Hi Melinda, thanks for the behind the scenes insight! I'm a rather new subscriber and haven't had the time to go through your archives, so my suggestion might be off base: First of all, I very much enjoy reading your newsletters as they provide me with a lot of insight and scientific evidence for one of the hardest things I have to do in my life: being a working dad. Your writing is accessible and insightful.
But, as a dad who doesn't just "help" raising his kids, I felt a bit unseen and also not as much as I'd like to be part of your audience if that makes sense. When I opened your newsletter about asking your "partner" for help, I was really surprised that it was mostly about mothers, which in general makes sense. But still, it stung a little. (I had the same feeling when I read "Hunt, gather, parent", but I still cherish that book, and yours of course.) This might be a widely unpopular or strange request, but would you consider publishing a few newsletters about fathers and the role they can play in raising their kids, creating a family etc.?
I hope my comment doesn't come across as condescending or sour. I really appreciate your work.
Absolutely, Tom. Thanks for the feedback!! Most of my subscribers are women, and (this is very unfortunate but) most parenting research still mostly includes only mothers, so my content does tend to reflect and discuss motherhood more than fatherhood -- but I will work on making my newsletters more inclusive to fathers and other types of families, too. Happy New Year!
More arguments for why moms should do less -- yes, please!! Also, how to get dads (with the exception of the one above) to read something (anything!!) about parenting?!
Virginia Solesmith's recap also pointed out that her subscribers engaged least with anything touching on social justice. I really hope that this doesn't make you stop covering those things (like police violence). They are unpopular (as we know from literally everything that's happening now), but it's not a sign we shouldn't be talking about it! The more we do talk about it, the easier it becomes too engage with.
Hi Melinda, thanks for the behind the scenes insight! I'm a rather new subscriber and haven't had the time to go through your archives, so my suggestion might be off base: First of all, I very much enjoy reading your newsletters as they provide me with a lot of insight and scientific evidence for one of the hardest things I have to do in my life: being a working dad. Your writing is accessible and insightful.
But, as a dad who doesn't just "help" raising his kids, I felt a bit unseen and also not as much as I'd like to be part of your audience if that makes sense. When I opened your newsletter about asking your "partner" for help, I was really surprised that it was mostly about mothers, which in general makes sense. But still, it stung a little. (I had the same feeling when I read "Hunt, gather, parent", but I still cherish that book, and yours of course.) This might be a widely unpopular or strange request, but would you consider publishing a few newsletters about fathers and the role they can play in raising their kids, creating a family etc.?
I hope my comment doesn't come across as condescending or sour. I really appreciate your work.
Best wishes,
Tom
Btw if I'm totally wrong with my comment, which might very well be the case, could you point me to a couple of newsletters about this? :)
Absolutely, Tom. Thanks for the feedback!! Most of my subscribers are women, and (this is very unfortunate but) most parenting research still mostly includes only mothers, so my content does tend to reflect and discuss motherhood more than fatherhood -- but I will work on making my newsletters more inclusive to fathers and other types of families, too. Happy New Year!
You might enjoy this Substack by Kevin Maguire, too: https://www.thenewfatherhood.org
More arguments for why moms should do less -- yes, please!! Also, how to get dads (with the exception of the one above) to read something (anything!!) about parenting?!
Virginia Solesmith's recap also pointed out that her subscribers engaged least with anything touching on social justice. I really hope that this doesn't make you stop covering those things (like police violence). They are unpopular (as we know from literally everything that's happening now), but it's not a sign we shouldn't be talking about it! The more we do talk about it, the easier it becomes too engage with.
Your superlatives are so interesting! Thanks for sharing with us. I open everything. Maybe I have fomo?
Definitely more writing about why moms should do less!
Investigate and write more about learning differences. The caregivers of children with learning differences could use more voices
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