Joe Schatz is the man behind Joeprah.com and the proud stay-home father of three daughters. His take on parenting has drawn praise from national media, and his daughters think he's alright, too.

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Can Single Dads be Both Mom & Dad?

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May 27, 12:58 PM

by Joe Schatz, Parenting Examiner

This morning, I came across an interesting article from across the pond that highlights the plight of single dads. As I began to read the article, I wasn’t sure where it was headed:
“According to a close single mother friend of mine, ‘All men are emotionally retarded to some degree and therefore much less well equipped than women to bring up children alone.’

When an article starts this way it grabs my attention. I detest stereotypes and how they limit people and, being a stay at home dad, I see how stereotypes can have a negative impact. I was relieved to read that the article wasn’t another article about a brainless dad, but rather an interesting look into the lifestyle of a single dad in the UK.

Matthew Collins, single dad and writer for Times Online, reveals much about the British perception of dads and their struggles in this candid and informative piece.

“Most mums of my acquaintance have a strict evening routine - supper, homework, bath, bed. My routine goes haywire frequently.

Matthew makes the point that single dads don’t struggle being good dads, but rather they fall short in the mum department. He attributes his emotional sensitivity or lack thereof to his own upbringing. Citing how his father parented, Matthew illustrates how men are less nurturing than women. He continues to say,
“…although it is not most men's strong point, emotional intelligence can be learnt and developed. There is, therefore, hope for us Neanderthals.

Collins says that he attributes a lot of his success in becoming a well-rounded dad to his close single-mum friends. Matthew concludes by making a great argument that single-parents everywhere need a little help from ‘the other side’ so to speak. So, do you think single-dads can handle a household like single-moms? Are moms better equipped to handle the rigors of childcare alone?
Topics: fatherhood , parenting , moms , dads

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Palin's Folly: Parenting Meets Politics

5 comments

September 2, 2:16 PM

Sarah Palin, McCain's VP Selection I am not a political examiner but rather a parenting examiner and when the news came out about Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol, 17, being five months pregnant I cringed. With the U.S. culture spiraling... Read More
Topics: teen , pregnancy , Sarah Palin , Bristol Palin

Sharing History with Your Family: The 2008 Democratic National Convention

1 comment

July 30, 5:09 PM

Now, as a parent it may seem difficult to know where to begin when talking to your kids about politics but this year’s election gives all parents a great place to start. The upcoming 2008 Democratic National Convention is an excellent opportunity... Read More
Topics: DNC

How to Destroy an Annoying McDonalds Toy

1 comment

July 28, 11:51 PM

The number one distributor of toys in the world is McDonalds and nearly all of these toys I would classify as being annoying. The toys are either poorly constructed, serve little to no purpose and most notably they make annoying sounds making them the... Read More
Topics: parenting , parenting humor , mcdonald's

Teen Pregnancy: Why the U.S. Lags Behind Europe

2 comments

July 15, 11:38 PM

Of all the industrialized countries in the world, the U.S. has, by far, the highest instance of teenage pregnancies with a rate that more than doubles the nearest competitors. After posting on the topic earlier this week, I did some further research... Read More
Topics: parenting , teens , portrayal , pregnant women , teen , pregnancy

Help at the Grocery Store: A Great New Product

3 comments

July 14, 11:09 AM

I recently had the pleasure to test out a really cool product from a real life inventor mom. After talking to her a few times on Twitter I decided to check out her site and, you know what, she came up with something brilliant. Ladies are... Read More

Is Jamie Lynn Spears OK?

15 comments

July 13, 2:28 PM

As teen pregnancy rates run rampant ‘OK’ magazine thinks it’s ‘ok’ to put out an article that supports/glamorizes Jamie Lynn Spears as a mom and her recent delivery. What young girls in the US need now is a teen-idol-turned-pregnant-teen-turned-new-mom... Read More
Topics: parenting , portrayal , teen , pregnancy

My Kid is Smarter/Stronger/Better Than Yours: Comparitivitis

4 comments

July 8, 1:22 PM

On a recent playgroup date I had I was sitting there talking to a group of moms and it happened. One mom said was talking about the developmental milestones of their toddler and said something like, “My _____ (insert trendy name like Caden... Read More
Topics: parenting , children , comparitivitis , hyper parenting , comparisons

It's Hip to Be a Pregnant Teen

8 comments

July 7, 1:44 PM

By now you have heard of the 17 teenage girls in Gloucester, Mass. which may or may not have had a pact to get pregnant during the course of this last school year. The Gloucester High School students were actually visibly disappointed when they... Read More
Topics: teen , pregnancy , gloucester , juno , The Secret Life of The American Teenager

This Just In: Toddlers Clog Toilets

2 comments

June 18, 3:21 PM

Recently, I have had an epiphany of sorts. I can no longer deny the fact that has been staring me in the face since this past Christmas—toddlers clog toilets. My three year old, who potty trained herself during this past Christmas holiday,... Read More
Topics: toddler , toilet , plunger , bathroom