Being a calm, steady beacon of hope and guidance during a storm — “a lighthouse parent,” as parent/teen expert Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg calls it — is what children need most these days when they are readjusting to the world after more than a year of COVID-19 pandemic life.

And what parents, who might be frazzled from all that has and still is going on, need most is “the gift of self-compassion,” to forgive themselves for possible shortcomings and take care of themselves to parent on.

That’s some of the advice from Dr. Kenneth Ginsburg, author of Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Kids Roots and Wings, who joins us for the latest edition of the Modern Dads Podcast.

A co-director of the Center for Parent and Teen Communication, Ginsburg offers advice to help us think about what our kids have gained, lessons to take forward, and how to open the lines of communication.

The Center of Parent and Teen Communication helps promotes the health, character and well-being of adolescents through education, research and advocacy. Ginsburg helped create a comprehensive website for parents and teens that aims to strengthen family connections.

+ Listen to Kenneth Ginsburg + 

Ginsburg, a pediatrician at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, specializes in “social adolescent medicine” — medicine with special attention to prevention and the recognition that social context and stressors impact upon both physical and emotional health. He places specific effort in teaching, research and advocacy efforts that build on the strength of teenagers by fostering their internal resilience. He developed a teen-centered method that mixes qualitative/quantitative methodology to help young people generate, prioritize and explain their own proposed solutions to social problems and to teach clinicians how to better serve them.

A father of two young adult daughters, Ginsburg is a frequent lecturer to national and international audiences. He has worked with The Boys and Girls Club of America to incorporate resilience-building strategies into their programming, and the U.S. military to prepare military parents and professionals to incorporate stress reduction and resilience building strategies into the lives of our nearly 2 million military-affiliated children.

Ginsburg has several parenting books to his credit. In addition to Building Resilience in Children and Teens, he has written Raising Kids to Thrive: Balancing Love with Expectations and Protection with Trust, and Letting Go with Love and Confidence, all published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). He is also the author of Reaching Teens: Strength-Based Communication Strategies to Build Resilience and Support Healthy Adolescent Development, a comprehensive multimedia toolkit published by the AAP.

With our pandemic world finally moving toward a post-pandemic one, Barnard Center for Toddler Development Director Dr. Tovah P. Klein says it’s the perfect time for parents of young children to make needed changes in their children’s lives, such as reducing screen time.

“Children will be fine on a new routines. Any time you switch routines is a great time to say, ‘New rule,'” she says on the latest episode of The Modern Dads Podcast, themed as “What Toddlers Need Now.” While this change may meet some initial resistance, she notes how adaptive children and parents can be, with the pandemic shift in how we learn and live being perfect examples.

Klein, who wrote the parenting classic How Toddlers Thrive, talks about what our children have gained during these difficult times, dispels the theory of “learning loss” during the pandemic, and offers help on how we can thoughtfully help our kids return to camp and school with minimal separation issues.

+ Listen to ‘What Toddlers Need Now’ podcast +

Klein, who is also an adjunct associate professor at Barnard, teaches a year-long course on toddler development there. Her work focuses on young children’s social and emotional development, parental influences on early development, and parents’ experiences raising young children, including the challenges of combining work and family.

Dr. Klein served as a developmental advisor for Sesame Street and HBO films for children. She is on the advisory boards for Room to Grow, Ubuntu Education Fund, Rwanda Educational Assistance Project, LearnNow.org and Children’s Museum of Manhattan. She appears regularly on Good Morning America and her advice has appeared in The New York Times, Redbook, Parents, Slate.com, Huffington Post and countless other social media and print publications.

In her 2014 book, How Toddlers Thrive, Klein distills decades of research and experience with parents and children ages 2 to5 into a book that gives you the tools to easily navigate everyday challenges and struggles, have fewer battles and enjoy your interactions with your child and the toddler years more by seeing the world through your young child’s eyes.

A former clinical fellow at Boston Children’s Hospital with a doctorate in psychology from Duke University, Klein previously appeared on The Modern Dads Podcast in 2014.

Moore, the founder and managing director of Base Ventures — an early-stage tech venture fund, explains how he has done that through his life by making wise choices on the latest Modern Dads Podcast.

The native of the Bay Area of California was one of the first investors in Zappos. He has been one of the “25 Most Influential African-Americans In Tech” by Business Insider. Moore is also a widower, and he discusses overcoming the tragedy of losing his wife and mother of his daughter.

Moore is interviewed by City Dads blog contributor Mike Dorsey for Dorsey’s own Black Fathers, NOW! podcast. Dorsey, known as “Mike D” by many, is an author, business entrepreneur, community organizer, speaker and podcaster who aims to create a community for active and engaged Black fathers.

