as far as I can tell, the main difference between people who are completely overwhelmed with parenting and those who are having a great time raising their kids is that the latter don't really consider it a big deal when their children are upset with a decision they made
Putnam believed that the single biggest risk factor was the growing amount of time people spent alone.
Even back when he wrote Bowling Alone —before smartphones and apps—teens were solitary for three-and-a-half hours per day. Adolescents spent more time alone than with their family.
For the first time in history, people were growing up... See more
My advice to fathers-to-be: work smart and hard leading up to birth, build as much momentum in your meditation practice as possible, strengthen your back muscles (never skip leg day), expect to get 3x less done after birth, take time to ground your nervous system daily, and remember your primary job in the early days is supporting the mother.