Tag: Fatherhood

A Dad’s Summer Guide to Staying Sane When The Kids are Home

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When summer break turns your home into a whirlwind of endless energy and constant chatter, finding sanity as a dad becomes an art form.

My youngest daughter, Everly, shook me awake this morning at six. I figured she’d had a bad dream, but when I rolled over and said, “What is it baby?” She answered, “I have two interesting animal facts.” Splendid.

Usually during the summer, we keep Ev in daycare two days a week so that I can get stuff done around the house since I’m off. But since she’s headed into first grade, daycare wasn’t an option, and we missed the sign up for summer camp. My step daughter goes to camp; my oldest, Izzy, is with me half of the time and with her mom the other half. But Everly, she’s been my daily companion this summer. Guys, I’m exhausted. Nonetheless, after ten years of fatherhood and six weeks of daily summer hangouts with my littlest, here are a few lessons I’ve picked up for when I’m feeling a bit of kid overload.

Get Out of the House

I’m a homebody. I would always rather be home, working on some kind of project, than going out and spending money (the home project will inevitably cost enough). Even as a kid, I was fine being at home most summer days; I mean, someone had to watch Jerry Springer. But Everly isn’t a sit-still kind of kid; she’s a mover and a shaker, and trying to force her to just hang out at home makes for a miserable time for both of us.

That doesn’t mean we go do something big every day; the zoo isn’t cheap. But I’ve come to see the value in getting out of the house, even for a quick trip. A milkshake date only really costs me about ten bucks, but it feels like a big deal to Ev. We can talk, laugh, catch up on how she’s feeling about going into first grade. And while she won’t remember the content of these conversations, she’ll undoubtedly remember that we had them.

Remember Your Kids Are Kids

When I was little, my mom had a little book called Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff by Dr. Richard Carlson. I remember reading the book and coming to a chapter called “See the Innocence.” The idea, as I recall, was to stop assuming the worst in people (especially kids) and try to see their intentions as good, or at the very least, innocent. As a kid I thought, he’s right: I don’t understand why people get frustrated with their kids.

As a dad, I get it now. Everly is a lot: She has boundless energy, little interest in doing anything alone, and she talks incessantly. She’s also six-years-old and doesn’t have a malicious bone in her body. Yesterday I put a subwoofer in my car. My wife was off work, so I finally had a few hours that I could tackle a project alone.

As I was heating up a few wires with the soldering iron, Everly came out to the garage and said, “Hey dad!” startling the hell out of me, and bringing me within a centimeter of burning myself. At that moment, I wanted to scream. I needed time alone; I was working, and she knew I didn’t want any interruptions.

When I turned around to unleash my fury, I saw her holding a gatorade with a post-it note stuck to it that said “My dad.” She knew I was hot, and she was bringing me a drink. Her intentions were innocent and good, and in that moment, she was more excited to see me and do something for me than to leave me alone (even if that’s what I’d wanted). I had to recalibrate all of that negative energy into gratitude, put on a smile, and thank her.

Your Kids Aren’t You

The older you get, the more you appreciate the quiet. With three kids, my house stays pretty loud, and most of the time, I’m fine with it. After the girls go to bed, Katie and I will often sit on the front porch and read or just listen to the dull purr of the hummingbirds flying to our feeders.

With Everly, there is no quiet. If she’s awake, she’s talking or singing – to herself, to me, to the dog, to the cat, to the stink bug walking along the window sill, to her Barbies. She’s usually not talking about anything in particular; in fact, half the time she’s just narrating her life. I love how happy she is, but I don’t always want to hear a song about pouring a bowl of cereal. Annnnd theeen I spillllled some of my miiiiiillllk on the couuuunnnttterrr.

Last week Everly had been talking and singing for about forty minutes straight – no breaks. I couldn’t take it. I needed a few minutes of quiet, and I lost my patience. I didn’t yell, but I did that dad voice that’s quieter than a yell but louder than talking (Dads know what I’m talking about). It went something like this:

“Ev, you have to stop. Honey, daddy loves when you sing, but I just can’t take it anymore. I even went out to the porch to sit for a few, and you followed me out and kept singing. Seriously, you have to be ok with a little bit of silence sometimes. You can’t narrate your entire life and literally never stop making noise.”

