Punk is dad: Positive parenting from Edmonton fathers who love punk music

All-ager punk rager promotes positive parenting The mission of Rad Dads Edmonton is to bring fathers and kids together to bond over punk music. Geoff Hastings has the details.

For many, becoming a father changes a person; trading in our Converses for loafers, aching backs from sleeping the wrong way and growing out of our youthful ways.

But not for the Rad Dads.

A group of Edmonton dads have come together to form the Rad Dads Edmonton, a group of like-minded fathers who love two things: being a dad and punk music.

Their goal is to promote healthy and positive parenting for dads through empowerment while getting involved in their community.

Kristian Basaraba is the founder of the Rad Dads Edmonton. Basaraba also founded the podcast of the same namesake and is part of a punk cover band called Dad Religion where they played a Father's Day All Ager Rager concert for Father's Day.

"This is how we do Father's Day, Rad Dad style: punk, pizza and prizes," said Basaraba.

According to Basaraba, the formula for being a rad dad is "being present, being there and involving your kids in your life any way you can."

The Rad Dads' positive parenting philosophy is that any dad can grow and improve on how to be a father and can do so while spending quality time with their children by introducing them to punk music and circle pits.

For those dads who took a break from punk to raise families, the Rad Dads hope to instill the message of enjoying the ride while it lasts because punk isn't dead, punk is now dad.