Even a few weeks after the helicopter crash in Los Angeles that killed basketball great Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna and seven others, the shock remains. As a parent of two teenagers, what reverberates most is the multi-generational losses of three different families. Based on the supportive messages that continue to flit across social media, fellow parents agree. The most viral hashtags, however, have celebrated the father-daughter relationship: #GirlDad and #GirlsDad. They resulted from Elle Duncan’s tearful ESPN report in which she recounted Bryant’s pride as a “Girl Dad.” When I … [Read more...]
Don’t Be the Mom, Guys. Be a Dad as Only a Dad Can Be
Dads -- stop trying to be mom. There, I've said it. I can hear a whole lot of browsers closing right now, especially those used by you at-home dads. I feel those eyerolls. Who the hell is this guy? Is he trying to piss off everyone? Pretty much. But here's what I mean. Moms are awesome. I have one and I'm married to one. They are good Ford people, salt of the earth women who should be put up on pedestals. They should be celebrated and acknowledged for all the truly heroic things that they do. If you haven't called your mother in a while, then stop reading and do that. Moms worry … [Read more...]
HomeDadCon 2020 Set for October in Cincinnati, Ticket Sale Jan. 1
At-home fathers from all over are scheduled to gather in Cincinnati in October 2020 for HomeDadCon, an annual "professional development" conference for full-time caregivers of the dad persuasion. And you can get a ticket on the cheap this New Year's Day. The Oct. 8-10, 2020, convention is for at-home fathers who embrace parenting as their most important job. It allows them to network with other active and involved dads, and also gives these full-time parents a chance to relax. The year will be the 25th such annual conference. HomeDadCon 2020 is organized by The National At-Home Dad … [Read more...]
Parenting Mantras I Learned from Author Toni Morrison
The words of recently deceased, Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison had a huge impact on my life —first as a student, then as a parent. In graduate school, much of my research focused on her powerful novels — especially Beloved — that explored slavery and its aftermath. Later, as a stay-at-home dad, I saw her appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show, and once again her words hit me hard. During that appearance, Morrison captured the nature of a parent's unconditional love: “It’s interesting to see when a kid walks in a room, your child or anybody else’s child, does your face light up? That’s … [Read more...]
Dads Modeling Good Male Behavior Can Improve Their Kids’ Future
“There he is. Over there. In the shadows. On a bench. He’s wearing a knit hat. His beard is a little haggard. Maybe he hasn’t slept in a while, or maybe, just maybe he’s some sort of bearded creeper. He’s just hanging out in a park, surrounded by kids and staring. He’s the only male here. Is he a dad? I haven’t seen him with any kids. He’s just sitting there. Watching the kids play. Something’s off. Oh, no. He made eye contact with me. Is he smiling at me? What’s his deal!?” As a house husband, I’m often the one taking the kids to the park, or gymnastics, or school, or dance. You name it. … [Read more...]
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