Regular readers know that I always like to give voice to parenting blogs written by new fathers. The more, the merrier. Not only do I enjoy hearing the different perspectives and stories that other men have regarding their kids but I also think there's a great sense of community among "Daddy Bloggers". And while there are a million "Mommy blogs" prevalent througout the blogosphere, there are still only a handful of fathers out there writing about their experiences. Nobody seems to know that we really even exist. But we're a tight community. We all read and comment on each other's sites. And we stumble across one another on a semi-regular basis. To me, that's very cool. But the coolest thing is that I think I would like all these guys even more if we met in person.
Anyway, although I've mentioned some of these sites elsewhere, I thought I'd do it here on MetroDad. So without further ado, here's my latest set of Props for the Pops...
Sweet Juniper
This blog is actually written by a couple, Dutch & Wood. But they're so cool and iconoclastic that I literally find myself always waiting for one of them to post something new. Dutch is the kind of guy I would hang out with cruising old record shops, harassing San Francisco yuppies or discussing politics and literature. Wood is someone I could see spending the afternoon with at a cafe, drinking espressos and talking about China or our mutual addiction to fiber. Together, they're raising the very cute and adorable Junebug.
Child's Play
Matthew started his blog a few months before his lovely wife gave birth to their ridiculously cute twins. And although he's not a new Daddy blogger, he just got himself some fancy new digs and a new url. What can I say about Matthew? He's literally one of the nicest people that I've never met. But not only is he a good guy but he also might be the only new father around who's even sappier than I am. While I have to rein in my mushiness, I often find myself reading Matthew's posts and going "awwwwwwww!" We like Matthew. A lot.
Shotgun Daddy
I don't know what to say here except that Hank is fucking cool (even though he went to Stanford. Go Bears!) He's an 8th-grade teacher, a fellow sports nut and a father to three beautiful kids. Mostly though, he just loves telling great stories about his children. Go visit him and, if you're a sports fan, be sure to check out his other sites as well.
Not-For-Profit Dad
Another father of twins and the best thing to come out of D.C. since Michael Jordan. NPD is a man equally devoted to his wife, his kids and his job. It's fascinating watching him balance everything in his life. Sometimes, I read him and feel like he's busier than Courtney Love's pharmacist. But he's bright, insightful and intelligent. Like me, he's a semi-regular blogger but you can always count on him for a good read.
Mr. Big Dubya
Mr. Big Dubya survived Catholic school, a maritime academy and the army. Not only did he score a perfect trifecta by surviving all three institutions, he then went on to get a degree in English Lit. How cool is that? And although he's a Red Sox fan by birth, I think you'll find him as funny and entertaining as I do. Plus, he's as addicted to parenting blogs as I am!
Because I'm Your Father
Alan is the resident DJ of the parenting blogosphere. As a music artist manager based down in TN, his blog incorporates the three greatest loves of his life: his wife, his baby son and music. He's got a great-looking site and an even better-looking kid (keep him away from my daughter, dude!)
The Bean's Dad
This blog is written by a SAHD with a lovely little daughter who knows sign language and the way to her dad's heart. I enjoy reading this blog because TBD will throw up anything that comes to mind. Relatively new but very enjoyable. I'm looking forward to reading more.
The MisAdventures of a First Time Dad
Amateur Dad is another relatively new daddy blogger. And as much as I enjoy reading his blog, he only posts about once a month. He attempts to atone for this by putting up very very cute photos of his little girl. But go over and tell him to get his lazy ass in gear.
Clare's Dad
Clare's Dad is the newest member of the Daddy blogger community. This is a new blog started by a Ct. father just a few short weeks ago. Even though he's a Yankees fan, he seems to be a generally good guy. Besides, he was named after a sitcom character, is an EX-lawyer, works in the theater and was a self-admitted geek in high school. How could I not love a guy like that?
Chocolate Makes It Better
We're stretching across the Pacific to introduce you to Chocolate, an Australian father of one (with another on the way.) Based in Brisbane, Chocolate is a cool dad who writes lovingly about the wonderful experience of fatherhood. Say hello to him and his pot-belly friend named Barry.
Adventure Dad
If we're going across the Pacific for some linky love, then I also have to go trans-Atlantic and throw a shout out to Adventure Dad. Although he's an ex-New Yorker, AD is now living in Sweden with his beautiful family and spends his free time participating in adventure sports, taking photographs and travelling. Pretty rough life, eh? He's a very cool guy and if you ask nicely, he'll show you the fjords.
