The NY Times has a big feature today on "the new breed of involved dads" whose unique childraising perspective drives them to invent new and exciting products. And whose very existence still seems to require a lot of incredulous data parsing and grand, generational philosophizing by moody, guitar-strumming observers:
Several factors may have precipitated that change, Ms. [Ellen] Galinsky [head of the Families and Work Institute] said, including younger fathers who saw their own parents give their all to companies that ultimately downsized; technology that enables fathers to be home while also remotely connected to the office; and a post-9/11 family-first mentality.[Uh, isn't that a boomer song? I don't know about you, but I was barely listening to "Rubber Duckie" and The Osmond Brothers in the 70's.]“I have heard so many men say, ‘My company is not going to hold my hand when I’m sick,’ ” Ms. Galinsky said. “The ‘Cat’s in the Cradle’ song that this generation grew up with meant something.”
Anyway, DadGear, Tote-a-tot, and Itzbeen are all namechecked, but despite the article's title, the dad whose safer car seat won American Inventor is not. And for some reason, The Fourth Or Fifth Guy To Think He Invented The Nipple-On-A-Water-Bottle gets most of the attention. But then, parenting always feels like you're inventing it as you go. Getting inordinate praise for doing the same thing as unsung generations before you, though, that's what being a "new breed of dad" is all about.
My Dad, American Inventor [nyt]
Previously:
Wow, is this retailer PR Spam really the only mention of DadGear on DT? Sorry.
Give me some of your Tote-a-Tots
Itzbeen Good, Couldabeen Great
Some TV Mook 'Invents' Product That's Been Around For Years
The Boy in the Newly Invented Plastic Bubble Car Seat
Actually, Ugly Kid Joe did a cover in the early 90s that was pretty much ubiquitous -- how'd you miss that?
[I don't listen to Guns 'n Roses -ed.]
Neither do I, on purpose, but this damn thing was everywhere for a while, in both of the college towns I lived in (moving from undergrad to grad school). Heavy metal Harry Chapin -- what the world wanted in 1993, I guess.
[whoa, just listened to a clip and had a flashback. Maybe i've never even heard the original. -ed.]
dmc (sans reverend run) sampled it last year... with, uh, sarah mclachlan singing the chorus.
about as bad as you are imagining right now.
maybe i'll "invent" a filter for these sorts of things.