The 20 Most Popular Stories on Fatherly in 2021

Somehow, we’ve reached the end of 2021. And through this tumultuous year — from the lows and the highs of politics, public and personal life, and public health — we’ve all been reading, well, stories. Stories about our lives, stories about money, stories about how to be great parents and partners, weird stories about viral hacks on TikTok, and more.

But what stories have people been reading? Well, at least on Fatherly, it appears that even though people really wanted to read lots of hard news, like stories about stimulus checks and deodorant recalls, people also wanted to have fun and look at the sky. In other words, it was a year of readership that roughly parallelled the bizarro nature of 2021 itself. For a retrospective on what you, the Fatherly reader, couldn’t get enough of this year, look no further.

20. 111 Trivia Questions for Kids and Adults Who Need to Learn a Thing or Two

For those who have kids who love to ask why, or for kids who think they know it all, parents were clearly brushing up on their trivia skills in order to stump their smart little ones.

19. 6 Gaslighting Phrases You’re Probably Guilty of Using

Want to be a better spouse? Evict these six phrases from your vocabulary.

18. This Year’s Only Total Solar Eclipse Is Just Days Away

Sadly, the solar eclipse has come and passed, but for stargazers in late November, this was the story to read… even if it was a tough solar eclipse to catch for most of the world’s residents.

17. Pfizer Vaccine Reportedly Only Effective For 6 Months — Here’s What That Actually Means

This April story is almost a time capsule of vaccine efficacy and a look forward at boosters, which nearly all Americans are currently eligible to receive. Go get boosted!

16. Do E-Cigs Cause Erectile Dysfunction? Here’s What to Know.

A study examined the link between the use of e-cigs and the prevalence of erectile dysfunction, and people obviously wanted to know about it.

15. How Happy Marriages Stay Happy: 7 Signs of a Rock Solid Relationship

Want to know if your marriage is all that and a bag of chips? Look no further.

14. The Next ‘Avengers’-Era Movie Is Headed Straight to Disney

At a time when the movie theater was (and… is?) potentially a super-spreader event, readers were eager to know how they could see ‘Black Widow’ as soon as it hit Disney+.

13. Should Dads and Daughters Wrestle? Hell Yes.

This story proves that wrestling and roughhousing have no gender. But it also dives deep into why roughhousing is good for ids regardless of how they identify.

12. Congress is About to Change Child Care Forever

Before Senator Joe Manchin effectively put a wooden stake through the heart of the American Rescue Plan, the child care plan within it — for all of its flaws — offered a glimmer of hope at an America with a better social safety net. Alas.

11. 3 Ineffective Discipline Habits That Make Your Kid Anxious

Discipline is tough — and the popularity of this story shows that parents want to know how to better help their children learn and grow.

10. Here’s Who Will Receive the $1,400 Stimulus Check After All

God, remember deliberations in Congress that led to something? This trip down memory lane is a nice reminder of the brief period when the government gave us money.

9. IRS to Give 1.3 Million People More Refunds — How to Check Your Eligibility

The IRS made tax mistakes in 2017, and some 1.3 million people stood to benefit in $1.3 billion — but unfortunately, the deadline for 2017 tax mistakes has passed.

8. This Super-Biased Map Shows the “Best” TV Show Set In Every State

New York City has Seinfeld, Colorado has Southpark, Nevada, Reno-911. Where does your state rank?

7. We’ve Been Putting Trash Bags In Wrong This Entire Time, TikTok Says

This life-changing hack went ultra-viral on our website, and for good reason. Did you know that you’ve been doing it wrong this entire time?

6. 70+ Tricky Riddles That Will Keep Even the Smartest Kids Guessing

Once again: this was a year where parents were working for brain drain limiting activities. And riddles always deliver.

5. ‘Seinfeld’ Legend Has the Best Response to William Shatner Going Into Space

Jason Alexander referenced one of the best-ever episodes of ‘Seinfeld’ when Shatner revealed he was hitting the stratosphere.

4. 7 Passive Income Ideas For Anyone Who Wants a Side Hustle

For those looking for extra cash, this was clearly a great source…

3. This Chart Reveals How Much Money Families Will Get From the Stimulus Package

One handy-dandy chart that showed how much families would get from stimulus checks, child tax credits, and more, in the American Rescue Plan. Better days!

2. The House Stimulus Package is Here — Here’s When to Expect Your Checks

In February, the world looked hopefully at the House Stimulus Package… and the speculation about a $1,400 stimulus began.

1. Check Your Pits: 17 Deodorants Have Been Recalled for Chemical Cancer Risk

This story, published on the first day of December 2021, is still deeply relevant. Seriously, check your pits.