She started to tear up.

“But daddy,” she said, “that’s how I’m made.”

In six words, Everly was able to articulate what I felt like I’d spent my entire childhood trying to say to my own dad.

I scooped her up, gave her a big hug and kiss, and I told her that I loved how she was made. I explained that we’re all made differently, and that I’m a person who likes quiet sometimes. We talked about it being ok for dad to need some quiet, and how I’ll do a better job of communicating that before I reach a boiling point.

Everly is my kid, but she’s not me. I can teach her that there are appropriate times for singing, for talking, for somersaults and cartwheels, and I can embrace who she is in the process.

The Time is Fleeting

I know we all know this, and I don’t mean to sound overly sentimental. But it feels like fifteen minutes ago that I was pushing Everly in a stroller, changing her diapers, feeding her from a bottle. And now she’s six. Tomorrow, she’ll be eight, and next week, she’ll be going to college. I can’t make every day an adventure, but when I go to bed at night, I want to feel like I gave it my all as a dad.

To be clear, you still need time for yourself. It’s ok to go to the gym, a concert, put the subwoofer in your car, take a no-kid trip with your spouse. I’m not the dad who thinks if you’re not spending every moment with your kid, then you’re failing them. But when you are with your kid, put your phone away, snuggle them and look them in the eye when they’re talking. Do what you can to make these minutes valuable.

Kids have little concept of time (and no concept of how quickly it passes), which means it’s up to us to make the time count and find ways to freeze moments so they may be seared into ours and our kids’ memories. I made a Gmail account for Everly when she was born, and I send her emails with stories about milestones she’s reached as a kid or funny things she says or does. It’s easy, fast, and will one day show her how much I valued this time we’ve had together.

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Mike Henson

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August 7, 2024
Video: About Our Investigation Into Cord Blood Banks

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Some families pay thousands of dollars to store their children’s stem cells with the hope of a healthier future for them. But Sarah Kliff, an investigative health care reporter for The New York Times, explains that the cells are rarely useful and are sometimes contaminated.

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Sarah Kliff, Claire Hogan and James Surdam

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July 15, 2024
Step Aside Nick Cannon! Frightfully Fertile Elephant Man Reveals He Has 38 Kids And Still Wants More

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Dancehall artist Elephant Man is giving Nick Cannon and Cam Newton a run for their money with 38 kids. During an Instagram Live interview, the artist revealed he plans to keep going.

Source: Johnny Nunez / Getty

According to Complex, in an interview with “Noah Powa, the Pon Di River” singer discussed his large family and his hopes to keep expanding it. Starting at the young age of 17, Elephant Man has chosen to continue having children as long as he is able.

When asked if he plans on stopping anytime soon, the singer replied, “How yuh mean? Den if it come, it nuh come bredda, weh you a talk bout?”

He also told Dancehall Mag that he knows he is ugly, but the girls love him, so he can’t help himself. During his interview, Elephant Man implied that he does not use condoms to prevent pregnancy.

“You nah sex your woman inna nuh condom,” he stated. “You ever go to your woman inna her house inna condom, yuh inna trouble.”

His views on condoms may have begun rumors that the 47-year-old contracted HIV/AIDS. To further clarify, he stated that his still alive, so there is no way he could have the disease. Although regular testing would clear all that up better than waiting until it’s life or death.

He doubled down and stated that God only keeps the strong alive, “Mi nuh dead,” he said. “Mi stay strong cause the fittest of the fittest shall live and God nuh waan no weakness inna him camp.”

According to Dancehall Mag, Elephant Man also came under fire for fathering so many children. The father of 38 says that all of his kids are taken care of. Addressing allegations of being an absent father, he stated that having so many kids, it is inevitable for him to have arguments with the mothers of his children, but he will always provide for the children.

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Kerbi Lynn

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April 21, 2024
The New Dad’s Guide: 8 Tips to Surviving the First Year

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Where the rules are made up and the sleep schedules don’t matter.

If you have a baby on the way, then congratulations, my guy. You are in for so much fun. The cuteness, the poops, the pukes, the baby talk, the chunky toes, the baby baths, literally all of it is wonderful, and fulfilling, and hilarious.

