The 2012 Dad Blogger! BiB award finalists

They’re a small but growing group of XYs among a sea of XXs, asking why should women have all the fun? These blogs offer a perspective on parenting and life as a father, reflecting the larger societal shifts for men. These bloggers make that shift real, personal and compelling.

Bringing Up Charlie

“Blogito, ergo sum!”

To save you looking that up like I had to, “I blog, therefore I am!” Bringing up Charlie is written by the very popular Tim Atkinson. In his disclosure page he says “I am entirely responsible for all this drivel,” but drivel is most definitely not what he writes.

Tim writes (loads of) books, has offered a Creative Writing ecourse, and has since turned the cumulative effort of his students into an anthology, Tiny Acorns.

Tim has a great About Me page, (I am a sucker for excellent About Me pages), and I’d like to share his list from that page here:
1. I’m a part-time psychology teacher
2. I’ve also been a chain-man
3. And a filing-clerk
4. And a lay-clerk
5. Now I’m ‘just’ a dad
6. And I write this blog
7. And some other stuff
8. I have an MA in Education
9. And a Diploma in Creative Writing
10. Oh, and a 100 metres breastroke certificate

You can tweet Tim on @dotterel and check out his blog for loads of interesting links, and check out his Facebook author page.

Dad’s Cooking Tonight

Written by the very charming Andy Grant, Dad’s Cooking Tonight can also be found on Facebook and Pinterest. Oh and you can say hello to Andy on Twitter too at @dadcooking2nite.

I love food blogs, but one thing I love about Andy’s blog is that he isn’t just about Cooking. While he clearly loves cooking and especially cooking with his kids (you’ve got to see the cute pictures of his kids in the kitchen) he also shares more of his life and interests in the categories Wednesday Wheels and Thirst for Knowledge and he has even offered up space for his son to write a regular column on the blog. Great to see a boy following in his father’s blogging footsteps…!

Here’s what Andy says about himself: With five constantly hungry children roaming the house our kitchen tends to be a very busy room. Being a Dad who enjoys cooking for the family means that I spend a lot of time trying to create culinary delights to keep them all happy. Some of this is done with the assistance of the children themselves, particularly when the opportunity to lick a few spoons is likely to come their way, otherwise I have the oven to myself. My primary concern is that everything tastes good and if it looks nice as well then that’s an added bonus.

I’m a recent history graduate, as a mature student, and am enthusiastic about the seaside and motor sport, which may explain some of the other ramblings that appear on my blog from time to time.

Daddacool

Alex writes highly entertaining, pithy posts about life as a dad, manages his own YouTube channel, and writes reviews and other freelance work, including a piece for the Guardians Comment is Free (CiF) section on going back to work after paternity leave. It provoked some strong responses! He’s also quite good at prolific Twitter banter so be sure to say hi to him there on @Daddacool!

More from Alex: What’s there to say really? I am a father to two small children who haven’t yet pushed me past the point where my sanity disintegrates and I turn into a gibbering wreck but that can only be just round the corner.

Whilst not muffling curses when standing on stickle bricks, I still enjoy some grown up pursuits. I like reading, watching films (not too keen on television thank you very much), and I’ve just picked up a pen to start some drawing for the first time in about 20 years.

First Time Daddy

Lewis writes a wonderfully candid account of, well exactly that–being a first time daddy. Yes, it’s a great read for other dads (so I am told), helping everyone feel like everything they experience is normal etc etc, and yes I can imagine it would also be a great read for Dads-to-be, but as a mum of many I am simply entertained by his funny writing and entertaining tales. And then there’s the gorgeous photos of BB… Check out this feel-good blog and don’t forget to say hi to Lewis on Twitter at @_firsttimedaddy.

And for some words from Lewis on BB and himself:

First up, the reason I go to work every day and the reason I started this blog: – Baby Benjamin AKA ‘BB’

1 – Was born 5 weeks premature on 17/07/11

2 – Weighed 5lb 14oz (Good weight we are told!)

3 – Has blonde hair, unlike his mummy or daddy

4 – Middle name is George after his granddad

5 – Always has a smile in his face, mostly because he is filling yet ANOTHER nappy!

And last and definitely least, I’m Lewis AKA first-time-daddy

1 – Is 30 (As of 2011)

2 – Supported Leeds United all my life MOT!

3 – Only ever wear black clothes….I like it!

4 – Grew his beard as a joke….Still here after 5 years!

5 – Has been blogging Since January and loving every word of it.

 

Life with an Autistic Son

Life With an Autistic son is a completely engaging blog with excellent, thoughtful writing. It is also a wonderful resource for other parents of autistic children (and of course the dad angle is especially useful in its rarity), B’s Dad also includes such extras as The profile he created for his son’s school to help the staff who will work with him, a reading list of books he has found helpful and supporting comments. Keep up with his posts on Twitter at @ASDson.

From B’s Dad: Father of a four year old recently diagnosed as high functioning autistic/aspergers. Trying to make sense of it all via my blog and sites such as Twitter.

Mutterings of a Fool

“Life, family, love, work and wine.”

Ben Tipping is the knackered author of this blog (he now has a 1 week old and a 1 year old in the house!) and of the Twitter handle, @TheFoolTweets. Knackered or not, Ben’s writing is in turns engaging, entertaining, witty and informative. One page I really enjoyed on Ben’s blog is his Bucket List. Reading it, I love the energy and enthusiasm he has for life!! But I especially love that he’s also put on the list ‘Celebrate a 50th Wedding Anniverary’.

I also like that Ben has a page of links to his posts on running. Fitness categories on parent blogs are not as common as food categories or other extras and even though I’m not a runner I enjoy fitness and reading Ben’s posts on running have really inspired me.

In Ben’s words: This blog is a commentary on life as I see it, the ups and downs of raising a family and the challenge of using public transport every day to commute to work. Most likely there will be some mention of food, fitness and politics plus definitely a few adventures of our crazy English Springer spaniel Bracken.

Chronicles of a Reluctant Housedad

Chronicles of a Reluctant Housedad is written by Keith and how he has time to do all the creating he does is beyond me. This blog is filled to the brim with recipes (see the inspirational Recipe Shed), ideas for dads, interviews with other bloggers (check out Blogger Insights), and he even hs a regular spot highlighting his wife’s wonderful writing!

From Keith’s About Me page: In July last year, my wife and I swapped roles after I was made redundant. I made hundreds of attempts to find another job as a manager but failed, so my wife gave up being a full-time mum and went out to work. I started writing my blog as a chronicle of life-change and how I cope with being a very reluctant housedad to my nine-year-old stepdaughter and our two sons, aged six and three, and how my Successful Other Half copes with the fallout. Since then, I have written for a variety of publications, including the Daily Mail, Good Housekeeping and Parentdish.

Follow Keith on Twitter at @relucthousedad for updates on his most recent posts as well as interesting RT’s and entertaining tweets.