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New to The Dad Diaries? This is where to begin. The stories that define this place — honest, unfiltered, and written for the parent who needs to feel less alone.
This is for the parent falling apart quietly after bedtime.
I'm Joseph Tito — gay dad, creator, and the person who started writing about fatherhood because I couldn't find anything honest enough to read.
The Dad Diaries is the place where I tell the truth. About surrogacy. About raising twins. About the mental load, the burnout, the identity shifts, and the love that makes all of it worth it.
No perfect parent energy. No highlight reel. Just the real version.
The stories that define this place

Why I Chose Surrogacy: A Gay Dad's Decision
The real reasons, the fears, and what nobody tells you about making the decision to become a dad through surrogacy.
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The Truth About Parenting Burnout
It didn't come on all at once. That's the thing about parenting burnout — it doesn't announce itself. It accumulates.
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What It's Really Like Being a Gay Dad of Twins
The joy, the chaos, the questions, and what nobody prepares you for when you're a gay dad raising twins.
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The Mental Load of Fatherhood Is Real
The invisible operating system running in the background of your brain — all day, every day.
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Would I Do Surrogacy Again?
After years, five embryo transfers, and $150K+ — a gay dad's honest, complicated answer.
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What No One Tells You About Being a Parent
The identity crisis, the loneliness, and the moment you realize you'll never not worry again.
Read this →Four pillars. One honest voice.
Surrogacy Journey
25+ storiesThe full path to fatherhood through surrogacy — 9 stages, honest and complete.
Explore →Fatherhood
15+ storiesModern dad life, unfiltered. Identity, presence, guilt, and the stuff nobody posts about.
Explore →Mental Load
8+ storiesThe invisible weight dads carry. Burnout, overwhelm, and the stuff nobody talks about.
Explore →Raising Twins
6+ storiesDouble the chaos, double the love. Honest dispatches from twin parenthood.
Explore →