It’s also overwhelming, and emotional, and exhausting.

And trust me, you can do it. If you’ve just had a baby, or you have one on the way, here are a few ideas to consider to get you started.

You Can’t Be Perfectly Prepared

You got the crib, the wipe warmer, the stroller, and you put some money aside. But you need to embrace the fact that you can only be so prepared for this baby.

You’re going to need more diapers. You’re going to run out of butt cream when the baby has a rash, and you’re going to stand over her at 2am just to make sure she’s still breathing. Oh and that baby is definitely going to have a full, green-poop blowout when you’ve forgotten to replace the backup onesie that she soiled last week.

It’s ok.

The point isn’t to be prepared for any scenario – that’s impossible. The point is to live in the moment with your partner and your baby. The poop, the rash, the anxiety, it’s all par for the course, and whatever happens, I promise you’ll figure it out. You’ll call your mom, or your best friend, or your older brother, or the pediatrician, and they’ll walk you through how to handle it.

It’s wise to be as prepared as you can, but at a certain point, you have to accept that the next few months will be rife with curveballs. You can handle it.

Sleep When You Can

I know, everyone says this, and it’s easier said than done. But considering you now have a tiny human who has NO respect for the usual rules of wake time and sleep time, you really do need to sleep when you can. When the baby goes down for a nap, give yourself forty-five minutes on the couch. And I don’t mean forty five to scroll on Instagram. Turn your brain off and close your eyes. Even if you don’t fall asleep, you can do some deep breathing and give your body a rest.

After forty-five minutes (or an hour if you’re so lucky), get up and swiffer the floor, load the dishwasher (yes, you should do regular household activities while the baby sleeps so she is used to sleeping through the noise), and catch up on that report for work.

It’s better to already be awake when the baby wakes up. Trust me: there’s nothing worse than slipping into a deep sleep and being woken up by a baby who you’d hoped would sleep for another hour.

You Need a Date Night

Those first couple of weeks, you’re going to cocoon: You’ll stay in the house as much as you can and soak up every single moment with your partner and your baby. And that’s damn right.

If you can afford it, order in a few times so that once the baby goes down, you and your partner can sit and have some sushi or pizza. Talk, reconnect, watch one of your shows that you’ve been binging together. You’re going to be tired, but this is a critical time in your relationship, and you need to let the stress and exhaustion bring you closer together, not farther apart.

Once you’re comfortable, have a date night out of the house. This is going to give both of you anxiety, but there are ways you can manage it. Hopefully you have a support system in place that allows for someone you trust to come hang with the baby while you and your partner get out.

Start small – no one is saying you need to do dinner, the club, and movie. But maybe just dinner, and maybe some place within fifteen minutes of home in case something comes up. Give each other grace with checking in with the babysitter. My kids are 6, 10, and 10, and we still check in at least once with the babysitter whenever we have a night out.

It’s Ok to Say No

When my daughter, Izzy, was born, my dad and I had lunch in the hospital. He said, “You know, the time will come where I’ll suggest that you come over, and you’ll have to remind me that it’s easier for us to come to you because you’re the one with the kid.” And he was right; I played that card plenty of times when Izzy was a baby (obviously as the kids get older, it gets easier to travel). The fact is, there’s no such thing as a quick trip anywhere with a baby.

When you have a baby, people understand you’re busy. But they don’t always know how tired you are. Remember that it’s ok to say no.

Your friend will find some other guys to help him move his pool table, and that couple you like to hang out with can take a rain check on dinner. And when your parents call and ask you to bring the baby over, sometimes you can say Actually, how about you come to us?

Get Yourself a Dad Bag

I’ve talked about this before, but it’s a good idea for you to have a dad bag. At any given time, you need a handful of diapers, wipes, an extra outfit for the baby, and according to the comments in my original article, an extra t-shirt for yourself as well. No need to break the bank on the bag; grab a cheap one that will get you through the next two years.

You Still Have to Take Care of Yourself

Before Izzy was born, I was in the best shape of my life. I lifted six days a week, and I ran 3-5 miles every other night. I was in my late twenties and I had all the time in the world. I also ate like a king (a healthy king). Meat or fish and veggies with every meal, protein shakes, constant hydration. Yes sir, I was jacked.

