Fostering Dreams

My 16-year-old son has an interest in photography. To pursue that interest, he started posting his pics on Instagram (@nathaniel_osborne). He also has an interest in cooking. To pursue that, he has applied for a summer internship working in a kitchen. In all of his pursuits, my wife and I try to support and encourage him. As …

On Your Last Nerve? It’s Okay to Say It.

The face of your own sleeping child is a beautiful thing. It's beautiful for the obvious reason - kids are adorable. But it's also beautiful because it's a moment of solitude for a stressed-out parent. You've just tried in vain to calm your screaming child for the last hour-and-a-half, and finally ... finally the house …

Feminism

Okay, buckle up Dads, this is just as much a men's issue as it is a women's issue. Today we're going to talk about Feminism. Mayim Bialik recently released a video urging us to stop calling women "girls," and after reading through a comment thread on a friend's Facebook timeline it became clear to me that …

What If Your Child Is LGBTQ+?

It's dangerous, isn't it; pointing out problems in the way someone else is raising their kids? If you're anything like me, that's a line you don't cross. I'm fiercely protective of my family, and equally protective of the way I handle my own business. I'm not at all receptive to criticism on that front ... …

Finding Time

Being a blog from the perspective of a progressive Dad, I'll be speaking to my fellow Dads today. Not that Moms don't struggle with the issue of finding time for yourself, but there are hundreds of Moms writing about it already, and lots of information out there. Anybody who has had a baby knows just …

Fed Is Best

A CBC article just released talks about a new campaign, one that I think is desperately needed. It's called 'Fed Is Best,' and it's designed to combat the constant shaming and demonization of parents who formula feed their children. I've written about my thoughts on breastfeeding vs formula in my post Breastmilk, Formula, and Good Parents, and I …

Don’t Worry Dads, it’s Okay to Gush

I'm going to talk about being a 'blue collar' Dad today, at least my own experience and my take on one aspect of it. You may feel it's the same in 'white collar' culture, and if you do I encourage you to comment. My experience in the 'white collar' world is very limited so far, …

“Are You Having a Boy or Girl?”

When my son was 3 weeks old, I was approached by an elderly woman in the local supermarket. She looked at the child sleeping in the sling I was wearing and said "Oh he's a boy. Know how I know? His shirt is blue." I cringed. My response, "we put him in pink too, that's …

Decisions Decisions: Religion?

The child of an Anglican priest, I was raised in the church. During the 1990's, we were involved in the charismatic movement. That was a time of great popularity for Graham Kendrick and the 'March For Jesus,' for those familiar with the 'Jesus freak' movements that really hit their stride in the 70's. As a …

Changing the Stigmas

It occurred to me that my first Progressive Dad post may have come across as playing the victim. To refresh, I said that stereotypes characterizing Dads as "lovable idiots" are obstacles to us being taken seriously as parents. I complained that Dads are often referred to as "babysitters." I made my view clear that Dads …