Dear Mr. Dad: Everyone knows about the crisis of overweight and obese kids. With the Winter Olympics just a few weeks away, I got to wondering whether so many kids being fat and out of shape will affect the United States’ ability to compete (not necessarily in these Olympics, but in the future). What do...Continue reading
Category: Fatherhood
How Is a Vasectomy Reversal Like a Sunday Drive?
Are you an informed decision maker? You probably are if you are an accident-free car driver. Because good driving involves high speed processing of enormous amounts of data, together with quick and virtually reflexive decision-making. Muddy the process with alcohol or exhaustion and what happens? KaPow! (Batman lingo). Blocked and Baffled I was very moved...Continue reading
Pros and Cons of Working at Home
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a new father and my company recently offered me the option working from home a few days a week. That sounds pretty great to me, but I’m curious about the positives and negatives. A: As someone who’s worked from home for more than 20 years, I can definitely see the attraction:...Continue reading
There’s a Limit to Setting Limits
Dear Mr. Dad: Anytime the topic of discipline comes up, everyone talks about how important it is to set limits. I agree, but it’s a lot easier to talk about it than to actually do it, especially when the kids (mine are 4 and 8) push back and challenge everything. How do you suggest we...Continue reading
Is There a Link between Dental Health and Men’s Fertility?
By now, we’ve all heard about the health risks of poor oral hygiene, which go far beyond toothaches, cavities and tooth loss. Neglecting your dental health can put you at greater risk for heart disease, respiratory problems, diabetes, stroke, arthritis and other medical issues. According to new research, it may also affect your ability to...Continue reading
Restaurants and Kids: Think Twice Before Mixing
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m a server at an upscale eatery and am constantly amazed at parents who bring their loud, unruly children into the restaurant and let them run wild. We’ve had kids trip servers, knock over bottles of expensive wine, disturb other customers, start food fights, and worse. As a parent myself, I would...Continue reading
Sperm Counts “Falling” — Do I Really Need a Semen Analysis?
It’s amazing how a simple sperm count became a full-on, prime time “Sperm War.” I was asked to speak on Shade 45, Eminem’s SiriusXM channel, about the hullabaloo concerning the claim that men’s sperm counts are falling. And, to address the notion that we are headed for…that’s right…extinction! And the Answer Is… What struck me most while on the...Continue reading
Has a Father’s Absence Impacted Your Life? Take the Quiz to Find Out
When I was five years old, my father had, what was called at the time, “a nervous breakdown,” and was hospitalized. He never came home again and he and my Mom got a divorce. I was raised by a single Mom and it never occurred to me that my father’s absence might have been harmful...Continue reading
Miscarriage Grief: Not for Women Only
Dear Mr. Dad: Just after our first trimester, my wife and I lost our baby. I’ve been focusing on being there for her and supporting her every way I can. But this miscarriage has hit me pretty hard too and I’m having a tough time coping. Part of the problem is that I feel guilty...Continue reading
It’s Never too Soon to Start Childproofing
Dear Mr. Dad: I always seem to be hearing about children who are seriously injured (or worse) in their own houses. We just brought our new baby home from the hospital, but I want to start getting our house childproofed right now. How should we start and what should we do? A: When it comes to...Continue reading