By all appearances, Ron Mattocks was leading a successful life. As he drove a fast car to and from his downtown loft and his executive job, he considered himself a good father, even transferring across the country to live closer to his three sons after his divorce. But after an unexpected economic downturn, Ron suddenly began to question everything he knew about success and fatherhood. After surviving the ups and downs of Internet dating, Ron shares how he remarried, inherited two stepdaughters, and then lost his job, subsequently becoming a stay-at-home dad. In this hilarious and touching account of his daily battles against subversive Care Bears, fire-belching demons, the pancake mafia, and his own masculinity-all while struggling to reunite with his children-Ron provides a glimpse into how he took lemons and created not only lemonade, but a lifetime of memories with his family. From his highest highs to his lowest lows, Ron Mattocks shares the compelling story of how, without a parenting manual in sight, he learned to fumble his way through fatherhood with modesty, courage, and a whole lot of humor.


Ron Mattocks is a father of five who, after stints in the Army and corporate America, became a stay-at-home dad. He has a degree in English Literature from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, and has been published in several magazines as well as on-line. He and his wife reside in Houston, Texas.