There are millions of “Mommy Blogs” these days, some very good, some not so good. But all offer moms a place to connect, to learn, to share. Then there are “Parenting” websites, which is how we at Barista Kids define ourselves. We offer parents, both moms and dads, a place to get information and connect with discussion. But let’s face it, we’re mostly women who write with a mother’s voice.
William Schekel, a Montclair dad of one, wanted to create a place just for dads. His new website, The Fathers’ Lounge, gives fathers a place to connect:
The Fathers’ Lounge – a room in the maternity ward (at Mountainside Hospital) I spent some time in while my son was busy trying not to pop out. It’s a room where dads-to-be have traditionally paced back and forth until they got to eventually hand out cigars.
There aren’t many left in the real world. We don’t really get to hang back and wait for the show to be over any more. That’s probably a good thing, but I’ve noticed that guys I know seem to find a place to hang out and chat about being a dad. Sure, we talk about our kids, but a lot of times it’s more like “Is yours sleeping? How do you put up with the whining? Is he dating yet? How do I keep them off of porn sites on MY computer?” I’m sure some of these sound familiar.
A lot of the conversations remind me of when I’d ask my brother for advice on rebuilding an engine or the guy at the local hardware store what’s the best way to solve a problem I caused by buying an old house.
And that’s what this place is all about. It’s by dads for dads about the proper care and maintenance of the little creatures in our lives and the men we’ve become because of them.
Fathers today are more involved than ever. They are the ones holding their wife’s legs back on the delivery table, they are carrying their babies around strapped to their chest, they’re pushing strollers and buying Diaper Dude Bags and they’re singing along with their kids at the local music class. They don’t babysit–they parent. Fathers want to be respected and they want to connect, just like mothers do.
At The Fathers’ Lounge, dads can talk about sports, business, learn some DIY projects, reminisce about their childhood, get advice and just hangout. It’s a community run by dads, for dads, about being a dad.
Don’t we already have the office?