Honea Express

“Dadditude: How a Real Man Became a Real Dad” is a new book by Philip Lerman. Lerman, as it turns out is a real man and a real dad, so obviously he knows what he’s talking about. That’s always refreshing.

Philip Lerman is a self-described “older dad” meaning that he was pushing 50 before he took the leap. He left his job as a co-executive producer of America’s Most Wanted and took on something a bit tougher, parenting.

I think he’s enjoying it.

The book chronicles the making and subsequent enjoyment of “one small boy with a Beatles haircut,” 3-year-old Max. Together with the Lerman boys we go to school, eat pancakes and whipped cream, and spend a lot of time naked. Hell, I read most of the book nude (and sometimes drunk).

The story is full of love, humor, 60′s references (mostly music), and Yiddish jokes- there’s something for everyone. There are even nuggets of wisdom:

Our desire to control our children’s behavior, for their own good, too easily slips over the line to controlling their behavior for our own good.

Obviously there were many things that I, as a father, could relate to, but the quote above is the only one that made me get up, pour two-fingers of Maker’s, put on Blonde on Blonde (the Dylan album, not the porn series), get a pen and underline it.

That bit of truth actually led into what I believe is the overall point of the book, the definition of Dadditude.

Dadditude is just about learning to Be. Here. Now.

See? That’s a point worth making, and it is a book worth reading. Do so, and enjoy it.
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If you would like to read more about Dadditude you can visit the site, where, among other things, you can get advice like the following:

Q: If you had one bit of advice for fathers, what would it be?

When you’re with your child, there are mothers everywhere, so be very careful: Don’t get caught looking at the boobs of all the moms in the playground. It’s considered bad form.

How’s that for Dadditude?