From the article:
Professor of Psychology on the Class of 1897 Professorship of Science and Director of Child Study Institute, Bryn Mawr College
What are the biggest issues facing working dads today?
Depends on the kinds of jobs they have -- and their wives have -- but my sense is that more dads want to spend time doing things with their kids/for their kids than fathers did when they were children, and that this is a bit of a work/family juggling issue for dads as well as for moms. However, in most families, moms are still the default parent and do the majority of the child and home tasks.
What budget saving tips do you have for men looking to get fit and be healthy?
I recommend running -- it costs nothing, provides a good workout in less than 1 hour, can be done anytime, anyplace, can involve pushing a stroller or running alongside a child biking, and can be competitive or not/social or not.
How likely is it that men will take advantage of new family leave policies adopted in New York State and elsewhere?
I think some will, but not a lot. If leave does not greatly interfere with career advancement, they are more likely to do it. For instance, one of my sons is a professor and so lots of his work is done at home on research/writing. So, being on leave worked well for him -- he could do stuff for his kids without a big cost to his career.
How can young fathers strike the right balance between career and family?
Work together and collaborate with their wives to find out ways they can trade off responsibility, step in when the other is over-burdened, reduce general stress at home (for example, if there are two small children, take one to do errands, so the other gets time alone with the other parent), find some family-together activities everyone enjoys, try to carve out a little "couple" time without kids, as well as time for each parent to have some recreation away from the family. In essence, try to find a mix that meets everyone's needs as well as possible given the inherent constraints young parents face.
What would a local public health agenda focused on men look like?
Maybe community activities targeted at dads and their kids -- like a Saturday park event once a month where dads could meet up and their kids could play.