Dad Life | Parenting

Good News! This Dad Is Organizing a Virtual Peer Support Group for...

David said it will be a GWK-led network of queer dads who can help each other through the specific issues in the LGBTQ+ parenting community.

Gay Dad Empty Nesters; ‘No One Wrote the Book’

In the 1990’s, husbands Tim and Tom were well-prepared to become new dads. But no one told them what it would be like two decades later, when their kids would inevitably leave home.

David Blacker gives tips for gay parents parenting during the pandemic

Go Easy on Me: Parenting Through the Pandemic

Alpha, Beta, Delta, Lambda, Omicron… sadly, this isn't the latest cast of Drag Race. David Blacker shares 10 parenting tips to deal with a pandemic that seems to be sticking around.

Buying New Baby Clothes Every Few Months? Try This Solution

Gays With Kids is excited to partner with Cubbiekit — the baby clothing subscription service that does good for both your family, your wallet, and the planet.

Gays With Kids is partnering with Cubbiekit; the baby clothing subscription service that does good for both your family and the planet.

A Gay Dad's Emotional Goodbye to the 'Highchair' Stage of Parenting

Gay Parenting in the Suburbs: The Challenges, the Changing Landscape...

Listen: "Three Dads and a Baby; a Gay Throuple’s Story"

Ian Jenkins, Alan Mayfield and Jeremy Hodges are three dads in a polyamorous relationship who convinced a California judge to set new legal precedent in 2017 by putting all three men's names on their child's pre-birth order.

A Gay Dad Learns From his Father How Not to be a Dad

The recent events transpired in our country over the racial injustices and oppression towards...

4 Tips for Single Gay Dads Raising Daughters

There's nothing quite like father-daughter relationships, and when it comes to single dads, your...

4 Tips for Gay Men Having "The Period" Talk with Daughters

Guest post by Jenny Hart

Sorry — I'm Too Tired to Discuss Parenting Philosophies with You

I legitimately have no parenting philosophy. I don't have time for it. I'm too tired to think about...

Gay Dads Tell Us Their Parenting Goals for 2020

We asked our community on Instagram what their parenting goals were for 2020. Here are some of...

How These Gay Dads Prepared for Twins

Guest post by Marc and Steve

Things I've Learned in the Decade Since Celebrating My First Father's...

I celebrated my first Father's Day as a new father a decade ago. And while some sleepless nights,...

A Gay Dad Shares His Experiences Raising a Trans Son on Latest...

Here's a fact: gay parents are much more attentive to their kids' gender expressions than...

Serving Work-Life Balance Realness: How To Be a More Present Father

When I was in college, I remember watching an episode of Jerry Springer. The theme was deadbeat...

Inside the Weird World of Expectations for Gay Dads

In my two months as a parent, I've had the pleasure of meeting a lot of new parents. As a gay...

One Gay Dad's Arduous Ascent Atop Potty Mountain

Anyone with kids can probably attest that potty training is literally one of the hardest things...

This Gay Dad Takes 'Twinning' to a Whole New Level

Danny Maffia and his husband Justin DeMartin became dads to twins after a three failed adoptions...

We'd Fly Across the World for Our Baby Boy

As we prepare to launch our next life adventure – a baby food business – we've been taking time to...

From Stay-at-Home Dad to Work-at-Home Dad

Don't mislead yourself: Stay-at-Home parenting is a full-time job - or more. It may be even tougher...

Entertaining Babies

Some of us used to sneak out to mom's closet and try on her shoes and clothes, pretending to be...

When His Son Got a Tattoo, He Freaked Out. Then He Saw What it Was

A few weeks ago, Richard was at work when he received the following text message from his son,...

One Gay Dad's Personal Hell: A Trip to Disney with 10-Month Old Twins

My husband's 41st birthday wish was one of my greatest nightmares: a family weekend at Disney. With...

On Being a Gay Father in a World Full of Chaos

Since becoming a father, I've watched my entire life change. In an instant my world was flipped...

