The Atlantic: The Dad-Joke Doctrine

Natasha Cabrera

In a recent article in the Atlantic, UMD College of Education Professor Natasha Cabrera commented on the interaction of fathers with children, pointing out that the stereotype of dads as child playmates and entertainers depends on a heterosexual and middle-class vision of the modern family unit, which isn’t necessarily relatable for many Americans.

Plus, “Moms, we can be very funny, too,” she said to the Atlantic.

Dr. Cabrera is the director of UMD’s Family Involvement Laboratory. Her research interests include parent involvement in schools and children’s achievement as well as ethnic differences in parenting behaviors and children’s outcomes.