About Fathers

Perspectives on fathers and their children

Journalist Paul Raeburn is the author of the soon to be published Are Fathers Necessary: The New Science of Fatherhood. He is also the author of the Fathers and Families blog. See full bio

October 26, 2009

A child, an absent father, and life in prison

Sarah Kruzan grew up with her mother in Riverside, California. Her father wasn't around. Some would argue that the absence of her father had a lot to do with the way her life unfolded. I would say it's probably more complicated than that. Read More

October 16, 2009

What does your father mean to you?

Please answer this question for an upcoming post: What does your father mean to you? Read More

August 20, 2009

Emergency out-of-network care can bankrupt families

Gary Diego was relaxing with his wife, Ellen, when she abruptly lost her hearing and seemed to be losing her grip. She spent 17 days in intensive care before catching pneumonia and dying. A few weeks later, a still-grieving Diego--who had health insurance--got a bill for $75,462.77. Read More

August 17, 2009

Study: Family service agencies should focus more on fathers

Two 16-week programs--one for fathers, and one for couples--produced improvements in fathers' engagement with their children, the quality of the couples' relationships, and fewer behavior problems in their children. Read More

August 14, 2009

Childless man released from jail after being sentenced for non-payment of child support

Frank Hatley, 50, has no children. He had paid child support for 13 years until 2000, when he learned a child belonging to a woman he had been involved with was probably not his.

Another example of the child support system gone entirely awry. Read More

June 9, 2009

Things lost when families dissolve

When Rudy Mancuso's family dissolved, he lost not only his familiar family life, but the crowning achievement of his professional career: the negative for what is probably the most famous photograph in baseball. Read More

March 12, 2009

More bad news for the children of older fathers

A study of the children of older fathers has found subtle impairments of intelligence and other mental abilities during infancy and childhood.This is only the latest in a series of problems identified in the children of older fathers, an area of study that has been widely overlooked.

February 13, 2009

Gestures tied to vocabulary gap between rich kids and poor

Children who make broader use of gestures to communicate at 14 months of age have larger vocabularies when they are 4-1/2 years old and ready to start school, according to a study released today in the journal Science.

The finding might help explain why rich kids have larger vocabularies than poor children.

February 10, 2009

Missing in the octuplets debate: Their father

The Suleman octuplets are the product of Nadya Suleman and a sperm donor. They don't have a father.

It's tempting to put it that way, isn't it? But of course they have a father. Will it trouble them that they might never know him? Read More

January 28, 2009

Older Fathers: Increased risk of having children with autism, schizophrenia

Just after my two-year-old son, Henry, was born, I was surprised and disturbed to learn that he was at increased risk of autism, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other ills--because of my age. Read More

Books by Paul Raeburn

Acquainted with the Night: A Parent's Quest to Understand Depression and Bipolar Disorder in His Children

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