Shelly Vaziri Flais, MD

Kathryn interviews Author Shelly Vaziri Flais, MD.When author Shelly Vaziri Flais MD – a Persian American raised in a home where her father taught her she was equal to males – was pregnant with her twin sons (with a toddler boy already at home), the thought of raising three future men led her to wonder, “What steps can I take as a parent to defy prevalent generational and societal messages like male stereotypes and toxic masculinity? How can I help my sons not only become full humans in touch with their creative, nurturing sides, as much as their athletic, physical sides, but also become empathic, educated allies?” She now shares conversation-starting questions, age-based suggestions for books to read and movies to watch and discuss together and tips for addressing specific hurdles like division of physical labor and of emotional labor. Dr. Flais, a board-certified practicing pediatrician, is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.Kathryn also interviews Author Doug McIntyre.Newlywed Danny McKenna's honeymoon ends abruptly when he learns his father has died, uncannily, on the same day as his hero, Frank Sinatra. Returning home to his knotty Irish American family, Danny is confronted with a painful truth--while he knows everything about the famous singer, his own father is a mystery. Tasked with giving a eulogy for a man he hardly knows, Danny sets out to uncover his dad’s past--an immigrant's tale of mid-twentieth-century America and the harsh realities of WWII lived in stark contrast to Frank Sinatra's famously extravagant life. Along the way, Danny's own demons nearly destroy him as he struggles to accept his father’s deepest secret--a journey that takes him into the heart of darkness before he learns to live in the light. Doug McIntyre’s novel is a poignant exploration of identity, family, and the ways in which the lives of celebrities intersect with our own. He’s a long-time newspaper columnist, former radio host, and has written for all the major networks, including the hit series, Married… With Children, WKRP in Cincinnati, Full House and the award winning PBS series Liberty’s Kids. He also hosted a successful show on WABC NYC.