Mitchell Phelps relocated to Cleveland three years ago. A few months later, he and his wife welcomed their first child. Although it was a happy time, Phelps struggled with feelings of loneliness.
“I just didn’t feel like myself,” Phelps said. “When the baby came, I felt like she didn’t need me. My wife would breastfeed her and she would sleep, and that was pretty much it.”
When his expectations of being a father didn’t align with his reality, Phelps ended up seeking therapy. The therapist asked who he was hanging out with outside of his wife and daughter.
“They said that I seemed like a social person and encouraged me to try and make new connections in Cleveland,” Phelps said. “That’s what I tried to do.”
Launching the Daddy Stroller Social Club
One day while scrolling Instagram, Phelps came across the Daddy Stroller Social Club in Dallas, Texas. What he saw inspired him to create something similar in Cleveland.
“I saw a bunch of Black fathers walking together with their kids, and I thought that was really dope,” Phelps said. “When I did more research, I learned that they were also bringing awareness to postpartum depression in men, which is what I was going through at the time.”
At the time, the club only existed in Dallas. Phelps reached out to the group to ask if he could organize a chapter in Cleveland, but the club didn’t have the capacity to support chapters nationwide. Determined to bring this experience to Cleveland, Phelps decided to start a pilot program of his own, just not under the Daddy Stroller Social Club name.
After coming across three men with kids while out and about in Cleveland, they began to meet up once a month at Pinecrest to spend time with their kids while building a friendship. Participation increased each month. After the third month, Phelps went back to the Daddy Stroller Social Club to share his success.
“After they saw what we were doing and how effective it was, they decided to give us a chance,” Phelps said. “I spoke to the founder, Kalvin Bridgewater, and he was on board. We were the first chapter established outside of Dallas.”
Today, the Daddy Social Stroller Club has chapters in 22 cities across the country.
Welcoming dads to the club
Curtis Wright, 25, is the father of an 18-month-old son. When he discovered he was going to be a father for the first time, a plethora of emotions flooded him.
“I’m currently in graduate school, so my first thought was how was I going to balance that and provide for my son,” Wright said.
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Although he was actively in therapy already, he felt he needed more support. His partner sent him a social media post that highlighted the Daddy Social Stroller Club. He was immediately intrigued.
“I was the first one out of my friend group to have a kid, so I didn’t really have anyone that could relate to what I was going through,” Wright said. “The Daddy Stroller Social Club was where I was able to find that connection I was looking for.”
Wright, who deals with social anxiety, was reserved during the first couple of strides, but eventually became comfortable among the group.
“Whenever someone new comes in, they may be a little shy,” Wright said. “The group does a good job of making everyone feel included and asking questions to get to know them and their kids. They do a great job making everyone feel welcomed and comfortable.”
Wright encourages fathers who are struggling with mental health or just seeking like-minded individuals to give the club a chance.
“Joining the Daddy Stroller Social Club has given me a brighter experience in terms of Cleveland, other fathers and how they care for their kids,” Wright said. “I highly recommend joining.”
‘Dads want connection’
The Cleveland chapter has engaged more than 100 fathers to date. Fathers from all walks of life come together once a month for a “stride” where they walk, play with their kids, offer each other parenting advice and share their mental health struggles and triumphs.
One in 10 dads struggle with postpartum depression, according to Postpartum Depression International, a nonprofit that raises awareness around the emotional realities many fathers face after having a child. Phelps acknowledges the need for more male friendships, particularly with other fathers.
“I have spoken to other dads in the club who have gone through postpartum,” Phelps said. “The biggest thing I’m seeing is dads want community. Dads want friends. Now, with kids, ‘kicking it’ looks different. Being in a space with men who have similar mindsets makes the socializing aspect much easier.”
Looking for partnerships
The Daddy Stroller Social Club is currently looking to establish partnerships with local therapists and mental health organizations in order to incorporate mindfulness moments and provide mental health resources during meetups, similar to the model used by the Dallas chapter.
“I was so nervous when I took the kids out on my own for the first time,” Phelps said. “When you see active fathers who can get themselves dressed, their kids dressed and get out of the house, you believe that you can do it too.”
Mitchell Phelps
The club also organizes family-oriented events, such as a recent cookout and an Easter egg hunt, to involve mothers. To join the club, those interested just need to RSVP to a monthly stride and show up. Events are posted to the club’s Instagram page. (Note: You do not have to have kids in order to join the group.)
Phelps, now a father of two, emphasized that seeing active, present fathers helps other men believe they can also effectively parent their children.
“I was so nervous when I took the kids out on my own for the first time,” Phelps said. “When you see active fathers who can get themselves dressed, their kids dressed and get out of the house, you believe that you can do it too.”
