Glad to Be Dad: A Call to Fatherhood Paperback – May 1, 2013

I'm in the middle of reading this funny and sometimes poignant book about parenting from the perspective of a stay at home Dad who has found a wonderful voice to share his experiences in fathering. Perfect as a gift for a new Dad (or a Dad to be), the stories and wisdom are just as pertinent to a Dad who works away from home, or a Mom. All parents can learn how to better appreciate the wonder of children from this author. Thanks for a great read!

I bought this book hoping to get some insight as a new dad....get a perspective from someone who has walking the path and recorded both his experience and some useful tips on how to enjoy the experience and be a better dad. Alas! I was disappointed. The title is eye catching, the introduction and first fe chapters give you the impression the best is to come. The rest of the book was a complete waste of my time. A complaining dad who does not seem to know his role as father - provider, carer, and protector. The book is either a fellow whining or things that you cold not find from a google search. Very disappointed!

Tim J. Myers wrote this book while being a full time committed Dad. He writes about his own personal experiences that read as a comedy. I also love how he lets the reader know the rewards, joy, love and insight a person (male or female) receive for being a committed parent, and even grandparent.You can see a 30 minute YouTube interview with Tim. Search Parenting with Love, Tim J. Myers

Tim Myers is a great father: read this book and discover why and how he got there and the pitfalls and rewards of being a stay at home Dad. He writes so well that his insights get under our skin and no matter the experience of the reader, everyone who spends time with GLAD TO BE DAD will come away with a hefty load of regrets of all the things we missed out on because of the rush of life that prevented us from communicating with, listening to, sheltering, be a consistent role model for helping a child understand what an adult is and whether or not they want to be one - a lot of `what-ifs', `if I onlys', `I had no ideas' that Myers unfolds here.This book is the result of the author (and his wife) having a surprise baby nine years after their two boys were comfortably ensconced in middle school - the wife was working on (and gaining) her PhD and Myers was in a position (teaching, writing children's books and other books) to assume the primary caregiver role. From that vantage Myers takes us through the hilarious, poignant, awesome (much as I've grown to loathe that word!) learning pattern of not only caring for an infant and beyond as that new baby gradually becomes a person, but also learning housework, time management, deciphering behavioral adjustments that come like machine gun fire, and all the while find the joy in opening the heart, taking it all in, and loving the learning and the process and the rewards.Early on in this book Myers writes, `The phrase `easier said than done' applies with particular force to certain activities, things like bungee jumping, sky diving, or Formula-1 racing. Spending tome at home with kids, it turns out, falls into the same category, and not all men are fully aware of this. Those who think it's a piece of cake are simply ignorant: unless you have first-hand experience, it's hard to know just how `challenging' this job can be.' That is a sample of how he approaches the reader. He also offers such hilarious quizzes such as Domestic Vocabulary Quiz (likely you'll score poorly), and sums up the nuances of being the primary household person as the following: `Being domestically involved isn't a step-by-step process like bicycle repair or learning to type. It's much more about who your are as a person and what you truly value, about that kind of growth - and it has far more to do with attitude than with skills.' And that is where this book steps away from the comedic stage and offers some sage philosophy of why so many homes are fractured and how that is affecting the development of our society. Hefty words for thought...and action.According to the package insert, `Tim Myers is a writer, songwriter, poet, storyteller, and lecturer at Santa Clara University in Silicon Valley.' But that `ain't the half of it'. This book contains more wisdom laced with humor than just about any book out there. There is no way you can avoid loving Tim Myers. Grady Harp, August 12

As a parent coach I read a lot of books about parenting and families - and most place far more emphasis on the role of the Mother, than the Father. So Tim Myers' book, Glad To Be Dad, is a very welcome contribution to opening up more discussion about what it means to be a father.My own website is primarily viewed by women as far as I can tell, and most of my questions come in from women. Probably the percentage of questions from Dad's reflect the percentage of Men that are in the primary carer role.The world needs more men to fully embrace their fatherhood and to explore what that means in a fast changing stressful world.Tim has a way with words that weaves stories of his own experience, poems, and the wisdom and richness he has gained from being the primary carer of their youngest child, into a delightful and thought provoking read.This book is fabulous for Dads - full time carer's or otherwise - but the tips, insights and thoughts that Tim shares are helpful for Mom's too! The more women understand, and accept the differences and richness that a Dad brings to the family, and the more we help our menfolk explore other roles - the better for our children.The world of work is changing rapidly, and the days of fixed gender defined roles are hopefully numbered. Families need to be more creative and flexible in parenting, and Tim's book shines a wonderful light on what it can mean to be a Dad.I'd highly recommend this book.Annie Desantis

When I first read Glad to Be Dad I had an experienced opinion that there was not much Tim could share that I already didn't know. I was wrong. Even with twenty years of experience with nine different children, I learned and was reminded of how to be a better parent and how powerful and wonderful this opportunity is. Glad to Be Dad explores everything from the challenges to your marriage, the new vocab you have to learn, the very real stress matrix, and the hysterical situations that all parents find themselves in. As a good friend once said, "When things get crazy, and they will, take a picture." Myers captures all of this in a way that is not only poignant and entertaining but helps us see what is possible and inspires us to be the parent we set out to be oh so many years ago. Whether you are a new parent or a veteran, there is much to be gained by this marvelous and inspired work.