Dad of Divas: July 2009

Friday, July 31, 2009

Helping Your Children Identify True Friends

We have some neighborhood kids that tend to hang out near our house and Diva-J has always been drawn to enjoying playing with kids that are older than her more than kids her own age. Sometimes this is fine, while at other times she can get taken advantage of by these older kids.

There is one, as I call it, fair weather friend that tends to come around on some days and on other days will not give Diva-J the time of day. This same "friend" tends to come over when Diva-PJ is outside as she likes babies.

It is difficult to help Diva-J understand the difference between friendship and real friendship. She also does not always understand the underlying mean nature that sometimes is occurring around her, as when I address the issue, she defends these "friends."

It is at these times when I am at a loss for words, as I want Diva-J to have friendships, but at what cost. This also leads back to an earlier post that I had about being able to let go. It also though goes into the idea of when do you step in and save your child from others. I tend to try and let Diva-J learn some things by herself, but there have been times when I knew that she was being taken advantage of where I stepped in and said enough is enough and set the record, and the child affronting my child, straight.

So how do you teach your son or daughter about who is a true friend and who are just going through the motions so that they are somewhat held harmless? What have all of you done in the past?

In looking into this I found a few links I thought I would share with you all!

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Project 365 (256/365) - Taking The Hog Out For A Spin

100_1921, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Jelli Bee Baby - Great Products You Should Check Out!

Thanks to Buck Rogers, I won a Jelli Bee Baby Bib for my daughter Diva-PJ! I received the bib recently and let me tell you, this was not any run of the mill bib. These bibs, let alone, are fashionable (as I got to pick out the color and style that I wanted - and as you can see, pick is all the craze.) but also you can choose whether you have a pocket or not, which we chose to do.

These bibs are heavy duty and well constructed with double stitching throughout. I have tried heavy duty bibs before, and many times these bibs are not washer safe and get kind of nasty after a while even when you have wash them. Thus far, from what I can see, this bib will hold up to anything that Diva-PJ send its' way. The bib is also washer safe which is a plus and makes for easy cleanup.

I also have to commend Jane Schwartz of Jelli Bee Baby as she has been a joy to work with and if her other staff are as friendly and easy to work with as she is, you will have no problems with customer service.

All-in-all I would give this bib a two Dad of Divas Thumbs Up! Check out this great company today!

Project 365 (255/365) - Caught in the act!

100_1844_00, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Project 365 (254/365) - Time to get a little wet!

100_1889, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Attempting Our First "Pseudo" Camping Trip

This past weekend we made our first ever attempt at a pseudo camp out. As you can see Diva-J and I were not exactly roughing it being on a deck and the inside was nicely adorned with sleeping mat for Diva-J and a nice twin air mattress for me. So like I said, we did not truly rough it in any sense of the word.

Well... add some popcorn, some games of uno, some reading of stories and telling of stories and we come to the part of our tale when it was late (around 10PM - which is late for Diva-J), so we decided to call it a night. So off went the camping lantern and we all got comfortable for a sure to be interesting night.

Well...not five minutes went by when Diva-J started complaining of being scared. Then she complained of wanting the air mattress and not the mat. Next she stated that she wanted J-Mom to sleep outside with her, and finally she stated that she wanted to go and sleep on her bed inside of the house.

This pretty much did me in, but I stayed the course, feigning sleep, and/or explaining to her that I would be there and that there was nothing to be scared of, but alas, by 10:15 the sleepover in a tent was finished.

So, thus ends our first story of our first attempted camp out. This story occurred at J-Mom's parents (as they have a tent). My next step is to get a tent myself so that we can continue to try and do this and get her more used to the idea, but needless to say, the air mattress for my back was a must, gone are the days when I could sleep on the ground and still be ok in the morning.

I must be getting old!

So what is your first camping story of you and your child that you can share with all of us?

Project 365 (253/365) - Reconnecting with old friends

100_1919, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Monday, July 27, 2009

The Honey Do List Vs. The Daddy Do List

How many of you have heard the following from your wife: "The car needs to get waxed" or " The lawn needs mowing" or "When are we going to get that wall painted". At the same time as a father, you also hear: "Daddy, do this...", "Daddy play with me!", "Daddy, let's ride bikes". This dualism or work and play becomes a bit of challenge, as you become pulled in many directions.

Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying that moms do not get this because they do. I think though (from my experience) the Honey Do List for Moms can sometimes be inherent, while some of us husbands need a bit more prodding (at least I do).

So for me I find this to be a challenge, as I work all day at a place outside of the home, and when I get home, besides being tired from the day, I know I still need to be "on" as when I walk in the door, I still need to be "on" for my kids and to give some relief to my wife who has been "on" all day with the kids....it's not until the kids go to bed when things slow down a bit, but by then it is a bit late to do some of the honey do list items. Thus many of the honey do list items have to wait until the weekend, when I also have to fit in quality time with the kids.... Can anyone else see the cyclical nature of this!

So I guess it all comes down to balance. You have to find your balance as a husband and as a father. It is not easy, but it is a necessity. How do all of you do it? Whether you are a mom or a dad, what tricks do you employ to find this balance?

I look forward to your thoughts on this!

Project 365 (252/365) - It's Time To Dance!

100_1851, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Project 365 (251/365) - Don't get wet!

