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One dad feels frozen out of the mom’s park play group. Vague parenting paranoia ensues.
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Welcome to Man Talk Animation #3. You every get the feeling you’re not welcome? It’s creepy right? The stares. The whispers. The mace. Sheesh.
Here’s one Dad who’s feeling like an outsider at the park play group. And man, does it start to eat away at your parenting confidence. Pretty soon you’re overcompensating and getting all upset.
I’m telling you. It’s annoying. Really.
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#ANIMATION One dad feels frozen out of the mom’s park play group. Vague parenting paranoia ensues. http://t.co/GwCmqFHqZA @goodmenproject
— Mark Greene (@megaSAHD) May 9, 2014
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Get a powerful collection of Mark Greene’s articles, in his book, REMAKING MANHOOD–Available now in print and on Kindle Reader for Windows, Macs, Android, iPhones and iPads
Remaking Manhood is a collection of Mark Greene’s most widely shared articles on American culture, relationships, family and parenting. It is a timely and balanced look at the issues at the heart of the modern masculinity movement. Mark’s articles on masculinity and manhood have received over 100,000 FB shares and 10 million page views. Get Remaking Manhood IN PRINT or on the free Kindle Reader app for any Mac, Windows or Android device here.
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Read more by Mark Greene:
The Ugly and Violent Death of Gender Conformity
When “Check Your Male Privilege” Becomes a Bludgeon
Why Are Death Rates Rising for Middle Aged White Americans?
When Men Keep Demanding Sex From Their Partners Over and Over
How the Man Box Can Kill Our Sons Now or Decades from Now
Why Traditional Manhood is Killing Us
Why Do We Murder the Beautiful Friendships of Boys?
How America’s Culture of Shame is a Killer for Boys
The Culture of Shame: Men, Love, and Emotional Self-Amputation
The Man Box: Why Men Police and Punish Others
The Man Box: The Link Between Emotional Suppression and Male Violence
The Lack of Gentle Platonic Touch in Men’s Lives is a Killer
Touch Isolation: How Homophobia Has Robbed All Men of Touch
Boys and Self-Loathing: The Conversations That Never Took Place
The Dark Side of Women’s Requests of Progressive Men
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I loved this! As a woman who doesn’t ‘fit’ the normal expectations of the moms at the school gate, and with a partner who has more than equally shared the work of parenting (we’ve worked flexibly for years), it’s been a sore point with me as well to see how men are excluded in situations like this. I could rant on about the underlying prejudices and assumptions, but I won’t – I’ll save it for an article 🙂 Thank you again for the amusing take on a serious subject.
Actually, OP, you know that sketch is so much like what you would find on the show Robot Chicken except without the cursing, innuendo and toilet humor.
I used to go in and volunteer a lot at my son’s school when they were younger (help with costumes for school plays, preparing pancake breakfasts for the children, green eggs and ham breakfasts, etc) and I think there was only ONE other time that there was another father present. However, there were always plenty of mothers there, but they always treated me in such a way that I felt very ostracized, and was usually put on the most menial tasks possible I thought I was imagining it at first, but then my ex-wife (the mother of my children) volunteered… Read more »
Mark, this is really great stuff. Funny, thoughtful, provocative. I feel a hit coming on! Keep it coming! Yeah, Man Talk!
I used to work nights and take my son to the park all the time. I didn’t know I was supposed to be worried about the other parents. They are just people at the park, doesn’t mean we should all be friends and connect up our lives.
So, what you’re saying is…. no wait. What are you saying?
I believe you missed the point of this sketch: This father/supervillain is always under scrutiny when taking his kids to the park, just like many men who go alone on an outing with their children. He feels excluded from groups about parenting just because the majority are moms, having to answer the same tired questions about his role. All it takes for these “people at the park” is one accusation of child molester or pervert to the father and he is in deep trouble. Moreover, these “people at the park” are allowed to even try and take the child should… Read more »
Edit: Just in case, I’m referring to Sam, not to you Mark Greene.