The modern dad took center stage last week in anticipation of Father’s Day 2017 with a one-day summit in New York City on the role of fathers around the world and with the release of the latest annual “new dad report” from Boston College Center for Work & Family researchers.The first-ever Dads + SocialGood conference on June 13 brought to Manhattan leading experts, public figures, activists and parents to discuss men, their families and how to support their livelihood. Father and family health as well as the ongoing battle to improve parental leave policies in the United … [Read more...]
‘Man vs. Child’ Laughs at Weirdness of Being an At-Home Dad
Man vs. Child: One Dad’s Guide to the Weirdness of Parenting is a nuts-and-bolts reference guide about fatherhood penned in a sarcastic and cynical tone by Doug Moe, a longtime performer, instructor and writer for the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre improv and sketch comedy troupe.Moe, a member of NYC Dads Group, packages advice and empathy mainly for stay-at-home dads (SAHD) about their common dilemmas and doubts about domestic life. What makes the 190-page book unique is Moe’s honest, big-hearted and sentimental take.Although his snark comes across inherently dumb, Moe still … [Read more...]
This Dad Says He Does Babysit His Children. Sometimes.
I'm a poser. I, at times, gracefully fake being a fully present father.
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From my vantage point on the nearby playground, I could see a golfer on the tee box in the distance. He looked like a legitimate professional – wearing a white belt, a bright-colored, neatly pressed shirt with matching shorts and sparkling clean, glowing white spikes.My daughter attempted to interrupt my staring, “Dad? Dad? DAD?”“Hold on, Vivi! I want to see this guy tee off,” shushing my 8-year-old as if I were a patron at the Masters.“SHHH? What? It’s a … [Read more...]Give the Gift of Not Screwing Up Her Mother’s Day
Editor's Note: We asked mom, humorist and Barry Manilow fanatic Wendi Aarons for her advice on celebrating Mother's Day this year. Enjoy.Mother’s Day is a wonderful opportunity to show your wife, mother or the special woman in your life how important she is to you. It is also a wonderful opportunity to screw up big-time.I say that as someone who once spent Mother’s Day at a dilapidated horse track in San Antonio, Texas, dressed in the purple sequined “jazz hat” she was given as a gift by her family. Thank goodness I hit that trifecta or the day would have been a total … [Read more...]
Fishing with Your Kids Rarely about What You Catch
Fishing for me is a rite of passage. Learning how to fish comes from a pursuit of something that can leave you both angry and yet the happiest you've ever been. Fun can be had on both a boat trying to get that monster bass as well as in the middle of a frigid river searching for that trout. However, I’ve learned something over the years. Fishing isn’t always about catching fish.Getting up early and being on the water is a very sacred place for me. Life seems to rush by like the current of the water without a care in the world. When I’m on the water, the only thing I have to think about is … [Read more...]