The Life Of Dad

THE STORY OF FATHERHOOD AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A FATHER TODAY, BASED ON A DECADE-LONG STUDY OF NEW AND EXPECTANT FATHERS. Becoming a father is one of most common but also one of the most profoundly life-altering experiences a man can have. It is up there with puberty, falling in love and experiencing your first loss. Fifty years ago a father’s role was assumed to be clear: he went to work; he provided the pay cheque; and he acted as a disciplinarian when he got home. But today a father’s role is much more fluid and complex. Dr Anna Machin has spent the past decade working with new and expectant fathers, studying the experiences of fathers and the questions fathers have: ‘Will fatherhood change me?’, ‘How do other men fulfil the role?’, ‘How can I help my child grow into a healthy, happy adult?’. In The Life of Dad, Dr Machin draws on her research and the latest findings in genetics, neuroscience and psychology to tell the story of fatherhood. She will show the extraordinary physiological changes a man undergoes when he becomes a father, investigate how a man’s genes can influence what sort of father he will be, and will show how a dad makes a unique contribution to his child’s life, helping to foster independence of mind and spirit. Throughout the book, readers will encounter the voices of real dads, expectant and established, as well as fascinating insights into fatherhood from across the globe. The Life of Dad throws out the old stereotypes of fatherhood in an entertaining and informative journey through the role of dad – helping you decide what sort of father you want to be. ‘A tour-de-force exploration of the forgotten half of the parenthood business. Essential reading for every expectant dad … and mum.’ – Robin Dunbar, professor of evolutionary psychology, University of Oxford

A heartwarming and enlightening collection of advice, wisdom, and practical skills featuring an all-star cast of fathers from the popular online community Life of Dad. Becoming a dad gives men a VIP pass into the greatest club on earth: fatherhood. Its rewards are unmatched, its challenges, uncharted. The experience can reach euphoric highs and gut-punching lows. For those moments (and everything in between), The Life of Dad has your back. The Life of Dad is an all-encompassing, entertaining distillation of the full dad experience, through a collection of interviews, podcasts, online chats, Facebook Lives, and more, dispensing collective wisdom from dads who have been in the trenches. From Shaquille O’Neal explaining how he’s taught his kids to be grateful, or Michael Strahan highlighting the importance of accountability, or Jim Gaffigan discussing the challenges of having a house full of kids, The Life of Dad has it all. Including thoughts from Ice Cube, Henry Winkler, Chris Jericho, Denis Leary, Freddie Prinze Jr, Charles Tillman, Mark Feuerstein, and many, many more, you’ll find plenty of camaraderie in the hardest—but most rewarding—job of your life!

“Like the YouTube channel, this is a touching yet informative guide for those seeking fatherly advice, or even a few good dad jokes.” — Library Journal

It’s never too late to be a better father Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, is an expert in fatherhood—in part because his own "fathers" failed him so badly. His biological dad was an alcoholic. His stepfather deserted him. His foster father accused Jim of trying to kill him. All were out of Jim's life by the time he turned 13. Isn’t it odd—and reminiscent of the hand of God—that the director of the leading organization on family turned out to be a guy whose own background as a kid and son were pretty messed up? Or could it be that successful parenting is discovered not in the perfect, peaceful household but in the midst of battles and messy situations, where God must constantly be called to the scene? That is the mystery unraveled in this book. Using his own expertise, humor, and inexhaustible wealth of stories, Jim will show you that God can make you a good dad, a great dad, in spite of the way you’ve grown up and in spite of the mistakes you’ve made. Maybe even because of them. It’s not about becoming a perfect father. It’s about trying to become a better father, each and every day. It's about building relationships with your children through love, grace, patience, and fun—and helping them grow into the men and women they’re meant to be.

Confessions of an imperfect father... Dave Hill's Dad's Life is a witty, touching account of single fatherhood, and the highs and lows of being a dad. Perfect for fans of David Nicholls' Us or Graeme Simsion's The Rosie Project. 'A witty and upbeat look at the joys of single fatherhood' - The Big Issue Joseph Stone loves being a father to his 3 young children but finds he has to radically revise his Perfect Father game plan when his partner leaves him and he is left to bring them up on his own. Surely Single Fatherhood is no more onerous than running the local football team? But instead of 4-4-2, he's dealing with 11 and 3/4s, 8 and 6. And then he meets and falls hopelessly in love with Angela and has another child by her, but when his previous partner returns, wanting more involvement with her children, Joseph's life threatens to turn into a chaos of competing needs and domestic mayhem. What does a real man do in these circumstances to avoid relegation to the lower divisions of the paternal sub-species? What readers are saying about Dad's Life: 'Quite simply the best book I've read this year' 'Dad's Life is the perfect book for everyone' 'Enjoyable, witty and well observed' 'A really delightful, funny and honest story... You couldn't do better for a smart and entertaining read'

Record your father's life story in this beautiful keepsake journal with 200 guided exercises and prompts that take him back through each stage of his life and its accompanying adventures. Fathers are our steady and protective heroes, who, sometimes, become lost when it comes to sentimental celebrations of their importance in our lives. An encouraging voice in times of doubt, a wise teacher in times of uncertainty, a compassionate critic in times of honest feedback, and a silly jokester in times of frustration, a father’s caring and nurturing presence shapes us throughout our lives. In My Father's Life, both thought-provoking and lighthearted writing prompts and guided exercises are organized into chapters based on your father’s life stages to help him record his life’s memoir. Beginning with early childhood, questions like Are there any stories about your birth that were told to you by your parents or other family members? followed by early adulthood prompts such as What is something that you felt very strongly about when you were in your twenties? and then concluding with questions about his wisdom he has learned and would like to share like What is the best piece of advice you were ever given and who gave it to you?, the My Father's Life journal jump starts the reflective writing process to open his mind to dig deeper into who he is, where he started, and, most importantly, what he has learned. Complemented with poignant quotes about fathers throughout history, this beautifully designed journal will give your father everything he needs to record his life’s experiences to not only shed light on the events that shaped him into the man he is today, but also to preserve his life’s memories and stories for you and your family to learn from, become inspired by, and cherish for future generations. With so much of our lives and contact going digital, the Creative Keepsakes journals offer an intimate way to nurture your connection with yourself and the people around you. An entertaining way to get off your screen, these guided and free-form journals are great for writers and artists alike. Each journal offers content around a different theme, including silly prompts for a laugh, random yet thoughtful questions, inspiration for art and composition, interactive prompts to learn about your heritage, and blank interiors on high-quality paper stock to use as your creative canvas. Beautifully designed and full of mindful prompts, channel your inspiration as you put pen (or pencil, or marker, or crayon!) to paper to learn more about yourself, your talents, and the people you love. Also in this Series: 3,001 Questions All About Me, 301 Things to Draw, 301 Writing Ideas, Create Comics: A Sketchbook, Inner Me, Internet Password Book, My Grandmother's Life, My Life Story, My Mother's Life, 3,001 This or That Questions, My Grandfather's Life, Create the Poem, Complete the Drawing Journal, Mom and Me Journal, Why I Love You Journal, Create the Story, and Destroy & Design This Journal.