And then Izzy was born.

Suddenly working out was a luxury for which I seldom had the time or energy. And as far as eating, I don’t even want to talk about it. A few scrambled eggs and half a glass of milk became an ordinary meal for me in between bottle feedings, playing, catching up on sleep, and trying to keep the house clean.

The fact is, you’re no good for your kid or your partner if you’re not taking care of yourself. You need to exercise, and you need to eat right. No need to suddenly become a fitness influencer; just a few adjustments can keep you in check. Instead of binging your favorite show for two hours, take the baby for a walk in the stroller and listen to your favorite podcast or an audio book (you have to keep your mind sharp too).

If you know you’re not going to go to the gym or down to the basement where you keep the weights, then bring two 25-pound dumbbells up into the living room. Do curls in between folding laundry. Throw on some ankle weights while you cut the grass. The point is that you can exercise while you complete other tasks.

As for your diet, it’s probably going to suffer a bit – that’s fine: it’s survival for the first few months. Remember that Oreos are an easy snack, but so are baby carrots (so hey, have both).

More importantly, just make sure you’re eating. I can’t count how many times I’ve had my girls out for hours at a time only to realize my hands were shaking because I hadn’t eaten all day. Keep your caloric intake up; you need energy and patience. When you take a bottle for the kid, take a snack for yourself too. Protein shakes and granola bars are your friends. And give yourself some grace on this one: When push comes to shove, it’s better to have a Big Mac than nothing at all.

One last thing: If you don’t have a therapist, start seeing one now, before the baby is born. You want mental health care to be a normal part of your routine before you’re over tired, overworked, and generally overwhelmed.

You don’t see a therapist because there’s something wrong with you. You see a therapist because you recognize that mental health matters and you want to be the best version of yourself for your partner and your baby.

Your Partner Still Comes First

I might catch some hate for this one, but your relationship with your partner must remain your top priority. Your partner is your equal, your soulmate, and even though you love this baby more than you ever thought possible, it’s a different kind of love.

A birthing coach once told me, when you come home from work, you kiss your wife first, then you kiss the baby. At first, I balked at this. I thought, if I’m spending all day at work, I’ll do what I want when I get home. But the birthing coach was right: While I was at work, my wife was at home, exhausting herself attending to our baby. She deserved my attention and the first kiss. She also deserved for me to jump into action when I walked in the door. I got the baby; you go get a manicure with your best friend, or pour yourself a drink and sit on the porch.

Today, our girls always get grossed out when they see Katie and me show affection, but they also know that while I love all of them endlessly, mom is my number one, ride-or-die girl. She’s my partner, my equal, my companion.

Don’t Underestimate Your Power

Sometimes I lose my patience. I raise my voice. I get so tired that I can barely think straight. But I also remind my girls how strong they are. I make them say aloud that they are brilliant and beautiful and proud. I play charades and sing goofy songs, and draw them pictures, and I clap when they do cartwheels and show me magic tricks. I make nutritious dinners, and once in a while, I’ll grab them a happy meal (if they’re good listeners while we’re in Home Depot).

None of these make me a great dad, but I’m engaged, and engagement is everything.

You have the power to build your kid’s self-esteem (a power that a lot of our dads didn’t use well). You have the power to protect your kid but also to love them unconditionally, to encourage them to accept whoever they become and celebrate their own accomplishments. Use this power healthily, so your kid can become the person they want to be.

Congratulations, dad. Take a deep breath. You got this.

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Mike Henson

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March 11, 2024
Battle For the Most Powerful Geriatric Seed: On Robert De Niro and Al Pacino’s Late-in-Life Fatherhoods

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Forget about Al Pacino and Robert De Niro’s history of de facto acting rivalry because they happen to be two Italian Americans who often vie for the same types of (usually damaging to Italian culture) roles. The new unspoken “duel” between them is: Who Can Produce Children at the Oldest Age? Whether or not those children might have some overt genetic mutations is neither here nor there, apparently. And the answer to the question, at this moment, is Al Pacino, who has beaten out De Niro’s recent confirmation of becoming a father at the age of seventy-nine. For, while he might be the patriarch of what is now a whopping seven spawns, it still didn’t usurp Pacino’s news of expecting his fourth child at the age of eighty-three. Mind you, unlike De Niro, Pacino has been “clever” enough to never actually get married.

