When Joel first learned that his wife was going to give birth to twin girls, his heart skipped a beat. Having twins was unexpected, but twin girls! That was really intimidating. The good news for Joel and other dads of daughters is that we testosterone-filled males can relate well to girls, and it doesn’t require […]
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When Stepdad Becomes The Odd Man Out
With the arrival of Father’s Day this month, seems like it’s just another day for stepdads to hear (and feel) they aren’t “real.” This is incredibly interesting, but it does nothing to shed the sadness off the daily situation for the true American heroes on June 20th – stepdads. We are heroes because we make […]
The Importance Of Stepfathers
It’s been said a man’s view of the world changes once he has become a parent. To some extent, this is true. On the other hand, one’s core values and sense of life become clearer and stronger. I have been a stepfather for well over three years. My stepdaughter, now 17 years of age, has […]
Tears Of A Stepfather
After three years of marriage, I found myself in a therapist’s office on a Saturday morning holding hands with my wife and stepson. We were crying because our problems had turned our family interactions into tumultuous encounters. Beneath my tears lay the greatest frustration of my adult life: Marriage and stepparenting, to which I had […]
The Role of Being a Step-Dad
While this article is going to focus on being a step-Dad, it is aimed not only at men but also at women with children who intend to re-marry. Being a step-Dad in many ways is really no different from being a Dad, but comes with it’s own challenges and extra responsibilities. First there is the […]
Being A Stepfather Is Tough Work
There are lots of divorced and single dads around. And for just about every one of them, there’s a divorced or single mother. Many of these moms and dads get together and form stepfamilies. There is even a highly successful, nationwide organization (Parents Without Partners) that thrives on putting these people together. This makes sense. […]
Frozen Moments
You were three years old. Balls were bouncing in the gym. Children were running, shooting baskets. Among all the chaos I saw you grinning at me wanting me to watch you. You waved at me ” I waved at you. You showed me how you could dribble. The moment froze in my memory. You were […]
Stepfathers Often Feel Like A Lottery Ti...
“When one has not had a good father, one must create one…” – -Nietzsche As usual, Nietzsche makes a profound point using both a sledgehammer and a slick sense of subtlety. Perhaps it’s odd to quote a controversial philosopher like Nietzsche on Father’s Day, but the two aphorisms I chose to include in this column […]
Supporting the Troops and Leading Your O...
Two of the character qualities that define our military service members are Service and Sacrifice. These character qualities are important for everyone, and as Captain Dad leading your little troops, you need to help your children understand why service and sacrifice are important and model how to practice those qualities. Of course, this doesn’t have […]
Fatherville Interview: Dr. Lara Zibner –
Interview with Dr. Lara Zibner – If Your Kid Eats This Book, Everything Will Still Be Okay Fatherville: What motivated you to write If Your Kid Eats This Book…? In other words tell us a little bit about the vision behind the book. Dr. Lara Zibners: This book is an expression of years of frustration […]