Interviews

Person of Interest: James Mosely – An Autistic Perspective Worth Reading

When James Mosely launched his website, “1 Autistic Perspective,” in January 2021, its title echoed a famous quote by Adelphi University professor Stephen Shore: “If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve met one person with autism.” As Shore explained: “While the commonalities of people on the autism spectrum include differences in communication, social interaction,...

Person of Interest: James Mosely – An Autistic Perspective Worth ReadingJohnathon E. Briggs

The Five Questions Interview: Jamiyl Samuels – Teaching Confidence Through Superheroes

In his 2016 book "Pass the Torch," author Jamiyl Samuels opens with these five words: "My dad is my hero." It's only later does the reader learn the paradox behind that sentence: Samuels's father walked out on him and his mother when he was ten years old. This life-changing moment triggered anger and resentment within...

The Five Questions Interview: Jamiyl Samuels – Teaching Confidence Through SuperheroesJohnathon E. Briggs

Person of Interest: Lola Dada-Olley – Not Your Mama’s Autism Podcast

By her own account, Lola Dada-Olley has lived with autism in some way, shape, or form for more than three-quarters of her life. Her baby brother was diagnosed with the developmental disorder at the age of three in 1989, a time when intensive behavior therapy was just beginning to show promise as a treatment. Then...

Person of Interest: Lola Dada-Olley – Not Your Mama’s Autism PodcastJohnathon E. Briggs

Person of Interest: Robyn Price Pierre – Creator of the FATHERS Art Book

    Darnell and Darnell Jr. Courtesy of Twenty Eight Ink   The first time I held FATHERS, a stunning art book edited by Robyn Price Pierre, my heart swelled with emotion. The strength and vulnerability contained within its 423 pages moved me as a father, but also as a Black man affirmed by its intimate peek into...

Person of Interest: Robyn Price Pierre – Creator of the FATHERS Art BookJohnathon E. Briggs

Person of Interest: Rob Palkovitz – The Fatherhood Researcher

Like most dads-to-be, Rob Palkovitz, then a graduate student, was a bit panicked when he learned that he and his wife, Judy, were expecting their first child. “I felt like, ‘Oh my goodness. I’m supposed to be a child development expert, but I don’t know anything about fathering,’” recalled Palkovitz, a professor of human development...

Person of Interest: Rob Palkovitz – The Fatherhood ResearcherJohnathon E. Briggs

The Five Questions Interview: Dedan K. Bruner – Learning From the Mold of Fatherhood

Dedan K. Bruner does not profess to be an expert on fatherhood, but he has become adept at crowdsourcing insights on the topic of how to be a better dad. In January 2019, he launched On Fathering, an online resource that celebrates the journey of fatherhood by drawing on the stories, tips, and ideas of...

The Five Questions Interview: Dedan K. Bruner – Learning From the Mold of FatherhoodJohnathon E. Briggs

Coming Soon: The Five Questions Interview

— March 3, 2020 —   The Five Questions interview will be a series of conversations with 40-something fathers in which we ask: Describe your father or the father figure who most influenced you. What did they teach you about life? What does fatherhood mean to you? What advice would you give to your younger self? What has been the...

Coming Soon: The Five Questions InterviewJohnathon E. Briggs

Fatherhood at 40: My Conversation with Jamar Hudson, Host of The Fatherhood Podcast

— January 26, 2020 — I sat down last week with Jamar Hudson, host of The Fatherhood Podcast, to discuss my parenthood journey, including being an autism dad, what self-care looks like to me, how I met my very own Michelle Obama (my wife), and much more. Press play below to listen to the episode....

Fatherhood at 40: My Conversation with Jamar Hudson, Host of The Fatherhood PodcastJohnathon E. Briggs

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About

Few may know this, but twice as many dads of newborns today are now in the 40-plus age group, compared to the 1970s. Six weeks before my 40th birthday, I became a first-time father, hence the title of this blog.