+ Listen to Erik Moore on Modern Dads Podcast +

Moore spent his early career as an investment banker after earning his undergraduate from Dartmouth College and his MBA from The Wharton School of Business in Pennsylvania. In 2016, he was recognized with the Next Generation of Excellence Achievement Award by the Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce. The next year he received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from The Oakland African American Chamber of Commerce, Wharton’s Trailblazer Award for his achievements in venture capital, and was named a Man of Courage, a Ford Motor Co. program to to build communities by advancing the narrative of black men through storytelling, intergenerational forums, and community programs.

Erik Moore is a board member of The Common Ground Foundation—founded by award-winning artist, Common. He serves on the city of Oakland’s Fund Advisory Board and  the advisory board of the Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco.

Even with all his achievements, Moore — according to his company’s bio — says his most important role is as a father.

Our much-acclaimed Modern Dads Podcast returns Feb. 25 with a new season of episodes covering issues today’s fathers face navigating work, parenthood, relationships and play. If you have a thirst for dad podcasts right this minute, here are a few we think you should check out:

The Art of Fatherhood

Art Eddy knows dad podcasts. He’s produced or hosted them for the Life of Dad social network for years, including the Art of Conversation that focuses on writers who are fathers. His baby these days is the Art of Fatherhood. Here interviews dads from the worlds of entertainment, music and sports about their latest projects and … being a dad, duh! Recent guests have included comedic actor Bobby Moynihan (Saturday Night Live, Mr. Mayor), pro football Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz, actor Jaleel White (Family Matters) and musician Josh Abbot.

Black Fathers, NOW!

City Dads Group contributor Mike Dorsey is an author, business entrepreneur, community organizer, speaker and — yes — podcaster. Dorsey aims to redefine and uplift the image of African American dads through inspiring discussions with engaged black fathers. Dorsey will be a guest host on the Modern Dads Podcast this season, interviewing venture capitalist Erik Moore.

Charlotte Dads Group Podcast

This podcast by the leaders of one of our most active City Dads chapters kicked off its second season this past autumn. So far they’ve already had a guest expert talking about the secrets of making great barbeque, serious discussions about overcoming one’s parental fears, and doled out advice on making your child’s nighttime routine easier on the both of you. The Charlotte Dads will appear on Modern Dads Podcast to discuss hobbies they share with their kids.

Dad House

This recently launched podcast features City Dads Group contributor Shannon Carpenter and four of his at-home father friends. They yuck it up on any and everything, such as their initial episode’s debate of SUVs vs. minivans. They promise to also take on serious subjects as they plumb their experience raising a combined 16 children in the heart of the Midwest.

The #FatherhoodIsLit Podcast

NYC Dads Group co-organizer (and City Dads blog contributor) James Lopez hosts a self-described “raw and unfiltered” dad podcast that talks about hip hop, the stock market, dealing with life trauma and even making cash by reselling your kids old stuff. Lopez will be a guest host on the Modern Dads Podcast this season, interviewing opera singer Kenneth Kellogg.

The NOMADad Podcast

Brock Lusch, the founder of our Cincinnati Dads Group, started his podcast (an acronym for “Not on My Ass Dad”) in 2018 to share “impactful stories of life experiences, hobbies and those moments that are viral worthy but may only be heard in person or on this show.” In addition to interviewing authors and experts, he’s mined more than a few everyday nuggets such as the father who leads his daughter’s Girl Scout troop. Lusch will be a guest host on the Modern Dads Podcast this season, interviewing children’s book author Vernon Gibbs II.

Dad podcasts photo: © Guillem de Balanzó / Adobe Stock.

Michael Reichert says that just as we no longer believe a girl’s destiny is set by her biology, we need to think the same about boys. The old “boys will be boys” notion of masculinity is not inherent in their DNA.

That and our understanding of how boys learn are among the many things Reichert, the founding director of the Center for the Study of Boys’ and Girls’ Lives at the University of Pennsylvania, says people need to change if we are to raise a new generation of men who can form strong relationships without falling into the macho stereotypes and sexist behaviors of the past.

Reichert dives further into the subject on the latest episode of The Modern Dads Podcast. He discusses the findings in his new book, How to Raise a Boy: The Power of Connection to Build Good Men, along with how parents can talk to boys about the #MeToo movement and gender equality.

Since 1984, Reichert has maintained a clinical practice in the Philadelphia area that specializes in working with boys, men and their families. In addition to direct patient care, he has served as the supervising psychologist at an independent boys’ school and has had the opportunity there to create and lead a program designed to enhance boys’ emotional literacy.

In addition to How to Raise a Boy, Reichert has publish numerous articles and several books. These include the books Reaching Boys, Teaching Boys: Lessons About What Works — and Why and I Can Learn From You: Boys as Relational Learners. He currently writes a column for Psychology Today.

+ + Listen to this podcast on iTunes + +

Raising Empowered Daughters: A Dad-to-Dad Guide, to be released in June 2019, is “a fists-up handbook for helping dads dismantle the patriarchy,” Adamick’s website. On the show, he and host Whit Honea talk about Adamick’s efforts to meet dads where they are to discuss equality, representation and feminism. One way, he says, is to start by changing the way we talk about boys and their perception of what is and isn’t acceptable.

