Author Archives: Kevin

My oldest daughter was born yesterday. Or so it feels. It was the summer of 1995. My wife Meg had been in labor for more than 25 hours. She was 13 days overdue. When we checked into Providence Portland hospital … Continue reading →

I accompanied my oldest daughter Julia across the country this week, to start her freshman year at Northeastern University. It is a time of enormous excitement for her, and sadness for me. I loved this piece by Michael Gerson in … Continue reading →

Ruth lives a simple life; her father’s is even simpler. Late every summer, she and her family drive to central Oregon for vacation. It’s a common ritual with an uncommon twist. She takes her dad. Every year. And she looks … Continue reading →

Daughters need fathers. That’s hardly a secret. But here is a great article on what a daughter does to change a man’s life, just by her presence. It’s worth the few minutes it takes to read: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/21/opinion/sunday/why-men-need-women.html?pagewanted=all&_r=1&

If any movie ever spoke to the importance of fathers, it’s the relative newcomer “The Way Way Back.” This extraordinary movie is a searing, and painful, look at what happens when a father hits the eject button. And how other … Continue reading →

This came in from someone I met recently, whom I’ll call Ellie. She has a heartfelt message for the women who have shared their stories with me, and thus with her. She says better in her words what I can … Continue reading →

In the past month since her back surgery, and past two decades since her father’s death, Lenore has had plenty of time to think about how he shaped her life of 77 years. Hers is a common story with an … Continue reading →

For the many readers visiting my blog after Oprah’s program on fatherless daughters, I’m sharing the thoughts below. “You will be the most important man in her life forever. When she is 25, she will mentally size her boyfriend or … Continue reading →

The publicist for Oprah’s network sent me an announcement about their Sunday special on women who grew up without fathers. Details are below. I’m sure there will be some heartfelt stories. DADDYLESS DAUGHTERS PART 1 airs SUNDAY, JULY 14 at … Continue reading →

You listened as she told you about the Father’s Day gift she couldn’t wait to share. You hadn’t seen your daughter this excited about doing something for you in ages. She was filled with the exuberance of a 17-year-old, just … Continue reading →