Ralph Garcia didn’t grow up with a blueprint for fatherhood — and maybe that’s exactly why he’s become the dad he is today. In this Father’s Day edition of MoM, he sits down with host Meagan Clanahan to talk about late‑in‑life parenting, growing up with teen parents, and the everyday moments that shape the kind of father he wants to be. Their conversation is a warm, honest look at modern dadhood — equal parts joy, grit, and the kind of love that shows up at 3am with a laundry basket.
Ralph Garcia didn’t grow up with a roadmap for what the “right” kind of dad looked like … and that, it turns out, might be exactly what made him into the one he is today. In the June Father’s Day edition of MoM, Ralph sat down with Meagan to talk about all of it: the gray in the beard, the basketball injuries, the pre-K graduation songs that made every daycare bill feel worth it.
June is Father’s Day month and this conversation leans all the way in. Ralph, Executive Producer of Great Day Houston and dad to Rafael (8), Jude (5), and Cece (2), opened up about becoming a first-time dad at 39, growing up with teen parents, and the quiet decision he made somewhere along the way to wait until he was ready, even if “ready” is a little bit of a myth. He and Meagan talked about what it means to be a 21st-century dad — the kind who does the 3am vomit laundry and coaches basketball on Sunday mornings and interviews his kids on their birthdays every single year because he wants them to know who they were. He also made a distinction that felt genuinely worth sitting with: the difference between joy and happiness in parenthood. Joy, he says, is always there. Happiness? That one’s a little more honest.
This conversation is a reminder that the dads who show up {fully, imperfectly, arms a little sore from Sunday basketball} are leaving their kids something no highlight reel can capture.
About Houston Moms on The Move: Houston Moms on the Move is a series by Houston Moms, celebrating the stories of extraordinary Houston moms {AND dads!} who inspire, encourage, and challenge us. Each episode features a high-profile mom from the community who balances the demands of work, family, and motherhood with grace and determination. These are the women who rise above challenges, break barriers, and redefine what it means to be a modern mom. Join us as we dive deep into their journeys, uncovering the triumphs, struggles, and wisdom they’ve gained along the way.
