fatherhood

In the age of digital media, one Brooklyn-based magazine is making a bold debut as a print publication that's devoted completely to the topic of fatherhood. Kindling Quarterly recently launched its first issue, which included features like an essay from the magazine's founder, David Michael Perez, on the role of fathers in American culture; interviews with successful and stylish dads; and a father-child fashion spread. According to the magazine's mission, "Kindling Quarterly playfully assesses and celebrates the multitude of experiences that form contemporary fatherhood." There's a definite focus on creative, artistic types, and Kindling runs more open-ended pieces than the how-tos and guides frequently found in parenting publications. Topics in the debut issue include a photo essay on artist-dad Dan Funderburgh, a piece on traveling through Istanbul with a 9-month-old, and an exploration of the parenting stereotypes found in the 1983 Michael Keaton flick, Mr. Mom.

Kindling will be published four times a year, but at $46 (plus $12 shipping), a one-year subscription doesn't come cheap. While we love the idea of equal-opportunity parenting publications, we have to ask — would your kids' dad be into reading a magazine that's devoted to the topic of fatherhood?

popsugar poll

A New Magazine For Dapper Dads: Would Your Partner Subscribe?

Yes! A magazine like this has been missing from the marketplace.

Maybe in a waiting room or on an airplane.

No. This looks a little too specialized for my significant other.

If your kids have an older dad, there may be some unexpected perks in store for them. According to a new study out of Northwestern University, the offspring of older fathers just may have a life expectancy advantage over the rest of us.

"If your father and grandfather were able to live and reproduce at a later age, this might predict that you yourself live in an environment that is somewhat similar — an environment with less accidental deaths or in which men are only able to find a partner at later ages," said Dan T.A. Eisenberg, lead author of the study. "In such an environment, investing more in a body capable of reaching these late ages could be an adaptive strategy from an evolutionary perspective."

The study found that children with older dads inherit longer telomeres (the DNA found at the ends of chromosomes), which have been shown to promote slower aging. The connection between the father's age and telomere length is cumulative across multiple generations.

The researchers did note that their study should not be taken as a recommendation that men make a concerted effort to reproduce at later ages, as previous research has shown that older fathers are more likely to pass along harmful mutations to their offspring at the time of conception, which can lead to increased rates of miscarriage and other health issues. However, "These new findings suggest that there might also be underappreciated benefits to having an older father or grandfather," said Christopher W. Kuzawa, coauthor of the study.

The results of the study may bode well for many Hollywood dads, like Clint Eastwood, who welcomed his seventh child at the age of 63, and Michael Douglas, whose youngest was born when he was 59.

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How old was your husband or partner when your kids were born?

20-something

30-something

40-something

50-something

60-something

Other

A deadbeat dad rolls into town on last night's Parenthood! When Amber and Drew's pop shows up to play some gigs, Sarah has a bit of a breakdown when she finds out her son has been hanging out with his father. While the mom of two has good reason — namely because her ex is an addict — is it ever fair to keep a kid (who wants a relationship) away from his or her parent?

popsugar poll

Is It Fair For a Mother to Keep a Child From His Father?

Yes — Mothers have to make these tough decisions.

No — Every child should know their father.