As to the book, Adamick’s website says, “As a primary male role model in a girl’s life, a father influences his daughter in profound ways, from the way she defines her female identity to what she expects from men. In Raising Empowered Daughters, Mike Adamick offers a wise and witty handbook for dads, suggesting ways to raise girls who won’t settle for second-class-citizenship. Examining the extraordinary array of sexisms — both subtle and not-so-subtle — girls encounter, Adamick highlights not just the ways that girls and boys are treated differently but how the roles of moms and dads are shaped by society, too.

“Full of eye-opening anecdotes and dad-relatable humor, this is a necessary guide for every father who wants to raise a confident daughter.”

Adamick, a stay-at-home dad, is the author of a bestselling family craft series: Dad’s Book of Awesome Projects, Dad’s Book of Awesome Science Experiments and Dad’s Book of Awesome Recipes. He has written for or been featured in The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, NPR, CBS Morning Show, PBS and more. He has been a keynote speaker for the BlogHer and Dad 2.0 Summit conferences, and he penned the “Daddy Issues” column for the Jezebel website.

Adamick, a San Francisco resident, is an OG dad blogger. His blog, Cry It Out, was once named the “best dad blog in cyberspace” by the Babble parenting website.

Dorsey, known as “Mike D” by many, has taken a multi-prong approach to redefining and uplifting the image of African American dads. He is an author, business entrepreneur, community organizer, speaker and podcaster. Dorsey discusses his motivation to create a community for active and engaged black fathers and the impact of his work within and outside that community on the latest episode of the Modern Dads Podcast.

Dorsey, a former medical sales professional who has an economic degree from the Georgia Institute of Technology, has written two books, his latest being Dynamic Black Fatherhood Manifesto. The book calls for 10 key commitments to excellence from black men in order to created a more successful in the black community. He also written the self-help book ABE: Always Be Engaged — The 7 Keys to Living a Fit Urban Life.

The Augusta, Ga., native also founded the apparel company Black Family Apparel, which celebrates positive imagery of the black family through messaged clothing. He also created and hosts the Black Fathers Now podcast which interviews African American dads from various walks of life.

That question was one of the most common asked by moms and dads interviewed over the years by KJ Dell’Antonia, the former lead editor of the New York Times’ Motherlode blog. So, naturally, the parenting writing decided to write a book on the subject, which she discusses on the latest edition of The Modern Dads Podcast.

How to be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute offers moms and dads an encouraging guide to try to find more joy in their day-to-day family life. The book, scheduled to be released this summer, draws on the latest research and interviews with families, to try to find ways to do more by doing less as a parent, and make family life a refuge and pleasure, rather than another stress point in a hectic day.

In our interview, Dell’Antonia goes over four keys from How to be a Happier Parent that her research found leads to raising adults (instead of children) and tend to lead to more joy in parenting.

Dell’Antonia wrote and edited the Motherlode blog from 2011 until 2016 and was a contributing editor to the New York Times’ Well Family section from 2016-2017. She has also been a contributor to Slate, where she covered parenting and a broad range of subjects, from legal issues to pop culture. She lives in Lyme, N.H., with her husband and four children.

+ + Listen to ‘Happier Parent’ podcast + +

Is this where we still are in 2018: dads with daughters threatening their child’s friends, especially given the ongoing debate over gun control in the wake of mass shootings at our schools?

On this latest edition of the Modern Dads Podcast, three dads of daughters read essays they have written bashing the well-worn trope of the overprotective father.

Jason Greene, a NYC Dads Group member and longtime blog contributor, says dads who threaten their daughters’ dates annoy him. “Instead of bragging about your guns and the ‘whooping’ you’re going to do if some boy breaks her heart or mistreats her, teach your daughter to stick up for herself and others. … To value her own image and hold it in high self-esteem. To make good choices,” he says.

Canadian blogger Mike Reynolds lays out the “unrules” for dating his daughter. “You won’t find me standing behind the curtain with my rifle on prom day. You won’t find a Derringer in my coat pocket on her wedding day,” he says. “I’m not a threat to you. You’re dating my daughter, so I’m a friend. I don’t believe threatening someone is the best way to get them to reach their potential and I don’t think telling someone you’re going to shoot them if they make one wrong move is fair to you or my daughter.”

Chris Bernholdt, a Philly Dads Group member and longtime City Dads Group blog contributor, says there is a better way of raising daughters without threatening their dates. “How about we just teach our young boys what respect and love are truly about and give them the tools to make good decisions?” he says. “We can be better fathers by setting the example for the next generation and not using scare tactics. Our daughters are not unattainable prizes to be won. They are treasures to be cherished.”

Finally, City Dads Group columnist Whit Honea explains his perspective on the subject as the father of sons.

+ + Listen to ‘Dads with Daughters’ podcast + +