We just walk up to each other in the grocery store or at a La Leche meeting and start gabbing. But it isn't so easy for fathers. All of my husband's friends are still in college, with no thoughts of marriage or children. I think he is starting to feel alienated from them. He has to put his family first, whereas his friends can do whatever they want.
Few things change a man's life faster and more profoundly than having children.
Many of these changes are positive. Research shows that upon becoming a father, most men report a shift toward more responsible behavior out of a desire to serve as a better role model for their children. For example, after the birth of a child, men report drinking less alcohol, working more regularly, and attending worship services more frequently. This helps to explain why married men, and especially married fathers, are healthier, wealthier and happier than their non-married counterparts. Interestingly, this shift toward more responsible behavior occurs even when fathers are not living with their children at the time of their birth, such as in the case of incarcerated fathers.