My child and I recently walked by a black woman dressed, head to toe, in purple. Several layers of purple actually, including a purple Red Sox hat. She stood out. My 2-year-old says the word “purple” a moment later and I agree with his observation. “She was wearing a lot of purple,” I say. And then I wait to see if there are any other questions or observations, but none followed. We keep walking and I’m thinking about how in the future the conversation will likely go past just the word “purple” and lead into questions around other differences he observed. Discussing racial differences, … [Read more...]
About Robbie Samuels
Boys Playing with Dolls Helps Prepare Them to be Nurturing Fathers
Scrolling through my Facebook feed the other day, I found a post that made me both incensed and sad: Today my 7 yr old nephew was bullied by an adult male member of our family because he has a baby doll. He was called a freak, snide remarks were said to his face, and he was asked how many times he has been in first grade. He was made to feel like he was somehow less of a boy and human being because he has a doll ... All on the morning after we had to put down our family dog. The Christmas before he got his baby sister, my ALL-BOY rough & tumble, monster truck loving, camo wearing, … [Read more...]
Like Father, Like Son Even When a Donor is Involved
I'm generally open about being a transgender man even if most people assume I'm a cisgender man (meaning I was born male). I'm often seen as a gay man. This is fine with me since I identify as queer, but it confuses people when they learn I'm married to a woman. One situation where this confusion comes up, but is rarely discussed aloud, takes place when I am out alone with my son. On a good day, I'm 5-foot, 5-inches tall. My 22-month-old is the size of most 3-year-olds. Since I'm a work-at-home dad, I'm often the only parent people encounter when I take him to a class or the playground. … [Read more...]
Huggies, Boston Dads Group Helping Tackle Diaper Need Issue
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Huggies®. Several members of our Boston Dads Group recently joined forces with with Huggies and its No Baby Unhugged program to help create care packages of children’s winter clothing, diapers and wipes to aid families struggling to meet the basic needs of their children. Keeping a young child clean, dry and healthy -- especially in the cold of a New England winter -- is a challenge for any parent. A recent Diaper Need and Its Impact on U.S. Families study by the National Diaper Bank Network and its founding sponsor, Huggies, found that one in three … [Read more...]
Transgender Dad Carving Path of Opportunities for Son, Future
Editor's Note: The journey to and through fatherhood of Boston Dads Group member Robbie Samuels offers him a unique perspective on what it means to be a modern dad and raise a son in the 21st century. Here is his story. A magical thing happened on Dec. 15, 2015, at 9:11 p.m. I became a father. While I had been planning for that moment all throughout my wife’s pregnancy — immersing myself in researching baby gear for our registry and reading parenting books — I could not have been prepared for what it felt like when my son finally arrived. That day I joined the brotherhood of … [Read more...]