What's the Difference Between a "Dad" and a "Parent"?

I have already begun to notice a clear distinction between being a dad and being a parent. As a...

Trials With Twins: Traveling Edition

We're starting a new series about the highs, the lows, and the downright hilarious moments parents...

The Secret to Parenting Pre-Term Twins? A Strict Schedule, Say These...

When Thomas Roberts and David McNatt's third surrogate changed her mind and decided she no longer...

A Gay Dad, Suddenly Squeamish About Sex

As gay men, my partner and I talk about sex, we joke about sex, we enjoy sex (or did before having...

Dad 101: How to Turn Your Baby Into a Burrito

This is the second of a monthly collaboration between Gays With Kids and Two Men and A Baby.

How Do I Talk to My Son About Drugs and My Past?

This year has been filled with so many amazing memories and celebrations. My mother turned 70, my...

When the "Terrible Twos" Give Way to the "Threenager"

When Milo turned two, friends and family would say, "Just wait for the terrible twos to start!"...

"Times Have Changed" for this Out Teacher

Guest post from Greg Hutch.

Coping With Your Kid's First Illness

We have been blessed in so many ways with our son Kellan. He was never once was sick in his first...

8 Tips to Explain Cyberbullying to a Small Child

One of the hardest parts of being a parent is when we witness our child hurting, be bullied, or...

Talking Terrorism With My Son

A smidge before Christmas, I was lounging on my sofa after my 7-year-old son went to bed. As I...

My Daughter Talks A Lot

My daughter talks a lot. And by "a lot" I mean pretty much all the time.

Finding Acceptance for My Gay Family in NYC’s Private Schools

It was an amazing open house at Saint David’s, an all-boys school in the heart of the Upper East...

Daddy, Can I Have Blue Hair?

It was a rather dreary Tuesday afternoon, late in the year when daylight was sparse. Christmas was...

Your Adopted Child Just Asked the “Mommy” Question. What Now?

Maybe you heard it at the dinner table. Or at the playground. Or reading to your son or daughter...

Nice Daddy Is Going Away for a While

Raising Grounded Kids in Crazy Manhattan

Learning to Go with the Flow

When Everybody Asks a Gay Dad, “So, You’re the Mom?”

“So, you're the mom?" That's a question I get asked a lot by fellow parents, friends, family and...

American Horror Story: Getting Your Child to Take Medicine

I just got finished pitching Ryan Murphy my idea for the next season of American Horror Story,...

Gay Dads Navigate the Taboos Associated with Single-Sex Parenthood

Doug Kerr and Michael Went are both dads to their adopted son, 6-year-old Malakai.

They consider...

Hoping to Become a Father, but Afraid to Have a Boy

Even as a young child, I knew I wanted to be a father. But I also knew I was gay. So while...

Stories Gay Dads Tell Their Kids About Adoption and Surrogacy

We've published 1,200 stories on Gays With Kids, many of which were written to help gay men become...

What I Learned About Fatherhood From My Dad

A birthday tribute to my dad, who taught me the most important life lessons about what it means to...

Embrace Hugging

Tuesday was chili night. Although my sons hate my meat loaf and my chicken and my lasagna, they...

How to Care for a Premature Baby: Learning As We Go

So much information floods your mind when you’re preparing to bring home your new baby. No matter...

A Security Blanket for Gay Dad Families

“Where are the reindeer?”

Lotions and Potions: Bedtime Edition

It’s a chilly evening here in Central Jersey, and Gabe has just finished 20 minutes in the bathtub....

But, Who Are Her Female Role Models?

"What about female role models?" our social worker asked during our home study when we were...

You Mean I'm Supposed to Play With Him Too?

I love my son Max. I love him more than I could love anything in this world. More than mid-90s...

A Letter to my Son

A little over a year ago, I was overwhelmed with grief from my divorce and struggling to figure out...

Gay Divorce 101: How to do it Right

Let me start by reminding you that I was in an almost 17-year monogamous relationship, from when I...

