Parents | Digital Dads

I Have a Penis = I Am Not a Mom

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Mom and Dad both have three letters and describe someone who has children, but in many ways they are very different words.

mom_dad

This post is not a slight against Walt Disney. It is a brand that I love and had a blast last summer when our family took our vacation there for the first time. So please do not take this as a slam against them, because so many brands do this, but they were the ones the broke the camel’s back.

Yesterday on Twitter I saw several women I know tweeting about a Social Media program that Disney was doing and an e-mail address to reach out to for more information. It was clearly a mom focused program from what I could see, but I still dropped them a note asking if I as a Dad might be interested in whatever it was that was going on.

I got a great reply saying that of course Dads were welcomed and to watch my e-mail for more information.

Then today I received an e-mail with the subject line: Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World!

It was, of course, an invitation sent to me.

Again, this is NOT about Disney, because the event looks amazing and very smartly put together. In fact the programming sounds like something I’d love to attend. But, the fact that I’m not part of any of that subject line means that the event is not of interest to me. I don’t know why it couldn’t be about Social Media Parents or Social Media Moms & Dads instead.

I love moms. My wife is one of the most amazing women in the world. I hug my mother every time I see her. I’m friends with lots of women who are great moms.

But, guess what? I am not a mom. I’ve got the wrong plumbing to be a mother. As a guy I’m a Dad, Father, Pops, Padre or whatever word you want. Something I can never be is a “mom.”

I remember right after I launched this site I was asked if I would ever join a “PR for Moms” group. I didn’t know the woman all that well, but I chuckled a bit and said that I wouldn’t because I’m not a mom. If it was a “PR for Parents” group I’d join up in a heart beat.

Sure, maybe I’m splitting hairs and harping on technicalities, but I’m sick of the Dads being left out of the parenting equation. I’m an active Dad. Most of the guys out there that I know are also active parts of the parenting equation. Yes, Moms make a ton of decisions and in a majority of households probably control the checkbook as well. But, companies need to wake up that Dads every day are becoming more and more involved in these decisions.

This is not the 1950’s when men went off to work in a suit and hat and the women stayed at home in an apron with the kids. We’ve all moved beyond that and yet brands only want to talk to the moms.

Want to talk to a Dad? I’m right here.

Tags: blogger outreach, dads, influencer outreach, mommy bloggers, moms, Parents
Posted in Rants | Comments

Being A Dad

Sunday, June 21st, 2009

Being a good father is the single hardest thing a man can strive for in this world. It is also the most rewarding thing in life for a guy.

You’ll never hear me call being a father “a job” because it is so much more then that. It is a responsibility, a blessing and a great joy,but it is never ever a job.

It is Father’s Day morning 2009 and as I read through the paper, quickly checked in online and watched the morning news I got very reflective about being a Dad. I’ve got Harry Chapin’s Greatest Stories Live playing on iTunes because it always makes me think of my Dad. I have fond memories of hearing this for the first time in the DIY installed tape deck my Dad had put in our blue pick up. He’d never consider himself a “maker” but looking back he sure does have a DIY streak that runs through him.

My Father was very active in my life (and still is). He was tough, but also allowed me to live. I try to remember that now with my kids. Letting them go out and make mistakes is a critical thing, but not an easy thing because you know they are going to get hurt, fail and struggle, but they need to in order to really make it in this world. The only way to learn how to pull yourself back up is if you fall down first.

I look around me and I see a million different ways to be a Dad. Not all I agree with, but you’ll never hear me question someone either. The reason we have so many different people in the world is why we have so many different Dads. I’ve always said that normal is boring and that holds true here. As long as a Dad is active in their child’s life, then how they do it I am not going to question. “To each their own…” is a saying my Dad taught me.

But, what does upset me is how Dads seem to get to play second fiddle in the parenting landscape for a lot of people and that is something I just won’t stand for. Yes, there are plenty of horrible and inattentive fathers out there, but they are not the only ones missing in some kids lives. Some people were just not made to be parents and that stretches beyond just guys.

So, today here on Father’s Day 2009 I really want to see all of us online fathers to band together and figure out how we can break the sterotype of the bumbling guy, laying on the couch, mowing the lawn and not doing that much more. Most of the Dads that I know are much more active then that and I want to figure out how we can work together to make that known by all. I don’t have all the answers, but I certainly know I want to see some change.

To all the Dads out there I want to wish you a very Happy Father’s Day. Sure, we don’t need a holiday, but the homemade gifts, silly poems and ties dure do make for a great morning. We celebrated with French Toast and this afternoon I’ll be going to the closing perfomance of my daughters play. Yesterday I got to see my father and my father-in-law. It has been a great weekend and I hope each of you is having as good of a day.

Work hard. Play harder. Be a great Dad!