Dear Mr. Dad: My husband and I are both American and speak only English. We’ve heard that it’s good to expose children to other languages. Is it really? If so, when and how do we do it? A: There’s absolutely no question that learning a second language is good for kids (and adults). Here’s how:...Continue reading
Name something besides celebrity status that the following couples have in common: Rhea Durham and Mark Wahlberg, Tory Spelling and Dean McDermott, and Victoria and David Beckham. Bingo! They each have a brood of 4 kids. Whatsup with large families? A Big Brood I just got another birth announcement from a lovely couple in my...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: We’re a few months away from becoming parents for the first time and we’ve been sanitizing our house to prepare it for our baby. We’ve got antibacterial soaps all over the place—no one’s going to touch our baby with dirty hands! We’re planning to give away our dog—we’ve had him for a...Continue reading
It can be difficult for parents and teachers to know what to do to help a child reach their potential when they have a developmental disability, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). About one in 68 children in the United States are diagnosed with ASD, a diagnosis that is nearly...Continue reading
Check out this wonderful video from poet Kyle “Guante” Tran Myhre. There’s more in his new book. https://www.facebook.com/ButtonPoetry/videos/1261860937204782/
Dear Mr. Dad: My girlfriend and I talked many times about children and mutually decided not to have any. However, without telling me, she changed her mind and got pregnant. I have absolutely no interest in being a father or raising children, but she’s threatening to come after me for child support. Is there anything...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: Last week you wrote about co-parenting strategies. But you made it sound like it’s an arrangement that works for everyone. I’m a divorce lawyer and I can assure that it doesn’t. Please explain to your readers why parents would want to co-parent in the first place, as well as when it’s likely...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m in my early 70s now and just retired. I put in long hours and did a lot of travel when I was working, so I wasn’t around for my son and daughter as much as I wish I could have been. But now that I’m a grandfather, I don’t want to...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: My wife and I desperately want to be parents. But after years of trying and tens of thousands spent on fertility treatments, our doctor is telling us that we should either consider using donor sperm or eggs or adopt. We’re considering those options, but I’m finding this whole thing rather emasculating and...Continue reading
For young children, those first Halloweens can be lots of fun—wearing costumes, staying up late, counting their haul of candy, and sneaking extra pieces when parents aren’t looking. But Halloween also worries me a bit because I’ve seen how easy it is for kids to mistake medicines for candies. As a dad, I know that...Continue reading