Topic: fathers

Growing up, I didn’t see much of my Dad. The reasons were complicated (as family matters tend to be), but at least one of them had a lot to do with work: For many years, he got a lot more face time with the photos of his family on his desk than his family itself. So the lessons he taught me about health don’t have much to do with him feeding me carrot sticks or teaching me how to play soccer (although we did spend time doing active things like skiing and hanging out at the park). Instead, the biggest health lesson he taught me came in recent years, and that is that work-life balance is just as important as whatever time you put in at the gym, yoga studio, or cooking your own nutritious meals. And all he had to do to teach me is retire. More »

Parenting expectations have changed so much since I grew up that current alternative approaches to Daddyhood would give the men of my father’s generation a brainsplosion. Fathers don’t just have to smoke their pipes and yield to Mum when daughters come running up, asking for advice. They can be involved in everything from poopy diapers, to first kisses, periods, boyfriends, and beyond. Are there lots of things I learned from my dad? Yes. Are there lots of things I didn’t learn from him? Also yes. With Father’s Day (and many stork deliveries) on the horizon, I want all the new dads out there to take it from this daughter. More »