Tales
From The Dadside
Entries in Tips & Tricks (8)
Guerrilla Counter-Whining Tactics
Let’s get my disclaimer out of the way first. Whenever possible, I follow the accepted protocols of parenting. To borrow a term from the search engine optimization world, I do my best to keep it whitehat. Above the belt. Geneva Convention. But as every dad knows, these adversaries we call our children are a reckless bunch, often flagrantly disregarding our accepted rules of engagement. We don’t like to do it, but in the name of maintaining family sanity, we must occasionally don the ski masks, shed the dog tags and regulate. The following techniques are straight from my black book of parenting techniques, section C-47: Counter-Whining Tactics. Warning: may cause post-traumatic guilt syndrome.
The Practice Pumpkin Revisited
I wanted to jump on here real quick to let all you parents know about a serendipitous discovery that came about as a result of initiating the "Practice Pumpkin" tradition last week. If you pre-empty a pumpkin and let it sit in the fridge hollow for a couple days, it softens up real nice. For those of you with young kids, this will make the carving process a lot easier. Even with kid-friendly tools, carving a fresh pumpkin requires the exertion of a lot of force at very unstable angles. By dry aging your pumpkin first, nobody loses an eye except for ol' Jack.
How soft, how squishy, how Dahmer-esque...
Jacked O' Lantern
I think I started a tradition that has potential to become a worldwide Halloween phenomenon for families with kids. It has all the makings of one: it’s low cost, fun for the kids, hands-on, and incorporates the true spirit of the holiday, which in this case means hacking stuff up with cutting implements. Remember folks, it’s not always about the candy.
BusyDad
in Dad Gets Duped, Tips & Tricks
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You're Nobody 'Till Some Potty Loves You
A friend of mine recently posted in my guestbook about potty tips. As I wrote him back, it surprised me how little I actually remembered about the whole experience. Even though Marcus has the basics down, my dad life still very much revolves around potty-related practices. So, before these are forever lost, I wanted to get them on paper.
The Busy Dad Survival Kit - Part II
Part II. More Busy Dad essentials. Original intro: You’ve read the books, you’ve scoured the internet, you’ve done all you can to ensure junior’s well-being for every contingency imaginable, from floods and famine to jellyfish stings. Almost there… keep the following arsenal on-hand to solidify your status as the family superhero.
The Busy Dad Survival Kit - Part I
Part 1 of 2... You’ve read the books, you’ve scoured the internet, you’ve done all you can to ensure junior’s well-being for every contingency imaginable, from floods and famine to jellyfish stings. Almost there… keep the following arsenal on-hand to solidify your status as the family superhero.
The proper way to stop a nosebleed
A recent trip to Bass Pro Shops triggered nostalgia and a nosebleed. I indulged one and learned how to stop the other.
BusyDad
in Tips & Tricks, Stories and Adventures
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Teach this phrase
The term "due diligence" deserves its place alongside "use your words," "what do you say?" and other go-to phrases in our parenting arsenal.