Pet Cobra
Last but not least, I've got to mention my San Diego buddy Jason again. His blog is basically a cool amalgamation of whatever happens to be on his mind at the time...whether it's surfing on the weekend, ranting about Katrina, reviewing his favorite TV shows or telling stories about his son Lucas eating rocks. He's by far the most reliable and consistent blogger out there. If he doesn't put something up every day, his body literally goes into convulsions. Ok, maybe not literally. But you get the idea.
That's it, folks. Check these relatively new daddy blogs out and enjoy. Also, here's the previous entry I wrote about my feelings about my fellow Daddy bloggers. And if there are any new daddy bloggers out there that I missed, post a comment introducing yourself or shoot me an e-mail.
Don't forget, my friends....Men who change diapers change the world (or at least that's what my wife keeps telling me.)
Brilliant, man! Thanks. I've never visited these sites before and I can't wait to check them out. Love reading what my fellow fathers are up to.
Posted by: Brent | September 14, 2005 at 11:53 PM
I always find myself reading more "daddy blogs" than "mommy blogs" so thanks for the new recommendations. I'll definitely check them out.
Posted by: Lois | September 15, 2005 at 12:30 AM
MD, you are too cool. It's so nice to see this great community of fathers who are so involved in raising their children. I agree with you. The more, the merrier!
Posted by: Leora | September 15, 2005 at 12:34 AM
I'm another mom who loves reading daddy blogs. Thanks for giving me some new sites to check out!
Posted by: Jane | September 15, 2005 at 12:49 AM
MD:
Thanks for the love! And oh, by the way... Beat cal!
Posted by: ShotgunDaddy | September 15, 2005 at 01:10 AM
Metro - right back atcha.
Thanks for the props.
Posted by: Mr. Big Dubya | September 15, 2005 at 05:48 AM
Thanks for the link list! I love finding new interesting blogs, and somehow it seems easier to find mommy blogs than daddy blogs. It must be an x chromosome thing.
Posted by: landismom | September 15, 2005 at 06:38 AM
NOW will you start that BlogHim Conference that you were talking about? C'mon! We can all meet in Vegas like you said?
Posted by: J. Turner | September 15, 2005 at 08:56 AM
I'm not a Daddy Blog yet but I will be in 20 weeks, give or take. Until then, I'll live vicariously through you lads.
Posted by: Dreadmouse | September 15, 2005 at 09:12 AM
Oh, Metrodad.
Without trying to sound all sappy, I love you man!
Posted by: Matthew | September 15, 2005 at 10:10 AM
Hey, it beats working. Gotta go write something before I swallow my tongue.
Posted by: Jason | September 15, 2005 at 11:23 AM
thanks for the props. I now feel validated in ways I can't fully explain.
Posted by: The Beans Dad | September 15, 2005 at 11:45 AM
What great company to be in. When are we all going bowling?
Posted by: Not-For-Profit Dad | September 15, 2005 at 11:46 AM
Screw bowling... When are we going to VEGAS!
Thanks for pimping the site. Between you and Jay this week, I'm gonna have to start actually paying my brother's web hosting company for all the increased traffic.
Posted by: BIYF | September 15, 2005 at 12:04 PM
Yay! We love Daddy blogs. Seriously, I think I read them more than I do the mommy ones. Must be because I was such a tomboy when I was a kid.
Posted by: Melissa | September 15, 2005 at 12:34 PM
Thanks for the updated list of Daddy Blogs. These sites are awesome.
How about we relocate the BlogHim event to Europe instead.....
Posted by: AdventureDad | September 15, 2005 at 01:45 PM
I agree. MD, I think you all should organize a BlogHim conference. Could be the startt of something great.
Posted by: BossLady | September 15, 2005 at 01:47 PM
Great list!
Oh, and I dropped you an email.
Posted by: tod | September 15, 2005 at 03:44 PM
Hooray for the daddy blogs!!! You've mentioned some of my favorites, MD. I love reading their perspectives.
Posted by: MIM | September 15, 2005 at 04:19 PM
I'm back. I think we need just a BLOGGER conference. If I'm going to attend any conference, I want the opportunity to see ALL my blogging friends.
Posted by: MIM | September 15, 2005 at 04:21 PM
It is quite an honor to be featured on MD's blog among all these other excellent bloggers. But I think it is a testament to MD and some of the pioneering daddy bloggers out there that it was so easy for us to find ourselves in this growing "community." Like MD expressed in his February post, most of us probably learned about parenting blogs when we learned we were going to become parents and we went right to the internet to learn as much about it as possible.
