Throwaway Dads: The Myths and Barriers That Keep Men from Being the Fathers They Want to Be

by Ross D. Parke, Armin A. Brott

Are fathers really important? Of course they are. Yet we as a society have wittingly and unwittingly built nearly insurmountable barriers that restrict men's involvement with their children and families. In Throwaway Dads, a noted researcher on fatherhood and a leading author on the art of being a father explode the myths of neglectful, uninterested, abusive, deadbeat, and lazy dads with real-life studies and statistics. They explain why the largely negative portrayal of fathers in books, movies, and on television is both inaccurate and harmful, training young boys and girls to see men as having little or no role in the family. They also examine in balanced fashion the dubious achievements of both the men's and women's movements in reevaluating the roles of both sexes. Complete with proposals for steps that men, women, employers, the medical community, the media, and the government can take to promote men's involvement in their children's lives, Ross Parke and Armin Brott offer a comprehensive look at how our entire society can experience the benefits and joys of active fatherhood.

Genres: Parenting, Nonfiction

252 pages, Hardcover

First published January 25, 1999

Reviews

[Peter Knox]

It is very clear that this book was published in 1999 and while the title is promising for any new father, I'd suggest finding something more recent as this does not age well.

Most of the research and studies referenced are 30 years old by now and while I appreciate their work in making the case for father-involvement, railing against cultural representations of how divorce is treated in the brand new megamovie Armageddon, cereal ads being all about Mom's Choice, and how the pro-Men's movement (ick) is helping - luckily we're much further along these days and don't have to dwell on these old battles and mindsets.

Thankfully no one thinks dad's aren't needed these days. This book only shows that every study for the last half century has proven otherwise. But that's the extent of this book and you should avoid it.

[Justin]

this book's main strength is it's interesting research/stats about how important involved fathers are for a child's development, and it's practical tips on how fathers can be more involved--everything from making the most of paternity leaves to the importance of being an equal partner in raising children, not just a helper. to that end, readers should focus on the intro, chapters 1,2 and the final chapter. the rest is, to my mind, a bit ancillary.

[Stephen]

Some good points to be made, particularly in debunking some notorious statistics. Perhaps if this book were directed towards younger fathers, it would help prepare them for the road ahead. The parts of the text that discuss legal options (specifically in child protection) are wildly out-of-date and incorrect.