Reviews

Rundamentals: Going Back to Basics Improved My Running Game

— November 14, 2021 — Disclaimer: I received a free 8-week trial of Rundamentals in exchange for an honest, unbiased review. How it started: With summer giving way to fall, I laced up my New Balance sneakers and hit the wooded trails near my home for my first run with Rundamentals, an eight-week running program designed...

Rundamentals: Going Back to Basics Improved My Running GameJohnathon E. Briggs

“They Call Me Dad” Explores Dimensions of Black Fatherhood

— February 28, 2021 — Seeing yourself on television, with your family, during Black History Month, on a network created by Oprah Winfrey is surreal—even for a public relations professional like me accustomed to the cameras that come with publicity. Last week my wife and I sank into the comfort of our living room sofa, clicked...

“They Call Me Dad” Explores Dimensions of Black FatherhoodJohnathon E. Briggs

What I’m Reading: My August List of Books

In the midst of this pandemic, one of the things I've been grateful for (in addition to stable employment and good health) is having more time to sit down and read a book—thanks to the absence of a daily commute. When I was a journalist, I had an editor who often asked, "What'cha reading...

What I’m Reading: My August List of BooksJohnathon 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

9 Reasons You Should Watch Disney/Pixar’s “Loop”

— January 11, 2020 — When the calendar flipped to Jan. 2, director/writer Erica Milsom took to Twitter to announce she would share one fun fact each day—for a total of nine—leading up to the Jan. 10 release date of "Loop," the new Disney/Pixar SparkShorts film she directed with producers Krissy Cababa and Michael Warch. The...

9 Reasons You Should Watch Disney/Pixar’s “Loop”Johnathon E. Briggs

Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum Spark Togetherness

— December 30, 2019 — Illumination: Tree Lights DAD APPROVAL RATING:   (out of four) Dates: Runs through Sunday, Jan. 5. Info: www.mortonarb.org/illumination-event/2019 In the darkness of night, a cluster of trees bathed in blue light illuminated the open roadway where my Dear Daughter, clad in a purple hooded coat, ran with wild abandon through the winter air. She...

Tree Lights at Morton Arboretum Spark TogethernessJohnathon E. Briggs

An Open Letter to Pixar: Diversity and Inclusion in Animation Affirms Us All

  — December 9, 2019 — Dear Pixar Animation Studios, When I heard your parent company, Walt Disney Studios, was set to launch a streaming service called Disney+, I had no idea the plus sign would stand for inclusion. I’d missed the media coverage that explained how your new series of short animated films, SparkShorts, was designed to...

An Open Letter to Pixar: Diversity and Inclusion in Animation Affirms Us AllJohnathon E. Briggs

Ask a Dad: What’s Your Shaving Routine?

— January 27, 2019 — After washing my scruffy face with glycolic facial cleanser, I pat it dry. I unscrew the bottle of Williams Lectric Shave and squirt a stream into a cotton ball before dabbing my chin, cheeks, and neck with the skin-smoothing solution, infusing the air with the citrusy scent of a pre-shave. Every man has a...

Ask a Dad: What’s Your Shaving Routine?Johnathon E. Briggs

Review: Road Trip Saved By Disney Junior App

— August 5, 2017 — Editor’s Note: On this blog, I refer to my daughter as “Dear Daughter” (DD) and my wife as “Dear Wife” (DW).   Review: Disney Junior App Dad Approval Rating:   Three years ago this month, my wife and I began a journey of parenthood with the birth of our Dear Daughter (DD). In her characteristic...

Review: Road Trip Saved By Disney Junior AppJohnathon E. Briggs

A Ribfest to Remember

Naperville, Ill. (July 3, 2017)—Fireworks emblazoned the night sky, their explosions choreographed to a patriotic simulcast from 95.9 The River, the FM station of rock 'n roll favorites. My daughter, on the eve of her third birthday, darted across the openness of Knoch Park like the Road Runner from Looney Tunes, zigging and zagging this way and that,...

A Ribfest to RememberJohnathon 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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Honoring My Father’s Wishes for a Beautiful Beginning

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Resistant Eater Makes Meals a Challenge

Daughter’s Triumph Overshadows Neighbor’s Nasty-Gram

On Hiatus: Pursuing a New Dream in 2022

Vitiligo After COVID-19 Vaccination: Is My Daughter an Early Case?

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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
Copyright © 2017-2023 Blank Canvas Studio, LLC | No use without permission