Dad
Top 50 Dad Blogs of 2012
Last year, when we inaugurated our Top 50 Dad Blogs list, we praised dad bloggers for “changing the way we think about fatherhood.” Indeed, a number of our favorite bloggers on this, our second Top 50 list, insist our thinking needs to be changed. They describe themselves as advocates for fathers, taking to their keyboards in order to counter dominant cultural stereotypes of dad-as-incompetent-buffoon. (You don’t believe them? Tune in to most any family sitcom on most any night of the week.) Others on the list aspire simply to entertain us with funny, relatable tales from the trenches. A few write to work through the shattering grief of losing a child or spouse.
This list features straight dads, gay dads, working dads, stay-at-home dads, geek dads, single dads, and more. In a culture where the dominant conversations around fatherhood center simply on whether dads can deign to change their kid's diaper, it's refreshing to see these guys take the public perception of parents into their own hands. We are again struck by the variety of their voices and experiences, which itself puts the lie to the notion of any one “typical dad.” A lot of our favorites from last year are back, while many worthy entrants are making their debuts. We hope you’ll enjoy laughing, crying, nodding, and discovering along with them as much as we have. As dads' online influence grows, this list will only become more and more difficult to curate — and that's a good problem to have. If you think we missed any of your favorite dad bloggers, nominate them here. – Barbara Spindel and the dad blog panel
38 / 50
Clark Kent’s Lunchbox
This superbly designed, Superman-themed site by work-at-home dad Ron Mattocks (who, it must be said, does bear some resemblance to his comic book alter ego) covers parenthood, marriage, gender dynamics, and a range of other topics.
Mattocks says he relates more to Jonathan Kent, Clark’s adoptive parents on earth, than to the Man of Steel himself. But just as Superman is unafraid to face any villain who threatens Metropolis, so Mattocks, father of three sons and two stepdaughters, bravely covers topics other blogs steer clear of, including the challenges presented by blended families and his own struggles with depression. Mattocks is also the author of the book Sugar Milk: What One Dad Drinks When He Can’t Afford Vodka, a collection of parenting experiences drawn from his blog, which appeared at #36 on last year’s list.
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I am humbled to be included.
Many thanks.
Mitch