autism

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

— August 7, 2023 — Clad in a hot pink swim cap and matching goggles, my daughter waded into Lane Six of the pool. She grabbed a barbell-shaped floaty and pushed off. With assistance from an instructor, she attempted to flutter kick with her body extended like a mermaid. Her legs flailed about, splashing water all over her...

Swim Lessons Teach Daughter, Dad to Navigate ‘Big Blue World’Johnathon E. Briggs

Resistant Eater Makes Meals a Challenge

— January 9, 2023 — My daughter has never eaten a hamburger. Or pizza. Or chicken nuggets. In fact, she’s never had a smorgasbord of foods most 8-year-olds devour with abandon: grilled cheese, hot dogs, spaghetti, mac and cheese, and — my personal favorite — tacos. Who doesn’t love a good taco? Oh sure, she may...

Resistant Eater Makes Meals a ChallengeJohnathon E. Briggs

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

“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

When Coronavirus Comes to Daycare

— May 27, 2020 — Three days before Memorial Day weekend, the coronavirus pandemic touched our daycare. With more than 1.7 million people in the U.S. infected and 100,000 deaths, I guess you could say (to echo Effie Trinket from "The Hunger Games") the odds were ever NOT in our favor. The email last Wednesday from the...

When Coronavirus Comes to DaycareJohnathon E. Briggs

Why I’m Delaying Talking to My Daughter About Coronavirus—For Now

— March 27, 2020 — Days after a global pandemic upended life as we know it, my inbox filled with tips from parenting websites and my daughter's school on how to talk to children about coronavirus. They were well-meaning of course, but here’s the thing: I’m not ready to talk to my five-year-old daughter about...

Why I’m Delaying Talking to My Daughter About Coronavirus—For NowJohnathon 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

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

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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.
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