Tag Archives: fathers

MHB Supports Parents Who Are LGBT

MHB (Men Having Babies, Inc.) is a nonprofit organization that was spun off in July 2012 from a program that ran at the NYC LBGT Center since 2005. It started as a peer support network for biological gay fathers and fathers-to-be, offering monthly workshops and an annual seminar.  Over time, elaborate online resources were developed, the group’s mailing list expanded to thousands of couples and singles from around the world, and it teamed up with LGBT family associations to develop similar programs in Chicago, San Francisco, LA, Miami, Dallas, Tel Aviv, Taipei and Brussels. MHB’s mission includes: The provision of … Continue reading →

Dads are Important, Too!

A few months ago, a book was released that emphasized the important role that dads have. It is possible that the book may have influenced some parents to take a moment and think about the importance of dads and whether society might need to update its idea of what dads can do. Let me begin by clearly stating that I think that both dads and moms are very important to their children. Each can have a very strong influence. Whether that influence is positive or negative depends largely on the individual choices each parent makes. A book called Do Fathers … Continue reading →

Lessons from My Father

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I’ve always been a bit of a daddy’s girl. As a little girl, I chose repeatedly to attend the “cow sales” (livestock auctions) with Dad over shopping with Mom. Maybe it was because I felt so special being the only little girl in the midst of all those men, but whatever the reason, I loved spending time with my dad. I loved the way he took care of me and, although my memory may be somewhat skewed by age and time, the way he seemed to take pride in my being there. I grew up wanting to be around Dad … Continue reading →

The Importance of Fathers

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My husband grew up in a home without a father. Like so many kids these days, he had one parent at home who had to work to make a living, so he was on his own quite a bit. But even though he didn’t have a father, he felt the need for a father figure. He adored his grandpa and tried to be like him, and he sought out other men to fill that void in his life. Fortunately, he lived in a good neighborhood and a good ward. As a teenager, a man down the street took him under … Continue reading →

Strong Role Models

The other day I heard a man talking about other women and doing exactly what Mary Ann was talking about, commenting on their anatomy. His wife was present at the time. She looked embarrassed and I felt sorry for her, having to put up with a husband who does that. It’s something I’ve not encountered in my own marriage, for which I am very thankful. Mick’s never been one to flirt with or talk about other women. He doesn’t even notice when other women smile at him as happened the other day while we were shopping. He doesn’t look at … Continue reading →

Understanding in Marriage

This is one of those qualities marriages need in spades. And the reality is sometimes we don’t understand why our partner is behaving the way they do. That’s largely because women and women think and behave differently in situations and respond differently to them. Women, on the whole, remembering of course there are always exceptions to every rule or generalization, tends to worry more and be more emotional. This is especially true when the woman is pregnant. Emotions tend to come to the fore. At times the man might not understand why she is behaving as she us. Sometimes she … Continue reading →

Dad’s Good Intentions Crumble

How far would you go to help your child obtain a dream? Going to summer camp may not be your kid’s dream, but it is for Bryan Freeborn’s 8-year-old daughter. So, when the North Carolina Girl Scout’s father found out that his little girl’s dream could become reality if she sold a ton of Girl Scout cookies, Freeborn put on his thinking cap. His plan: Use the Internet to generate a record number of cookie sales. His downfall: Not adhering to the Girl Scout’s rule banning Internet cookie sales. Unfortunately, for Freeborn and his daughter, Wild (yes, that’s her real … Continue reading →

Father Makes PTA History

When was the last time you saw a dad at a PTA meeting? Apparently, males are scarce at most Parent-Teacher Association meetings, which is why the appointment of Charles J. Saylors as the new president of the educational organization is making headlines around the country. The Parent-Teacher Association is a national organization of 5.5 million members, though most of them are mothers, who have a reputation of being domineering, highly-organized and driven (not that I’m into stereotyping or anything). According to The New York Times, men make up only 10 percent on the national PTA membership. However, studies show male … Continue reading →

Desperate Dad vs. Unsympathetic Electric Company

As parents we’ve all maintained at one time or another how we would do anything for our children. I hear it from parents all the time: “Oh, I would give anything to see my daughter happy.” “I would die for my son.” Yada, yada, yada… No offense, but some of these parents are the very ones who won’t shell out a buck more for their kid to get a grilled chicken sandwich at McDonald’s instead of the cheaper McChicken because they need the money to buy themselves a Big Mac or cigarettes on the way home. But I digress. If … Continue reading →

Celeb Father Weighs In on Parenting Daughters

Would you take parenting advice from Tim McGraw? The award-winning country crooner (turned fashion designer) and father of three girls is hoping you’ll part with $20 to read his take on how to parent daughters. McGraw’s new children’s book titled, “My Little Girl,” hits bookshelves this week. The story details the relationship between a cowboy-ish dad and his daughter who spend the entire day together (with their dog) doing nothing in particular… on purpose. According to McGraw, that’s the message he wants to send home to parents: You can have an extraordinary day with your daughters doing ordinary things. “As … Continue reading →