“‘Why do men like me want sons?’ he wondered. ‘It must be because they hope in their poor beaten souls that these new men, who are their blood, will do the things they were not strong enough nor wise enough nor brave enough to do. It is rather like another chance at life; like a... Continue Reading →
Swagger
“A boy needs a father to show him how to be in the world. He needs to be given swagger, taught how to read a map so that he can recognize the roads that lead to life and the paths that lead to death, how to know what love requires, and where to find steel... Continue Reading →
Nothing-Moments in Vegas
Relax. We have a tendency to want to make every moment with our child to be spectacular and deeply meaningful. I discovered years ago that the nothing-moments where nothing was discussed, no wisdom was passed along, and life transformation didn't happen were so incredibly important in my relationship with my son. Those nothing-moments actually helped... Continue Reading →
Follow the Example
“Every father should remember one day his son will follow his example, not his advice.” Charles Kettering
You Are Qualified
“The nature of impending fatherhood is that you are doing something that you’re unqualified to do, and then you become qualified while doing it.” –John Green
Help Me! I’m Lonely
Hi! I'm a father and at times, I am lonely. I'm guessing you feel the same. In a world that seems more and more connected online everyday, it's strange to say that us fathers could somehow be lonely. But we are! Increasingly, men have become more isolated. Our society values independence, especially as a characteristic... Continue Reading →
One Father…
"One father is more than a hundred schoolmasters." George Herbert
The Formula Father?
While my son was back from NYC for spring break a couple weeks ago, we had a blizzard. It's funny, when I was young and we had a blizzard, we called it a blizzard. Now we have to name it. Either a name like "Snow Storm Rob" or something even more menacing like "Bomb Cyclone".... Continue Reading →
Legacy, Nine Ball and a Tattoo
Through years of working with young fathers, one of the things I consistently hear from them is, "I want my child's life to be better than mine." This isn't just about people that have experienced a bad childhood. This is universal. Fathers that define their dad as awesome. Fathers that define their dad as poor.... Continue Reading →