Blame It On Rio

My almost 10-year-old African-American son was barely awake the other night. Try as he might,...

Watch: Papa Ryan and Daddy Matt Talk Hair

Chicago couple Matt and Ryan are proud and loving dads to twins Caden and Declan. We first...

Daddy, I Want my Mommy

Let’s Be Frank: The Diary of a Divorced Gay Dad

Stay Fit With Your Kids: These Dads Shows You How

Keeping fit. It’s a subject that isn’t going away. And why should it? We could rattle off the...

My Kids Don’t Eat Sushi – And I’m Okay With That

I live in an area of Brooklyn where every Persephone, Fletcher and Cyrus has a parent ready with a...

Raising Kids After Orlando

On Saturday June 11 I was in my kitchen as the boys finished up their dinner. Our apartment faces...

Watch: Gay Dad Jovanny Shows How to Make a Dutch Braid

Gay dad Jovanny has two daughters and in this video he demonstrates the art of making a beautiful...

Watch: Gay Dad Jovanny Shows How to Make a Fishtail Braid

Gay dad Jovanny has two daughters and in this video he demonstrates the art of making a beautiful...

Gay Dads and Team Sports: Can’t We Just Get Along?

It was always in the back of our minds. Something was telling us You really should sign your kids...

Time To Fess Up

I hate to waste words. So I tend to only write about updates in our adoption process when there’s...

Talking With Grown Kids of Gay Parents

Hey, dads! The generation of children who grew up with gay parents have some lessons for you. Sit...

We Have Our Own Gay Parents

Back to School:

Summer Vacation Survival

I’d already had the conference in Columbus, Ohio on the calendar for a couple of months when I...

Queens and the F-Word: The Secret Language of a Gay Dad Family

On Friday night, as we were watching “Pitch Perfect" on the Family Channel, my 9-year-old Aidan...

Five Lessons Learned From Parents of Competitive Children

You’ve read the stories of Natalie, Jordan, Ashlyn and Bailee. They’re all different kids and...

Squeezed: The Sandwich Generation

Charts, Chores and Ka-Ching!

What do you do when your 9-year-old comes to you and says he wants money of his own? My first...

Gay Dads, Trans Kids

The social worker had been waiting on the street for three hours and pounced as Adam Holland, his...

A Gay Dad Faces Puberty

Puberty is always theoretical until it happens all at once. In my case, it happened this past...

From the Wonderful Ones to the Terrible Twos

“No!” is my son Eddie's favorite word lately. And he doesn’t just say it once; he is prone to...

Confessions of a Gay Dad: I Lost My Cool

Last week, I yelled at my 15-month-old son. I feel terrible about it.

5-Year-Old Forces Gay Dad to Play With Trucks

My son loves trucks. Large trucks, the bigger the better. School buses. Fire engines. Big rigs....

The Most Special Girls in the World: Our Twins' "Where You Came From"...

On December 4, we published the story we tell our son Levi to explain how my husband Brian and I...

Mommified

The minute our daughter came into our lives we went shopping. A few days later, we went shopping....

News From the Home Front

It isn’t all cooing and cuddles and cookies – not by a long shot – but these stay-at-home dads...

The Importance of Being Present

“Why were you looking down when I was skating tonight, Daddy?”

Lessons for Gay Dads from TV Moms

When you’ve been asked the question, “So when you two adopt, who’s going to be the mom?” as many...

Curbing my Enthusiasm

When my daughter was born, a million thoughts ran through my head. Some of them, I’m sad to admit,...

"Who is my Mommy?"

When we started our quest for parenthood, we knew the question would come up eventually. However, I...

"Well, That's Just Not Fair!'

“Well, that’s just not fair!” cries the indignant 8-year-old. “Fairness has nothing to with it!”...

Ralph Reed and the Religious Wrong

Faith and Freedom Coalition founder Ralph Reed said that “social science is irrefutable” that...

Baby Soup

It was still early on Saturday morning, before breakfast. I was getting Sadie out of her pajamas.

The Being Blog