Editorial; Full-Time Dads Issue 24

Full-Time Dads;

The Magazine for Caregiver Fathers

Issue 24

Editorial

By Stephen Harris

This issue, our #24, marks my four year anniversary as editor of Full-Time Dads. Some of you might not know that Full-Time Dads was begun back in 1990 by Chris Stafford, who handed it over to me in 1992. (Check out his Full-Time Dads Archive)

A lot has happened in the fatherhood arena in the past four years. Two national publications- Modern Dad and At-Home Dads-have appeared. Countless fathers rights groups have sprung up, as more and more fathers realize how poorly the "family court" system has been serving them. Fathers are attempting to break into lobbying in Washington. The National Fatherhood Initiative arrived about two years ago, and has been gathering steam ever since. Perhaps you've seen some of their print ads boosting fatherhood. Anyone who browses the parenting section of their local bookstore cannot help but notice all the books aimed at fathers, the vast majority of which are only a year or so old. It seems the press is slowly coming around to the opinion that "dad" and "deadbeat" are not necessarily connected. You even see Dads in caretaking roles in advertising every now and then.

It would be naive and arrogant of me to suppose that Full-Time Dads has been the inspiration for all of this. But I don't think it is too far-fetched to think that our continued presence has had something to do with the growth of fatherhood in the national consciousness. I will admit readily to being self-impressed when I see my name appear in the Wall Street Journal, Parenting, Utne Reader and other newspapers across the country. It's a kick. But beyond the fun I've had with notoriety, I think my visibility, and the visibility of Full-Time Dads, has helped in no small way to advance our version of fatherhood-that of the caring, successful, involved father-in the popular consciousness.

It's not arrogance to point out that Full-Time Dads, in it's original incarnation, was the very first national publication devoted entirely to fathers. It wasn't my idea, but I was very proud to take it over, and I think I've done OK in the past four years. With Peter Baylies' At-Home Dads, and now Modern Dad and the others joining in, the voice of the caring father continues to grow. I feel like an old-timer at this, even though my kids are not yet teens, and there are plenty of dads who have been home longer than I.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I think this is a great time to be a dad. It ain't a perfect world, and there are still consciousnesses to raise and things to build and fix. Perhaps that's what makes it so exciting. We're actually participating in a revolution not just in fatherhood and parenting, but in our entire culture. Even back before the turn of the century, a time often pointed to as the hey-day of fatherhood, there were not as many fathers who had taken on the full-time care of their children as there are now. Fathers rights activists are, in my humble opinion, leading the men's movement. And we home-dads are still blazing a trail. We should be proud of the work we do, of how far we have come in just the last four years, and of the changes we have wrought, and continue to make, in the culture our kids will inherit.

Well, perhaps you can tell I'm a bit puffed up. I've been a home-dad for eight years, and editor of Full-Time Dads for four. I'm immensely proud of the work I've done with FTD, and thrilled with the position it has afforded me to participate in the discussions about fatherhood and manhood. But I am prouder still, and more thrilled, to have had the opportunity to spend all this time with my kids. That is something that my father never knew, but something that I hope will be commonplace for my son when he grows up. Of all the legacies I can think of, that's a pretty good one.

One last thing. Full-Time Dads has always tried to be as open and responsive to our readers. Now that we are fully ensconced here on the Web, I hope will be able to be even more reader-interactive. I hope that every one of you reading this issue will take a moment to send me a note -a comment, a complaint, a suggestion, anything. It is vital to the continued growth of Full-Time Dads, and the continued growth of this movement we are a part of. Thanks.

Peace-
Stephen Harris
Publisher/Editor

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