And so, the baby mama he’s expecting his fourth with is twenty-nine-year-old Noor Alfallah, who will undeniably be left with the task of raising their child (when the nanny isn’t). Not just because Pacino is subject to be one of the reaper’s next victims sooner rather than later, but because, well, men of Pacino’s “era” simply aren’t wont to parent anyway. To them kids are like self-raising Chia pets. Maybe that’s why it seems so easy to have one this late in the game. And Pacino’s is due real soon, with news of the imminent “bundle of joy” announced eight months into Alfallah’s pregnancy. And maybe Pacino should consider “trapping” her (as opposed to the inverse cliché about how women do that to men) with a baby to be a coup. For it’s not as though she’s any stranger to dating high-profile elderly men. This included making Mick Jagger her boyfriend when she was twenty-two and he was seventy-four (circa 2017). Now twenty-nine, her fifty-four-year age difference from Pacino will undeniably reveal some markedly different parenting styles. As for De Niro, his baby mama is slightly more age-appropriate, reported to be somewhere in her forties. Of course, that still leaves a roughly thirty-plus year age difference. But that seems tame compared to what Pacino’s got going on with Alfallah. While someone of Chen’s age is prone to get the same commentary about being with a man in De Niro’s demographic that Enid Frick (Candace Bergen) gave Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) at the party in “Splat!,” Alfallah is more likely to be met with outright contempt from “normal” women and “feminist” women alike who view her as some kind of perverse opportunist in the style of Anna Nicole Smith.

With regard to Enid’s speech about Carrie being in her “wading pool” for dating Aleksandr Petrovsky (Mikhail Baryshnikov) it bears repeating: “He’s my age, and you’ve got him. And I am in no-man’s-land, literally. No man anywhere. Men can date anyone, any age, but let’s be frank, most of them prefer the bimbos. So if you’re a successful fifty-something woman, there’s a very small pool. It’s very small. It’s a wading pool, really. So why are you swimming in my wading pool?” Chen might have had to go up against this type of venom from various Enids at various New York dinner parties before having De Niro’s baby, but now, she’s “legitimate,” “untouchable,” etc. No mere “flash in the pan” taking up space in the wading pool of available men for women over fifty. Alfallah, however, is playing a different game altogether. Not just the one that entails having an Electra complex (though there should be another name for a complex that finds women being more sexually attracted to their grandfather than their father), but also, to be blunt, fucking for clout. Talk about securing a nepo baby, after all. And yes, Alfallah also happens to be a producer in the making, with a movie called Billy Knight starring (who else) Pacino being her first major feature. So yeah, why not get a little bit permanently closer to a movie industry titan? Never mind the incredible risks to the health of their child.

And yet, because our society still reiterates that age only matters for a woman—not just for her looks, but for her ability to “bear healthy children”—old fathers continue to get a pretty big pass for the selfish part they play in procreating at an age when it is very unsafe to do so. Especially actors who have the luxury of always putting their careers first. Barring the “less severe” effects Old Daddy sperm, like telomere (a compound structure at the end of a chromosome, and also a favorite topic of Lana Del Rey’s lately) length inheritance, there’s also an increased risk for both physical and mental health issues in children born to fathers over the age of forty. Never mind over the age of seventy à la De Niro and Pacino. According to a 2019 article in The New York Times, “…fathers older than 45 ha[ve] a 14 percent greater chance than fathers in their 20s and 30s of their babies being born prematurely and at low birth weight. The mothers too faced a 28 percent increased risk of gestational diabetes.” The article continued, “As the fathers’ ages rose, their babies were more likely to need help with breathing and require admission to the neonatal intensive care unit. The risks associated with older fathers go beyond those obvious at birth. An earlier review of studies published by Dr. Eisenberg and Dr. Simon L. Conti, clinical assistant professor of urology at Stanford, linked paternal aging to an increased risk of babies born with congenital diseases like dwarfism or developing psychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and developmental ones like autism.”

