New Book Increases Survival Rate of Rookie Dads

Being a new parent can be emotionally and physically draining, and first-time parents can find it terrifying. Becoming parents and how that affects the relationships between the expectant parents is the topic of Kindred Howard’s new book, "Cavemen in Babyland: What New and Expecting Mommies Should Know About New Daddies (So They Won’t Kill Them.)"

Not a parenting guide, this book addresses the stress couples may endure during pregnancy and the months following the arrival of the new baby. Bookstores have numerous shelves full of volumes and manuals to educate new mothers, enough to keep them informed until their child is beyond high school. Currently there are only a scant handful of parenting books for new dads. There is a considerable amount to learn for both sexes, and new-daddy issues are often neglected.

For couples who may have difficulty as it is in understanding one another, the hormonal turbulence that comes before, during, and after the ordeal of pregnancy might find their relationship on shakier ground than ever. This can happen at a time when being able to communicate and depend on each other is critical. A five-time father and marriage, parenting and family coach, Howard believes the issue of what’s happening between new moms and dads needs more attention and hopes to pass on his insight.

"Cavemen in Babyland" attempts to reach out to women who will find the man’s point of view helpful, using humor and plenty of personal experience to demonstrate better ways to communicate and get everyone involved through the rough parts and beyond.

“I just legitimately believe that understanding how men see things and what they are feeling can help change a new or expecting mommy’s perspective of her soon-to-be dad,” Howard said.

In his introduction, Howard admits that men are unlikely to read parenting books.

“It’s not that men don’t care about being good parents or loving husbands, it's just that we don’t put the same trust and value in someone else’s written opinion or have the same sense of urgency that women do.”

The book is therefore directed at new mothers, who he believes will read it and hopefully benefit from his experience and guidance. But he also feels men can identify with the issues and humor, and help them better understand young mothers as well.

, a former minister and regular South Cobb Patch contributor, said, “I don’t write from the position of an all-knowing marriage or parenting guru, but rather as a guy who’s learned  a lot from experience and quite a bit from my own mistakes.”

He will be signing copies of his book on Saturday, at Kid to Kid in Kennesaw.

"Cavemen in Babyland" is available from online merchants, or directly from CavemeninBabyland.com.