Happy Wednesday,

Following up on Monday’s post, here’s a reel of my daughter and I practicing walking from two days ago. Is she going to take her first unassisted steps before her first birthday on December 7th? My money says that she won’t until after, but the overall sentiment thus far is that I’m going to be out a few bucks!

Reply to this email and let me know when you think she’ll walk. Whoever gets the closest (or nails it) will receive a piece of limited edition Parenthood merch!

getparenthood

View more on Instagram

Love Parenthood? Be sure to share it with your family, friends, and social network and encourage them to join our community!

One Big Idea

The Harmful Trend of Dad Hazing

In the journey to becoming a dad, many men encounter a peculiar and distressing phenomenon: 'dad hazing'. This term describes the behavior of other fathers who, under the veil of humor and wit, bombard soon-to-be dads with overwhelmingly negative and often exaggerated warnings about the challenges of parenting. Far from harmless jokes, these comments can deeply unsettle and intimidate first-time fathers. Only in looking back at my experience now do I realize just how common and under acknowledged this trend is in parenting discussions. This stands in stark contrast to the supportive environment often provided to expectant mothers, leaving men to grapple with their upcoming life changes amidst a barrage of daunting and often dark ‘advice’.

These remarks range from bleak predictions about the end of personal freedom to crude jokes about bodily functions and relationship strains. This negativity isn't just unhelpful; it's harmful. It can instill unnecessary fear and anxiety in men who are already navigating the complex emotions and responsibilities of their impending fatherhood. While it's essential to be realistic about the challenges of parenting, there's a fine line between honesty and discouraging cynicism. While I acknowledge that a lot of my dad friends were oftentimes joking, wouldn’t it be nice if existing fathers instead started to offer support and constructive advice rather than continue to perpetuate a cycle of fear and apprehension? I know it would have greatly benefitted me.

Trending Stories & Insights

• It’s the little things: a simple message capturing what ‘real’ parenting success is goes viral

• Size matters? A Gallup poll of more than 2,000 US adults above 18 showed that 89% of respondents feel that the "ideal” family has two or more children while just 3% of respondents said the ideal number of children is one

• Did I hear that right? In this now viral video, a mom of triplets opens up about the hospital bill she received for their stay. However much you think it is, double it (and then maybe add a zero)

Tip of the Day

• Friluftsliv: a Scandinavian word that roughly translates to “open-air life” is a 164 year old concept about embracing the outdoors and is a big part of Swedish culture. Could it be the secret to raising happy and resilient kids?

Here’s a dad joke

What happens when doctors get frustrated?

Scroll to the bottom of the newsletter for the answer!

Time(out) for Memes