Lead Dad 101
What I Learned From Two Weeks Off
What would you do if your kids were home for two weeks and you and your spouse had a window where you could take that time off too? Could you do it? Would you come back thinking differently? Would you have any idea what you’d do with that time, like li …
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What Happened When I Was Scrooge at Santa’s Breakfast
If there’s one thing I should have remembered from Christmases past, it’s that Santa is a patient, engaged listener. And that’s not aligned with being a hyper-efficient working parent ping-ponging through the holidays. Santa’s job is to listen to the k …
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Why Dads Want To Avoid Being Labeled with “Weaponized Incompetence”
What’s the best way to get both partners, parents, spouses involved at home and open about what they’re doing in the office? I shared some of my thoughts recently when I was interviewed for The Washington Post. It’s easier and harder to achieve than you’d think. The WaPo piece, ‘Weaponized incompetence’ can harm relationships. Here’s […]
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How The Strong Bond of Golf Helps Men
At the start of my career, I sought out mentors. Most of them were old enough to be my father, which was a good thing. Given how and where I grew up, there was no one in my family who had any idea how to help me navigate Manhattan as a young journalist. I was […]
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Why You Should Take Your Kids to Work Any Day
Here’s an accidental Thanksgiving Day Parade story that came about from a daughter wanting to come to work with her father. The day before my middle daughter became a teenager, she rode in with me to film a Today Show segment. I’m not sure who was more excited: me for having The Company of Dads […]
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Why My Greatest Accomplishment of the Past Year Isn’t What You’d Think
It’s been four years since I left The New York Times to start The Company of Dads. Last week I had my proudest moment. It’s not something most people put on their LinkedIn profiles. Yes, we’ve had success bringing together Lead Dads who are working to help their families fulfill their full potential at home […]
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How To Stay Connected with Your Friends As a Lead Dad
“I can’t believe Dad and Uncle Paul are talking like they see each other all the time.” That was my friend Tino Ricci’s 13-year-old daughter. From her middle school eyes, us picking up as if we lived next door was a head-scratching sight. We hadn’t seen each other in nearly four years. But we were […]
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Why Working Parents Have To Juggle Differently
It’s not whether you can juggle as a working parent; it’s what you’re juggling – and whether you can keep everything in the air. We all talk about the juggle. When we visualize it, I’d bet the most common image is the one on the left – someone casually …
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How Do You Know If You’re a Lead Dad?
Here’s an answer to a question I get all the time: You know you’re a Lead Dad when you cancel your plans and step into the situation. It’s the simplest definition. You’re the one whose schedule generally has more flexibility and you’re the one who will …
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Three Lessons from Sing-A-Longs To Tate McRae
There’s an eight-year gap between my youngest and oldest. I’m still doing elementary school parenting, while thinking about college for my oldest. I think about it often as I try to plan my work around what needs to be done for them – and my wife, who has always had far less control of her […]
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Do You Know What Your Working Parent Employee Did Last Night?
Do you know what your working parents did last night? Chances are it could affect how they show up to work today. Maybe they read a book or streamed a show and got a good night’s sleep. Maybe they went out to dinner with a friend or spouse and might start the morning off a […]
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Why Lead Dads Are Team Players, Not Solo Operators
Being a Lead Dad doesn’t mean going it alone with all things family, be they at work or home. It means being a team player. It’s an answer I have to give often when guys are hesitant to step forward as Lead Dads. These are guys who are helping out at home, but they’re hesitant […]
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