Resources

New Trends, Research and Policy

Five Ways Fathers Matter
Child Trends, June 16, 2016
Research increasingly shows that a father's positive engagement with his children increases their well-being whether or not he lives with them full-time. We like this post because it concisely details five key ways dads make a difference for their kids.
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?m=1101701160827&ca=7fbcea63-743d-4578-a1cb-78ef885a8217

Do Fathers Matter? -- The Book
Do Fathers Matter? What Science is Telling Us About the Parent We've Overlooked, by Paul Raeburn, Scientific American/Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2014.

In the past fathers have been largely dismissed by developmental psychologists as irrelevant to the well-being of infants and children. A new book by renowned science writer Paul Raeburn counters this view. He makes a compelling case for the importance of active fatherhood, portraying it as an emergent field attracting significant new interest. These two engaging reviews in the New York Times capture the book's importance from scientific and cultural perspectives:

New York Times, Science Section, July 15, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/science/in-defense-of-indispensable-dad.html?ref=science?src=dayp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-above-moth-fixed-region&region=c-column-above-moth-fixed-region&WT.nav=c-column-above-moth-fixed-region&_r=0

New York Times, Book Review, June 1, 2014
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/02/books/do-fathers-matter-shows-why-they-do.html?hp

I'm a dad. So why do people call me "Mrs."?
Grant J. Schneider, Washington Post Blog post, March 18, 2015
"Women get discriminated against in the office; men get discriminated against when it comes to care," Schneider quotes Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg. We need to bring gender equality into the home, he argues, and the burden of creating this equality falls equally on women and men. If we can diminish the lingering stereotype of mom as the sole caregiver, we just might be on the verge of a new "lean-in dad archetype." 
http://wapo.st/19zlHAv

Education and Lifestyle

Work and Family: Dads Want to Have it All, Too
Washingtonian, September 2, 2014
A profile of six successful professional fathers and their struggle to find a satisfactory work-life balance. The article indicates a fundamental shift in the values that define male identity and success...a trend that's still emerging.
http://www.washingtonian.com/articles/work-education/dads-want-to-have-it-all-too/

An "Epidemic" of Fatherless Sons -- from Oprah's Life Classes,         
Part 1 in a series.
Oprah begins a national conversation with experts on the devastating effects of father absence on sons. Includes links to resources and Oprah's Life Class on this subject. (Registration is required for Life Classes. There is no charge.)
http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/Iyanla-Vanzant-Explains-the-True-Role-of-a-Father-Video

Creative Expression

Maurice's Valises -- Book review by REEL FATHERS Founder/President Allan Shedlin
In the "Grandfather Knows Best" column in the online magazine Grand, REEL FATHERS' Founder Allan Shedlin captures the essence of this charming, insightful book series that draws on the ethical teachings of the great religious traditions. An appealing resource for grandparents of children 6-12 -- though everyone in the family will enjoy the round-the-world adventures of the philosoher mouse Maurice.
http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/grand/20150304_v3/#/32

Knock, Knock -- Daniel Beaty
Def Jam Poetry