But maybe that’s a small price to pay for the hard-on a man gives himself from knowing he’s “still got it” well beyond the “healthy” age to procreate. Plus, men in the entertainment industry have never been too much taken to task for being “Late Daddies.” Richard Gere became a father at fifty and seventy; Cary Grant at sixty-two; Steve Martin at sixty-seven; David Letterman at fifty-six; Quentin Tarantino at fifty-seven and fifty-nine. The list wears on. And it’s one that points out a very glaring fact about men: they’re fucking selfish pricks with no business allowing their literal prick to reproduce so late. Not just because women are subjected to such “limiting” (read: natural order-abiding) standards, but because they’re so willing to dismiss the harm it causes to the children they bear. Nevertheless, our culture continues to normalize Old Daddies—especially if they are in positions of power. Take, for example, the plot point on the recently “deceased” series that is Succession. In season three, Logan Roy (Brian Cox), the eighty-something (like Pacino) media magnate that anchors the show, is trying to have a “do-over” baby with his latest “young piece,” Kerry Castellabate (Zoë Winters). This being evidenced, according to his eldest son, Connor (Alan Ruck), by Kerry packing his smoothies with maca root. Known to improve fertility and increase sperm count in men. Because why shouldn’t Logan get a chance to potentially create an heir more suited to running Waystar Royco?

Although the fan speculations about Logan eventually spawning out of spite toward his quartet of other good-for-nothing children didn’t pan out, in the end, the point was that it would have been an entirely plausible plot development. Just like the real life Old Daddy fatherhoods of Pacino and De Niro. And maybe we should all be asking ourselves why this still feels so “huh, that’s kinda gross, isn’t it?” as opposed to “that is fucking foul, selfish and all manner of problematic.”

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Genna Rivieccio

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June 6, 2023
Founder of The Dovetail Project Shares How His Troubled Upbringing Became a Catalyst for Developing the Largest Fatherhood Initiative in the U.S. in People Magazine

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Founder of Fatherhood Initiative, Sheldon Smith, Shares His Journey of How He Went From Being Convicted for Armed Robbery to Building the Largest Fatherhood Initiative in the Nation

Press Release
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Dec 5, 2022 10:45 EST

CHICAGO, December 5, 2022 (Newswire.com)
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Sheldon Smith, the founder of The Dovetail Project, a 501(c)(3) organization that gives young fathers within marginalized communities a better understanding of the responsibilities of fatherhood and their importance in the lives of their children, is featured in the 2022 ‘People of the Year’ issue of People Magazine, out now. This issue features a two-page article highlighting Smith’s inspirational story of how he went from being charged as an adult for armed robbery at the age of 17 to building a successful nonprofit program that provides young Black and Brown men the necessary resources they need to become better fathers.

Smith’s organization, The Dovetail Project, rewrites the narrative of Black and Brown men between the ages of 17 to 24 by providing the education, skills, and support needed to be better fathers for their children and better men in their communities. The Dovetail Project’s 12-week curriculum emphasizes the roles, rights and responsibilities of fatherhood, felony street law and how to maintain an active, engaged presence in their children’s lives. Upon completing the program, fathers receive a $500 stipend, are coached and prepared for job opportunities, GED registration and completion, or enrollment in a trade training program.

In the article, Smith shares his experience growing up with an absent father and how it led him to spiral out of control. As a result, he was thrown into Cook County jail at the age of 17 but was able to overcome that adversity and receive a second chance. Today, Smith has helped nearly 600 young men become better fathers and built the nation’s largest nonprofit fatherhood initiative.

In People Magazine, he states, “I wanted to break the cycle.” After becoming a father at the age of 21, he never wanted his daughter to feel the loss that he felt with his father.

Sheldon Smith and The Dovetail Project have been recognized by prominent figures such as Michelle Obama in addition to national media features on the TODAY Show, ELLEN, CNN, Forbes, BBC, Chicago Tribune, Black Enterprise and more.

Smith and The Dovetail Project recently celebrated its 6th annual Turkeys and Trees Giveaway event to Chicago families through The Dovetail Project Fatherhood Relief Fund, an initiative of the Dovetail Project, with support from generous leading sponsors Roquan Smith (former #58 Chicago Bears, current #18 Baltimore Ravens), Chicago Bulls, Belvedere Trading, and the Rosdal Family.