The day my wife showed me the two blue lines, I put on some sweatbands and started hauling all of the unecessary crap out of our apartment to make way for the little person who'd be living there in eight months. I dragged my beloved desktop computer into my walk-in closet and created an extremely cramped home office. From that office I did my first web searches for non-ugly baby furniture and found daddytypes. Googling my hopes of retaining some of the things I love about city life after parenthood, I found metrodad, lurking here for months while he unknowingly comforted me that I could be a dad and not be resign myself to LAMENESS. I could be a dad and stay true to who I was before. When we started our blog, we did so not only out of narcissism, but because we saw the value in what folks like MD were doing.
While it's true that there is an amazing community of daddy bloggers out there, there are also a lot of amazing blog READERS out there too who make all this worthwhile. Not every reader wants to become a blogger, but they're still part of this community and this community is important to them. It was to me long before I ever had an inkling to blog myself. We've had a hard time connecting with other "real life" parents in San Francisco. When my wife was pregnant we didn't know ANYONE else who was. When I do meet other parents, I usually start ranting about gingham or something and they look at me like I'm speaking Farsi backwards. As a reader, having cool daddy bloggers out there makes me feel a lot less alone.
So MD, thanks not only for generating some traffic for us today. Thanks for being there all those months when you didn't even know we were lurking. And thanks for inspiring us to try to become a more visible part of this very cool community.
Posted by: Dutch | September 15, 2005 at 04:25 PM
Jesus, Dutch, don't you ever leave short, pithy comments? Goddamn. I'd tell you to get your own blog, but obviously that isn't enough for you - you gotta come unload on OURS.
Aaaah, just shittin' ya. You know I love ya.
MD, mad props for continuing to get these bloggers' names in the spotlight. Community is what blogging is all about.
Posted by: The Zero Boss | September 15, 2005 at 05:07 PM
I just wanted to echo Dutch's comments. Although I've never commented here or even thought about starting my own blog, I thank you for providing some much-needed reassurance for me. When I found out my wife was pregnant a few months ago, I totally freaked out. How was I going to be as a father? Was I even ready? Will my life change forever? I'm not ready for this!!!
Like Dutch, my wife and I don't have any close friends with children so we didn't really have anywhere to turn for the advice that you just can't get from books. Thank God for Google though! That's how I found your site. And that's how I found this whole community of daddy bloggers. It's made my impending journey into parenthood much easier. I think you're all great dads and I aspire to become one as well. So from the bottom of my heart and the pit of my stomach...thank you!
Posted by: Paul | September 15, 2005 at 05:10 PM
Pithy is for the weak.
Posted by: Dutch | September 15, 2005 at 05:22 PM
exellent list, MD... I almost wish I was a daddy, except mommies get all the sympathy and flowers and jewelry. you get the point.
Dutch, beautiful acceptance speech... and yes, we love you, we really really love you. All of you.
Posted by: tpon | September 15, 2005 at 05:33 PM
Crap! Now I gotta come up with more witty things to write about to hold my own in this group.
But thanks for the mention, MD.
Posted by: Clare's Dad | September 15, 2005 at 07:01 PM
This dad's jealous of your graphic skilz. Killer dad-i-pod image.
Posted by: Jim | September 15, 2005 at 07:27 PM
Well, I've been reading daddy blogs for a while, even had my own for six months or so, but I'm not sure I've ever been here. Can't say that anymore, and I'm glad. I'll be back often. Great site.
Posted by: Kevin | September 15, 2005 at 08:03 PM
Well I must say a big thanks to the metroist of all daddies.
Not many daddy bloggers here in Australia.....most of them think a blog is what falls off your meat pie!!!
Soooo....in saying that I will be more than pleased to confide and laugh with my new yankee mates. I'm sure the art of being a dad is fairly universal, even though I don't know what the hell your talking about when you guys ramble about your sporting teams....but thats ok!
It's always good to find great new blogs and a big hip hip hooray to metro dad for putting these in the spotlight.
Well done mate....you are now an honorary Australian.
Posted by: Chocolate makes it better | September 15, 2005 at 11:20 PM
Awesome, man! As an expectant father, I've been a fan of your site for quite awhile now. Thanks for the recommendations. I'll be sure to check them all out.
Posted by: Mitchell | September 16, 2005 at 08:41 AM
More Dads for your reading enjoyment...
