving Him 100%. Next in line is my incredible wife, our two amazing kids, and our extended family.
A big part of our story is mental health. Both of our children were diagnosed later in life: our oldest was diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum at 21, and our youngest with ADHD at 16. My daily focus is helping them navigate the world, find their true path, and embrace their unique gifts as real strengths.
I launched The Best Dads on Father’s Day, June 16, 2019. The mission remains unchanged: to help at least one dad a day navigate the complex journey of parenting just a little more smoothly.
What I write about
Faith
Family
Love
Life
Mental Health
Good Habits
Holiday, Travel and Change
Putting God first and raising your kids with faith.
Raising a family in today's world.
Marriage, and staying connected to your spouse through it all.
Work, money, and the ordinary stuff that shapes a family.
Burnout, guilt, and the parts dads rarely say out loud.
Raising two neurodiverse kids as a self-diagnosed ADHDer.
The routines that actually hold.
The seasons and the shifts.
What This Blog Is Not
I am not a therapist, a doctor or a financial advisor, and nothing here is professional advice. Some parts of fatherhood need more than a blog post. If you are in one of those, please talk to someone qualified. That is not a failure, it is the right call.
What I offer is honesty about what I have tried, what worked, and what did not.
Where to start
Stay in touch
If any of this sounds familiar, come along for the ride. One short email every Saturday, and nothing else.