Smith hopes to inspire young fathers and future nonprofit leaders when readers view his piece in People Magazine.

The Dovetail Project can be seen on pages 108 and 109 in the ‘People of the Year’ print issue and is online at www.people.com.

To learn more about The Dovetail Project, visit www.thedovetailproject.org.

Source: The Dovetail Project

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December 5, 2022
TV role helps Mayan Lopez heal relationship with dad George

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Mayan Lopez’s co-star in her new NBC sitcom “ Lopez vs Lopez ” happens to be her real-life dad, George Lopez.

The two play a father and daughter who are repairing their relationship after years of not getting along. As is the Lopez way, art imitates life: George’s previous TV roles in “The George Lopez Show” and “Lopez” were also based on his real life. After divorcing her mother, Ann, in 2012, Mayan Lopez says she felt resentment toward her dad and the two didn’t have much contact until they reconnected during the pandemic.

“Two years ago my dad and I weren’t really talking, but family became something that was really important when the whole world was up in flames,” she said. “As you grow older, you start to see your parents as people.”

Mayan Lopez recognizes her dad didn’t always know how to relate to her because he was abandoned by his own parents and raised by his maternal grandmother, whom he did not get along with. “He didn’t always know how to relate to me. I get to kind of have that (perspective) now.”

The genesis of “Lopez vs Lopez” came about when TV producer Debby Wolfe stumbled upon Mayan’s TikTok account.

“Someone was talking about my dad, the past things that have happened, you know that my dad was unfaithful, about my parents’ divorce, and it was getting a lot of likes. And I was like, ‘You know what? I want to say something about it because some of the facts aren’t right.’ And I thought, ‘What will get people’s attention?’ And I thought, ‘Oh, let me just twerk upside down (against) a wall. Why not? I’m a comedian. I’ll go for the joke.’”

Wolfe saw that, plus Mayan’s other content, including videos with her dad and even posts of both her parents together, bickering like they were still married and thought, “This is a show.”

The opportunity was a dream come true for Mayan who studied sketch comedy and improv and also trained at Second City. She’s also respectful of her dad’s talent and showbiz experience.

“I have a world-class comedian to be able to learn from,” she said. “I take his advice and his knowledge and I have my own things that I bring to the table. He even says we make each other better because he’s like, ‘Oh, there’s another one of me.’ We bounce off of each other and collaborate on set. We’ll write things and even improvise as we’re performing. It’s been great to work with him in that way.”

Mom is also around too and “so proud.”

“We perform in front of a live audience and my mom’s there every week,” said Lopez. “She was there for ‘The George Lopez Show’ that was based on (dad’s) life. And now we have another show. It’s kind of the Lopez way of doing things, making our life art so that people can enjoy and also be able to be a representation of the Latin community.”

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November 14, 2022
Designer Anitra Mecadon Goes Behind the Scenes with Colgate Mattress on “Diaper Pad” Episode
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Celebrity Designer Anitra Mecadon Goes Behind-the-Scenes with Colgate Mattress on New Episode of “Diaper Pad”. HGTV Star and mom-to-be offers straightforward advice on how to choose a safe, eco-friendly crib mattress.

Press Release
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Sep 22, 2016
Atlanta, GA, September 22, 2016 (Newswire.com)
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TV personality and award-winning interior designer Anitra Mecadon takes moms-to-be on a fun and informative journey to buying a safe, eco-friendly crib mattress on the next episode of her digital series “Diaper Pad.” During the episode, Mecadon and husband, Adam Bret, visit the nation’s oldest family owned crib mattress maker, Colgate Mattress. Whether viewers are first-time parents, grandparents or caregivers, Diaper Pad offers honest, straightforward advice in Anitra’s signature approachable style. The episode will premiere today on Diaper Pad.

When Anitra and Adam discovered they were expecting, they decided to purchase a new mattress for their bedroom. Frustrated by the process and endless options, the two were inspired to shop early for a crib mattress that met their strict requirements for safety, health, and comfort. Following a visit to the eco-friendly baby boutique, Happy Mango, the couple decided to check out the EverTrue™ Diamond, Colgate’s top of the line dual firmness foam crib mattress.

