There’s no question that parents’ mental health is an excellent predictor of their children’s mental health; children of parents suffering from anxiety and/or depression are far more likely to be diagnosed with the same conditions. Unfortunately, most of the research done on parental mental-health influences has focused exclusively or primarily on mothers. As a result,...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m in the early stages of what is going to be a very contested divorce. One of the core issues is that my soon-to-be-ex-wife admitted that she’s been having an affair for the past four years. As if that weren’t bad enough, we have two children that were born during that time...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I don’t know how to put this nicely, but my seven-year-old son is a liar, a cheater, and a thief. He fibs—usually straight to my face—every chance he gets, and after several recent trips to grocery stores, I found that he’d stolen some small items. What have my wife and I done...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I’m in my 60s and have been thinking about retiring from the small-ish company that my great-grandfather founded nearly 100 years (I’m the CEO). We made it through the COVID pandemic, and I’ve been thinking a lot about retiring and bringing my adult children in to learn the ropes. This isn’t exactly...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: I recently got remarried and really want to make my relationship with my new wife a success. One of the things I love about her is that she’s a great mother. I really like her kids 7 and 11), but ever since we got married, they treat me horribly. They’re rude, refuse...Continue reading
Dear Healthy Men: I can’t stand the music my kids play (and yes, I realize that my parents said the same about me, and their parents said the same about them, and so on. But the difference is that my kids have sent me links to articles that supposedly prove that listening to music (they’re...Continue reading
Dear Healthy Men: I just read that the United States is one of the only industrialized countries in the world without a paid maternity leave program. Where do you stand on that issue? A: We support it—and we’re glad to see that President Joe Biden and others in his administration have come out in support of...Continue reading
Having friends is not just fun but very important for children. Friendships give kids a sense of belonging and help them with developing various social skills. However, all children are different, so it is only natural that some have difficulties making friends. If you think you recognize your kids in this sentence, don’t worry. There...Continue reading
Dear Mr. Dad: Our daughter is going away to college. On one hand, I’m thrilled that she’s becoming so independent. But we’ve always been very close and I’m worried that our relationship will suffer. Will it? A: Well, the day you’ve hoped for and dreaded is finally here. Your child is going to move out. Some...Continue reading
Dear Healthy Men: I’m always trying to talk with my husband about health, parenting, our relationship, and other things. But we never seem to be able to have a decent conversation. Why is it that so many men aren’t able to communicate their feelings? A: While I’d love to be able to answer your question, I...Continue reading