On Writing About Fatherhood, With Ariel Foxman
On Writing About Fatherhood, With Ariel Foxman
Dadditude Newsletter #22
Dadditude interviews dads (and mums) from different backgrounds, professional fields and ethnicities to get their insights on what it means to be a parent in the current moment.
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On Writing About Fatherhood, With Ariel Foxman
Ariel Foxman is a gay dad with a three-year-old son named Cielo. He co-parents with his husband of seven years, Brandon. After spending much of his career in editorial and publishing, he is now a writer and brand content consultant. Last year, he launched a newsletter called ABBAPAPA, which focuses on modern parenting and unconventional families. You can follow him on Instagram @arielfoxman or Twitter.
We spoke with Ariel recently about launching his own newsletter about fatherhood.
Tell us about your kid.
Cielo (see-yellow) will turn 4 at the end of September. He is super clever, making all sorts of meaning from tons of observations and questions asked. He loves to be silly, enjoys anything water-related and is currently very into which boats float and what animals are “mean or nice”.
How do you manage to mix work and family?
Being a dad has definitely opened up the writing part of my professional life. In working with so many brands to figure out their perspectives and the best ways to tell those stories, I decided I wanted to take my approach and skills and apply them to my experience as a dad. That is why I launched ABBAPAPA; I wanted to tell our stories and connect with others immersed in similar joys and challenges. It’s funny now I find myself in the middle of an interaction or conversation with our son and I am wondering, I wonder how universal this is? What would the ABBAPAPA community have to say and share? Is this something to write about? Rather than a distraction, it’s a welcome shift in perspective during some of the most invigorating and even challenging moments as a dad.
What do you think is your biggest strength as a parent?
I am always reminding myself that empathy bears more fruit than discipline.
What stresses you out the most these days as a parent?
The macro stuff: the climate crisis, eroding democracatic values, the loss of civility, conspiracy theories.
What side of parenthood do you wish you had invested more time and energy in the past?
I wish I had put more energy in getting physically fit when Cielo was just an infant. Had I established more of a foundation then, I think it would be less challenging today to find time to take care of myself and my health when fatherhood pulls you in so many directions.
Can you tell us about an especially favorite/special moment with your kid recently?
Just the other week, Cielo and I were seated and he gave me the tightest, longest hug and said, “I love you too, Daddy. I love you so much!” It was the first time that I had heard that as a parent.
Thank you Ariel!
We’ve enjoyed reading:
Number of fathers taking paternity leave plunges to 10-year low
New dads desperately want to spend time with their babies - but what message are we sending to them with a system that gives them just a fortnight?How Dads Can Build a Network of Parenting Allies at Work
While today’s working dads still want successful careers, they also want to be present and involved as parents and partners.Be Brave. Be Kind. Go Get ‘Em!
Before my eldest child was born, I thought I knew what kind of parent I would be. As it turns out, my kid did not care what my political/social/environmental agenda wasThrowback: Dadditude Newsletter #11: On Adoption and Affirmation, With Peter Mutabazi
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