Category Archive

Offbeat Papas

What are your favorite baby books and toys that include dads?

So many baby and toddler books and toys seem mama-centric — from the “Nothing’s Okay until Mommy comes home!” genre of books (Are You My Mother?, etc.) to puzzles or toys depicting only mother animals with their babies — where are the DAD-themed books and toys?

JCPenney’s Father’s Day ad is rocking my world

All of a sudden I’m feeling like I need to mosey down to my local mall and peruse JC Penney for all that JC Penney offers — and you can thank their latest Father’s Day campaign for that.

It’s almost Father’s Day: let’s get our budget-friendly geeky gifting on via ThinkGeek

I’m a big-time fan of giving gifts that have little to do with parental roles: many of the comments on gifts for Butch moms are the perfect example of this. Both of you KNOW that you’re parents — so why celebrate a day about being a parent with kid-themed gifts? AS SUCH, here are a few of my favorite gifts for the geek you’re crushing on in that partner-for-life kind of way.

It’s a Mommy’s world — exposing Dadscrimination

Have you ever judged a dad who hangs at the playground or brings his kid to story time? Let’s put the kibosh on it already.

Why are moms so hesitant to view their male partners as full, competent parents?

The first time it happened, I was at a Mothers of Multiples Club welcome brunch. My fantasy was that my terror of the impending birth of my twins would dissipate as soon as I met the wise kindred spirits who would be guiding me through the transition to multiple-motherhood. Much to my surprise, however, brunch soon descended into a partner-bashing session, replete with the kind of ominous warnings I would receive over and over during my pregnancy.

Our favorite books for Offbeat Dads: let’s get a list going!

I just recently found out I’m expecting and I’m looking for recommendations for books to get my husband. When I showed him the positive test, he had this excited but completely terrified look on his face that hasn’t quite gone away. I think he is a bit more overwhelmed than he would like to admit.

Does my special needs daughter really eat lunch alone every day?

It began with a simple question at the grocery store last night. We were choosing all the pieces for Schuyler’s lunch and were trying to change things up a little. We wanted to get her some new drinks but were unsure if she would be able to open the bottles. Schuyler’s polymicrogyria has some big features and some small ones, and one of its less frightening but still annoying impairments involves her fine motor skills. We asked her if she thought she would be able to open the bottle. She said she thought so, but still seemed a little unsure.

How can I get doctors and nurses to include my partner at check-ups?

I recently had a pre-term baby and much of our lives have been spent in the NICU. Since then I’ve noticed the nurses, doctors and lactation consultants expect my husband to be a poor father to our baby. It irks me. For example, whenever the doctors or nurses come to talk to us about our baby they always speak to me only. They only ask me about the baby’s feeding habits. The nurses are surprised when my hubby gets up to change the diaper and does well with it. The lactation consultants ask me about my milk supply even though he is the one processing and keeping record of volumes. It is like they expect men to be uninvolved and distant. It is a shame.