Dads, healthy fish and the benefits of singing: The week in Well+Being

Washington Post

12-06-2025

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This weekend is Father's Day. It's a time that can be joyous or bittersweet, depending on your relationship with your father. The latter is particularly true if your parent has died, like Jordan Sondler's. This week, she writes about how she found deep comfort looking for 'signs' from her father, a tip she learned from a grief-support group. I could definitely relate, since my dad died a few years ago. I have him to thank for my formidable lawn-mowing skills, ability to ride a bike and much more, so I always appreciate the other dads out there, like the one in our Ask a Therapist column looking for the best way to raise his young son with love and affection. But before that …
You might know that eating seafood is good for your brain, eyes and heart health. So why aren't you eating more of it? If you don't have it on your regular rotation at mealtimes, you're not alone — 90 percent of adults aren't hitting recommended intake targets.
Part of the problem is that the seafood landscape can be confusing. There are so many options — from shrimp to salmon to canned tuna — how do you know which ones to eat? This week, nutrition reporter Anahad O'Connor took a deep dive into the best types of seafood, detailing those that are relatively low in mercury, high in omega-3 fats, sustainable, as well as accessible and affordable.
First up is salmon, of course. While farmed salmon can certainly be a good choice, wild salmon is almost always the better option. 'Wild salmon is a triple win because it's high in good fats, low in mercury and sustainable,' Sonya Lunder, the director of community science at the Natural Resources Defense Council, told Anahad.
For more great choices, check out our guide to choosing the healthiest seafood.
If you are a car karaoke aficionado, you'll be glad to hear that music has the power to soothe the mind, promote brain health and bring people closer together. Singing, listening to music or making music all promote health.
And the wonderful part about it is that the barrier to entry is low. Even if you won't be trying out for the opera any time soon, you can reap the benefits, according to our brain health writer, Richard Sima. For example, singing karaoke was linked to increased feelings of flow and meaning in life, reported one 2022 study of 305 older adults, so there's no need to sleep on this wellness trend. 'Nobody says you shouldn't jog if you are not good at it,' Daniel Levitin, a professor emeritus of neuroscience at McGill University and dean of arts and humanities at Minerva University, told Richard. 'That's not the point.'
For some great tips on how to use your love of music to create and connect with others, check out our story on the health benefits of making music.
This week, our Ask a Therapist columnist is Joshua Coleman, a clinical psychologist in the San Francisco Bay Area and senior fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families.
My wife and I have a 4-year-old son. I'm very affectionate with him — I hug him a lot, tell him I love him and comfort him when he cries. But my wife is starting to express concern that I'll make him 'soft.' We're both good parents, but this is starting to create real tension. How do we resolve a parenting difference that touches on something so personal?
It is common for people to parent similarly to how they were raised. It's partly role modeling, and partly a way to feel close to our parents by being aligned with them and sharing their values.
At the same time, it's common to reinterpret painful childhood experiences in a more favorable light — to convince ourselves that what was hard was ultimately necessary. If your wife had a strict, emotionally distant father, she may have come to believe that his approach helped shape her strength — and that your son will need the same.
You don't have to agree about everything in parenting to find common ground. Make it clear that your disagreements are about approach, not character.
Get more useful tips on navigating a conflict if you can't agree on a parenting approach by reading the full response below.
If you have a question for a therapist about mental health, relationships, sleep, dating or any other topic, email it to [e-mail], and we may feature it in a future column.
Here are a few things that brought us joy this week.
Let's keep the conversation going. We want to hear from you! Email us at [e-mail].
Want to know more about 'joy' snacks? Reporter and former neuroscientist Richard Sima explains what they are and how they can make you feel happier. You can also read his advice as a comic.