Author Description

This is the story of one man's journey from carefree husband to primary caregiver of his two daughters. Before the birth of his girls, Ben's maternal instincts were faint and few. He had never changed a diaper. He didn't know how to hold a newborn. After the birth of his first daughter, Ben had to adapt quickly. With a professional wife who traveled, his shift to primary caregiver wasn't always easy. The first years were filled with sleepless nights, embarrassing playground interactions, pee-filled diaper pulp explosions, and setting new precedents at Poison Control. Although Ben is jokingly called a Mister Mom or mediocre Stay-At-Home Dad, these terms don't accurately define his role. He's a Utility Father-a term derived from a substitute baseball player who can play any position. Ben represents a growing number of Utility Parents. Along with scrambling to earn a living, Utility Parents serve as the primary source of childcare for their children, cart them around, maintain the house, and fill almost any role that their family requires. This is an unlikely tale of fatherhood and transformation. In telling his story with honesty and humor, he sheds light on the uncertain, exhilarating, and sometimes challenging experiences of raising children. From pregnancy to infancy, from toddlers to kids, this is the emotional and humorous tale of one man's process of growing to love his two daughters.