Last night, a dozen committed and active dads met on the Upper West Side. We sat around an oval conference table, lounging, drinking beers, sports drinks, wine, soda, and eating Oreo cookies. Were we talking about the Miami Heat vs. Chicago Bulls Game that was going on at the same time? Not exactly.
Truth be told, We were engaged in an inspirational and candid conversation about fatherhood with Jim Higley – optimistic dad of three and author of book, Bobblehead Dad: 25 Lessons I Forgot I Knew (launch date: June 1st). The fellas and I were involved in a two hour conversation touching on important topics like how it feels to be a dad in a mom-centric world, how fatherhood has positively evolved the past few years, how important it is to be networked in with a community of fathers (some props for the NYC Dads Group), and how to best enjoy the amazing role and bond we all share of being present in our children’s lives. What I enjoyed most about the evening was that it was a laid back “conversation” – not a lecture, not a book reading, not a milestone competition…but an open dialogue about a feeling of pride that we all share. Jim’s final message still resonates with me today – forget what the books, websites, and friends feed you about being a good “parent.” Listen to your children’s needs and stay “tuned into” what they need to feel safe, secure, and loved. I left the evening with such a fire about being a dad and husband!
Matt S., has been following Jim’s work on The Good Men Project and Man of the House for awhile now, and was really excited to hear that he wrote a book that will be released in June, Bobblehead Dad: 25 Lessons I Forgot I Knew. He’ll post his full review of the book on the blog soon, but he does say “that this is one of the most heartfelt, honest, and thought provoking books that I’ve read in a long time. Each of us has a reason for the decisions we’ve made to be very active in our children’s’ lives, and Jim’s book serves as a great reminder to enjoy the ride.” Now, that we know Jim personally, we know that he exudes the same amazing qualities as a person – sincere, optimistic, intelligent, and a proud dad.
During our discussion, Jim Higley also talked about his “dad” journey, the influence of his own dad, raising his kids alone, the decision to leave his corporate job, and passion for being a writer. Overall, it was a wonderful opportunity to hear from Jim, as well as to hear from some other great Dads about their path and the decisions they’ve made along the way.
More about Jim Higley from Jim Higley
I am a single dad raising my three children alone – – and actually stepped out of the corporate workforce almost four years ago to be a fulltime SAHD.
Over the last year, I’ve been pursuing my secret dream of writing and am now published in three national publications weekly. I am the inaugural winner of the “World’s Greatest Dad” Challenge, a nationwide contest sponsored by Proctor & Gamble Production’s Man of the House magazine. This was a national competition promoting fatherhood and men who write about being a dad.
My first book, “Bobblehead Dad: 25 Life Lessons I Forgot I Knew” (June publication date) is an inspirational account of a my journey through fatherhood, cancer, and life. In essence, it’s a book about living the life you were meant to live. My publisher is planning a nation-wide launch for Father’s Day.
I write a weekly online fatherhood column, “Bobblehead Dad,” for the Chicago Tribune Triblocal and I am a featured contributor for other national online publications, including The Good Men Project and Man of the House.
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