What Teens Need from Dads, part 1
Dear Mr. Dad. I’ve got 12-year old boy-girl twins. I’ve already noticed that my relationship with them has changed, but I want to make sure I’m doing everything I can to stay involved as they enter the teen years. What do they need most from me and how can I gently steer them in the... CONTINUE READING→
What Makes Dads So Important?
When I began the research for The Boy Crisis some eleven years ago and discovered that boys in more than 60 of the largest developed nations were falling behind academically, and in mental health (e.g., suicide; shootings); physical health (e.g., sperm count, IQs); and in preparation for employment, I naturally wondered why this was the case. I was able... CONTINUE READING→
Playing the Odds of Being an Older Dad
How do you handle risk? Some believe it’s part of the game of life, found everywhere in different doses. Unavoidable but often knowable. Others fear its existence, preferring the familiar and secure. As Oscar Wilde said: “It is better to have a permanent income than to be fascinating.” Where do you stand on risk? Take... CONTINUE READING→
Walking the Walk and Crawling the Crawl
Dear Mr. Dad: My best friend and I have 10-month-old boys who were born only a week apart. His started walking about a month ago but mine is still crawling and has absolutely no interest in walking. I know I shouldn’t compare my baby to anyone else’s, but it’s hard not to. Is there anything... CONTINUE READING→
American Popular Culture Has Portrayed Fathers As Drooling Idiots For WAY TOO LONG
Most people see thousands of media images daily. Over time, these portrayals help shape our expectations of parenthood, in ways some call “gender stereotyping.” While the media now lambastes fatherhood, portrayals weren’t always this way. Bob Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture, said: “While dads in ‘Leave It to Beaver’ and ‘The Donna... CONTINUE READING→
Looking Under the Rock of Male Infertility
Raise your hand if you looked under rocks as a kid. What’dya remember finding? Moist dark soil and interesting little critters skedaddling away is what I recall. Earth’s underbelly, teeming with life. Infertility Awareness The theme of this year’s National Infertility Awareness Week is “Flip the Script.” Be a voice, break the silence, advocate, pledge and help build awareness... CONTINUE READING→
Instilling a Sense of Wonder
Dear Mr. Dad: I remember being a child and constantly being amazed. But it seems like life is moving much more quickly these days and my own kids never get the luxury of just staring at the stars. Is there some way that today’s overscheduled families can slow down and rekindle that sense of wonder?... CONTINUE READING→
Too Many States Have Laws That Literally Offer Financial Incentives To DESTROY Families
While it obviously takes money to raise children, existing child support laws create fatherless kids. Calls to restructure child support aren’t new as editorials have appeared in The Washington Post, The New York Times, The Denver Post, The Baltimore Sun, The Boston Globe, The Charleston Post And Courier and in a report by National Public Radio. Examining how child support creates fatherlessness begins... CONTINUE READING→
Where are We with Man Made Sperm?
“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” Dr. Seuss I’ve been asked to report to the fertility community about where we are with man-made sperm. Although we’re not where we’d like to be, it is certainly not for lack of trying. Around... CONTINUE READING→
Build Your Toxin Awareness to Improve Your Health
We live in an age of convenience, consumerism, and immediate gratification. But the exponential changes happening in our society have an effect—more toxins are invading our lives than ever before. On any given day, we are exposed to toxic chemicals that can enter our bodies through the food we eat, the water we drink, the... CONTINUE READING→