SAHD Family Runs Through It
The Rileys
Shouting at the Void
Mini Cooper
Poop and Boogies
More Diapers
Posted by: ieatcrayonz | September 16, 2005 at 09:52 AM
Damn - I see Dutch's acceptance speech and I feel like the sound editor who gets his Oscar three weeks in advance, gets the hand-held mike, says two words and sits back down. Shit.
But, again, I'm humbled. Thanks
Posted by: Mr. Big Dubya | September 16, 2005 at 10:44 AM
Thanks for all these pointers to other daddy blogs. Not that I don't find the opinions of mummy bloggers uninteresting but sometimes I feel like I've gone in the wrong door to the loos by mistake.
Posted by: David | September 16, 2005 at 11:04 AM
It's nice to see all the dads coalescing together in this online community. You all seem so cool and supportive of one another. Furthermore, you're all extremely good writers and very funny! I enjoy reading all your blogs.
I've had my fill with the mommy bloggers. Too many of them mistakenly believe that the minutae of their life is somehow fascinating to other people. I know I'm being a little harsh. I don't disparage them and I know I don't have to read them. But a lot of them remind me of those awful stuck-up mommies at the playground. And many are so cliquish, it's like being back in high school!
Me? I'm sticking with the daddies.
Posted by: Ms. Anonymous | September 16, 2005 at 11:25 AM
Hey, Thanks for the link Yonzie.
I found this blog through my site meter. I plan to be back as well as checking other Dad Blogs.
Posted by: bill | September 16, 2005 at 11:43 AM
Gotta take care of those daddies. I'd love to say that my husband is a daddy blogger, but he couldn't type his way out of a wet paper bag. He enjoys my baby blog. I guess that's all that matters.
Posted by: ieatcrayonz | September 16, 2005 at 12:06 PM
HA! My wife also gives me that line about men who change diapers change the world! And she always looks at me proudly as I change the diaper. But then I noticed recently that she hadn't changed a diaper in quite some time. She Jedi mind-tricked me!
Great post. Way to spread the love. Can't wait to check out these new dads.
Posted by: Jessie | September 16, 2005 at 12:22 PM
You guys should have seen me typing that. I was crying like Tom Hanks.
Posted by: Dutch | September 16, 2005 at 12:44 PM
http://www.webgoonies.com is my daddy blog.
Posted by: ThreePts | September 16, 2005 at 01:26 PM
Keith Snyder has twins and blogs: http://journalscape.com/keithsnyder
He also runs a bb for fathers of multiples: http://p097.ezboard.com/bmultidad
Posted by: Rob Fay | September 16, 2005 at 02:28 PM
Great post MD! I don't think I've ever commented before, but I read you on a regular basis. Hi-larious.
may I add one more daddy to your list? I just started reading this guy a few weeks ago, and he's awesome.
Mr. Nice Guy can be found at:
http://bonnehomme.blogspot.com
Thanks!!
Posted by: Lumi | September 16, 2005 at 03:24 PM
Thanks for clueing us all in. Looks like my blogroll's in for an overhaul.
Posted by: LOD | September 16, 2005 at 03:54 PM
Whose your blogdaddy? I guess I'm one:
http://www.neosophic.com
Mostly some stuff about strollers and formula.
Posted by: neosophic | September 16, 2005 at 04:38 PM
Linked: neosophic.com
Posted by: neosophic | September 16, 2005 at 04:42 PM
Rock on, MetroDad. Rock on! It is so cool of you to help build audiences for these new daddy blogs. You're the man! I can't wait to check them out.
Posted by: Bruce | September 16, 2005 at 05:48 PM
Here's a downunder daddyblogger:
http://www.pumpkindiary.blogspot.com
Posted by: billyjoebob | September 18, 2005 at 10:06 PM
i'm wicked late to this conversation, so let me just briefly quote simple minds: don't you forget about me.
Posted by: mr. nice guy | September 22, 2005 at 01:02 PM
I have been begging my husband to start a daddy-blog and he just won't but I think he'd love it. So I admire all you Pops and glad to have learned of some new ones.
Posted by: Cara | September 23, 2005 at 12:43 PM
HEY WUD UP THO PEOPLEZ?
Posted by: CECE | October 27, 2005 at 03:53 PM
Hello,
Is there a place (forum/web-ring) for daddys who blog. I dont know many fathers who blog at all; so is there (or are there) any places that say have collectives of links for blogging dads.
Many thanks
Posted by: Arun | March 20, 2006 at 06:08 AM