This life-changing moment made me think about my own dad, who became a father at 43. As my parenthood journey unfolded, I noticed that most of my friends had become parents earlier in life yet, here I was, changing diapers and battling sleep deprivation at (nearly) 40. I told my wife, “Parenting is definitely a young man’s game.” But is it really?

Where most of my friends were preparing for their children’s middle and high school graduations, I was mastering the art of the swaddle, perfecting the one-hand baby wipe, and learning to decipher my daughter’s gurgles and whimpers. It occurred to me that I had so much more to offer my daughter at the sure-footed age of 40 than I did at, say, 28, when I was still coming into my own.

Fatherhood@Forty: Memoirs of a Gen X Suburban Dad™ is a creative outlet to share my experiences and connect with other (relatively) late-in-life dads.

Here are a few factoids about me, Johnathon Briggs, the editor behind this blog:

  • I’m a former journalist (Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune).
  • I love exploring Chicago and the Midwest with my family.
  • I remain on a constant quest to stay fit.
  • I support charities that fight HIV, uplift families affected by incarceration, and ensure African American boys graduate from college.
  • I’m a comic book geek (mostly Marvel, but a bit of DC and Image Comics).
  • I’m a child of the ‘80s, so please expect occasional references to the Golden Age of Hip-Hop.

As a reporter for daily newspapers, I had the opportunity to interview fascinating people and to test out great products and brands for my readers. I hope to do the same for you as I blog about the moments that make up this adventure called fatherhood.

Feel free to tweet (@fatherhoodforty) or email ([email protected]) me if you’d like to collaborate or have ideas for a blog post.

Father on,

P.S. Check out The Art of Conversation podcast interview I did with Art Eddy from Life of Dad.

 


Disclaimer: Fatherhood@Forty may contain affiliate marketing links, which may result in commission on sales of products or services I write about. My editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

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About

Few may know this, but twice as many dads of newborns today are now in the 40-plus age group, compared to the 1970s. Six weeks before my 40th birthday, I became a first-time father, hence the title of this blog.

This life-changing moment made me think about my own dad, who became a father at 43. As my parenthood journey unfolded, I noticed that most of my friends had become parents earlier in life yet, here I was, changing diapers and battling sleep deprivation at (nearly) 40. I told my wife, “Parenting is definitely a young man’s game.” But is it really?

Where most of my friends were preparing for their children’s middle and high school graduations, I was mastering the art of the swaddle, perfecting the one-hand baby wipe, and learning to decipher my daughter’s gurgles and whimpers. It occurred to me that I had so much more to offer my daughter at the sure-footed age of 40 than I did at, say, 28, when I was still coming into my own.

Fatherhood@Forty: Memoirs of a Gen X Suburban Dad™ is a creative outlet to share my experiences and connect with other (relatively) late-in-life dads.

Here are a few factoids about me, Johnathon Briggs, the editor behind this blog:

  • I’m a former journalist (Los Angeles Times, The Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune).
  • I love exploring Chicago and the Midwest with my family.
  • I remain on a constant quest to stay fit.
  • I support charities that fight HIV, uplift families affected by incarceration, and ensure African American boys graduate from college.
  • I’m a comic book geek (mostly Marvel, but a bit of DC and Image Comics).
  • I’m a child of the ‘80s, so please expect occasional references to the Golden Age of Hip-Hop.

As a reporter for daily newspapers, I had the opportunity to interview fascinating people and to test out great products and brands for my readers. I hope to do the same for you as I blog about the moments that make up this adventure called fatherhood.

Feel free to tweet (@fatherhoodforty) or email ([email protected]) me if you’d like to collaborate or have ideas for a blog post.

Father on,

P.S. Check out The Art of Conversation podcast interview I did with Art Eddy from Life of Dad.

 


Disclaimer: Fatherhood@Forty may contain affiliate marketing links, which may result in commission on sales of products or services I write about. My editorial content is not influenced by advertisers or affiliate partnerships. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR § 255.5: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
Iris Awards Nominees 2021
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