“If you think shopping for an adult mattress can be overwhelming, just wait until you start exploring options for your baby. I wanted to help new parents sort through the junk and make decisions that they can feel confident about.”

Anitra Mecadon

“If you think shopping for an adult mattress can be overwhelming, just wait until you start exploring options for your baby. I wanted to help new parents sort through the junk and make decisions that they can feel confident about,” Mecadon said. “I think every mom wants her baby to sleep safe and sound. Plus, when baby sleeps, mama sleeps… a great crib mattress is key!”

This episode of Diaper Pad offers a behind-the-scenes look at Colgate’s Atlanta-based factory, where crib mattresses are constructed by hand. While there, Anitra details her list of preferences in a conversation with Colgate’s marketing director, Terri Paul. The top three must-haves included:
- Safety first – As recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Anitra’s first necessity was a firm sleep surface. The Diamond’s unique design provides the extra firmness infants need for proper growth and development on one side as well as the added comfort toddlers prefer on the other.
- No exposure to chemicals – The Diamond features plant-oil infused eco foam and ultrasonically welded side seams. This mattress also meets and exceeds all federal and state requirements for flammability and chemical composition and has earned the GREENGUARD® Gold and Certi-PurUS® certifications ensuring no harmful air emissions.
- Optimal airflow – To provide unprecedented airflow, the Diamond combines Colgate’s Diamond channel gel memory foam with its exclusive SecureCore honeycomb mesh fabric spacer. The crib mattress also brings the power of Celliant® — the world’s first biologically responsive fabric — to crib mattresses to help baby sleep better. Frequently used in high-performance athletic gear, this innovative material is designed to increase circulation and improve the level of oxygen in the body. As an added benefit, the Celliant infused cover has no chemical flame retardants that could be harmful to baby.
“Anitra really did her homework before challenging us to demonstrate how the EverTrue Diamond meets all of her needs as a concerned mom-to-be,” said Paul. “At Colgate, we want every caregiver to know how important the crib mattress is throughout growth and development. And as the mother of four, it’s an honor to share info that helps Anitra and Adam prepare for their baby’s arrival.”

“New dads can sometimes be removed from the process of preparing the nursery, especially things like buying a crib mattress,” added Adam Bret. “But when you consider that infants can spend up to 16 hours a day sleeping, then add to that the value of your own peace of mind, this is one investment that certainly pays off.”

Sold exclusively at dedicated and knowledgeable specialty store partners, including Brixy member stores, the EverTrue™ Diamond is a lightweight, 6” thick foam crib mattress. Made in the US, the Diamond fits all standard size American cribs and toddler beds. Suggested MSRP is $349.99.

About Anitra Mecadon & “Diaper Pad”

Anitra Mecadon is a celebrity designer and home improvement TV star. She has starred in 5 seasons of the DIY Network’s hit series Mega Dens and numerous other TV shows for DIY and HGTV such as: HGTV’s All American Handyman, Esquire Magazine’s Ultimate Bachelor Pad, HGTV’s Behind the Build Dream House, HGTV’s Behind the Build Smart Home, HGTV’s Raise the Roof College Challenge, and more. In her 15 years as an interior designer, Anitra has also created amazing residential and commercial designs. “Diaper Pad” chronicles the life and times of Mecadon and her husband, music producer Adam Bret, as they navigate the world of having children and designing the ultimate baby nursery/kids rooms. For more Diaper Pad, click here to subscribe.

About Colgate Mattress

Headquartered in Atlanta, GA, Colgate is a family-owned business with a 60-year heritage of manufacturing premium quality crib mattresses. Founded in 1955 by Sol and Anne Wolkin, the company creates the largest selection of foam and innerspring crib mattresses, foam mattress pads, and crib accessories. Colgate products are GREENGUARD™ Gold certified, non-toxic and made in the USA using only the finest internal components available. Colgate has received many industry awards and is proud to be among the first members of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA), an organization dedicated to enhancing child product safety. For more info, visit ColgateKids.com. Join the conversation at #dreamsafe.

Media contacts:

Lalohni Campbell
la@colgatekids.com
404-593-7145

Kyell Thomas
kyell.thomas@octagon.com
310-854-8376

Source: Colgate Mattress
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September 22, 2016