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Joy, Despite It All

By Johnathon Briggs

In My Daughter’s Growth, I See the Shape of My Own

By Johnathon Briggs

The Work That Never Ends

By Johnathon Briggs

In memoriam: Tracy Airrion Pruitt

By Johnathon Briggs

Pierced Ears Latest Sign Daughter Forging Own Life Path

By Johnathon Briggs

Take a Moment for Yourself to be Your Best Self

By Johnathon Briggs

Swim Lessons Teach Daughter, Dad to Navigate ‘Big Blue World’

By Johnathon Briggs

Honoring My Father’s Wishes for a Beautiful Beginning

By Johnathon Briggs

Is AI-Generated Art Biased Against Fathers of Color?

By Johnathon Briggs

Resistant Eater Makes Meals a Challenge

By Fatherhood at Forty
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About

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 (fatherhoodforty@gmail.com) me if you’d like to collaborate or have ideas for a blog post.

Father on,

Elegant handwritten initials in black ink.

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 (fatherhoodforty@gmail.com) me if you’d like to collaborate or have ideas for a blog post.

Father on,

Elegant handwritten initials in black ink.

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.

We Owe It To Each Other to Tell Stories.— Neil Gaiman

Fatherhood@Forty

Memoirs of a Gen X Suburban Dad

Learning to Accept My Daughter’s Autism Diagnosis

By Fatherhood at Forty

Review: Road Trip Saved By Disney Junior App

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Family Reunions: A Sense of Legacy

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A Ribfest to Remember

By Fatherhood at Forty

Giveaway: Cantu Men’s Collection

By Fatherhood at Forty

Three Things I Learned From Doing My Daughter’s Hair

By Fatherhood at Forty
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