100_1938, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Friday, July 24, 2009

Parenting Essentials - Being Able to Let Go

As a father there are times when I just want to freeze time and not let my girls get any older. I want to capture their innocence and bottle it up so that they will always know what it was like to be free of inhibition, doubt, and the other cares of the world. In speaking to other parents, I know that they feel similar, and as you child gets ready to go to school for the first time, the reality hits you that this innocence could be shattered at the slightest word, action or thought that someone else may interject and there is nothing that you can do about it besides try and help your child to be ready and willing to stand up for themselves on their own two feet.

The question that continues to ring through my brain is how to best do this, and how best to slowly let go of the reigns that I have to allow for my daughters independence and personalities to develop and flourish on their own.

As Diva-J has gotten older J-Mom and I have continually played the game of give and take and as she starts to become more responsible in some areas, we tend to give a bit more in regards to autonomy, which I think is the nature of parenting. On the other hand, as I said earlier, it is s nice to have your little child, and it is difficult to let that go as they get older.

Many of the resources I found when thinking about this topic talk about the letting go process parents go through within the College years. I am thinking of something different as you might have guessed. I am truly thinking about the process of shedding my presumptions and allowing my children to become the people that they will become. This is not to say that J-Mom and I will not do my best to mold and instill in them the things that we believe deeply as is our responsibility as parents, because we will. Instead, I continue to find that I need to step back and allow her to make mistakes. I need to allow her to fail (which is not easy). I need to let her learn lessons that are not always going to be easy to learn.

In thinking about this, I came across a few interesting links that I thought I would share with all of you:

So my question for all of you today is how have you approached this issue? How have you been able to let go as a parent?

I look forward to your thoughts on this!

Project 365 (250/365) - DivaJ & J-Mom

100_1934, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Interesting New Auditory Training Program

I just learned about a new Auditory Training program that sounds pretty cool. The program entitled: Advanced Brain Listening Program uses art and science to provide a truly unique listening experience.

The company states that the program:

Children, teens, adults and seniors can use the program in the home,
classroom or workplace. Completely portable and easy to use, The Listening
Program fits easily into anyone's schedule and only requires 15 to 30 minutes of
daily listening.

The Listening Program is a fusion of beautiful art and sound
science. The masterful performances of the award-winning players of the
Arcangelos Chamber Ensemble are skillfully crafted using advanced audio
technologies to provide an unrivaled listening experience.

I encourage you all to check it out and see what you think. You can find out more information by visiting their website -http://www.advancedbrain.com/the-listening-program/the-listening-program.html

Project 365 (249/365) - Electric Shrimp

100_1863, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Project 365 (248/365) - Hot Pink!

100_1945, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Project 365 (247/365) - Red Sky at Morning

100_1955, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Project 365 (246/365) - Our Little Cowgirl

100_1714, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Project 365 (245/365) - Our High Flying Diva

100_1773, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Friday, July 17, 2009

How to Be a Supportive Husband and Father

As both a husband and father I always find myself wanting to be supportive of the endeavors of my wife and kids. Yet, I sometimes wonder about what one must do to actually accomplish this. In my experience there are a number of things that have helped me in being able to accomplish this, at least thus far. Some of these things include:

1) Being present

Being actively involved and engaged in the discussion at hand and not preoccupied with the many other issues that may be swirling in the ethos is crucial. Too often, we all get preoccupied by the daily grind, and I know that when I get home, my kids do not care if I had a bad day, they just want Dad to be there and to be engaged with them.

2) Listening

Sometimes I am not the best listener and I will own up to this. I have come to find though that as a father I must be able to listen to the needs of my kids, but also the hopes, dreams and experiences that they want to share with me. As a husband, this is also very important, as if I do not listen, communication breaks down and both J-Mom and I are then not on the same page, and as all of you know, if mom and dad are not on the same page, issues arise.

3) Being encouraging

I feel like a cheerleader at times, and I know that this will only continue as my kids get older and as the relationship between J-Mom and I continues to mature and grow. I know that I will be the type of person who will be at my kids soccer games or at their musical performances. I will encourage J-Mom to excel at the things that she wishes to excel within. There are too many gifts that we are given at wasting them, holding people back from their potential.

4) Help, in a way that helps, not hinders

There are many ways that one can lend a helping hand, but I have come to find that some of these ways may not bring the intended effect, instead it hinders progress. Thus, it is important to do what you can to listen and truly hear what is needed to be able to provide the help that is required at the time it is required.

The above are only a few ideas and there are many other ways to be supportive to your family, what are some other ideas that you may have to share with other Dads?

Project 365 (244/365) - Electric Show

100_1822, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Project 365 (243/365) - It's hot and I'm tierd!

100_1830, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Project 365 (242/365) - It's not too late for fireworks!

100_1807, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Project 365 (241/365) - Our Glorious Flag!

100_1687, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Monday, July 13, 2009

Connecting with other Dads

Recently I have been thinking a lot about connections. Connections with old friends, making new friends. I even guest posted about this over at Discovering Dad recently. As I have been posting as a Dad blogger I have come to find that there truly is a community of guys out there that want to talk about their experience being fathers and talk about issues that relate to men in specific. I have met some great individuals through cyberspace and have connected with them in various venues such as through my profiles on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter or Linked In.

I have go so far as making my own fan page for Dad of Divas, with limited results. I have joined a number of facebook groups aimed at dads including:

Daddy Bloggers
The Daddy Experience
Dads are People Too
The Daddy Brain Dads' Group
Dads Across The Net

I also lately have been a bit more active on the Art of Manliness Community site, and even had a chance to meet in person with one of the members that was visiting in my area. We had a great lunch and I am looking forward to keeping in touch with him.

I am very interested in hearing people's thoughts on how they connect with other dads. Have you made friends through social networking, blogging, or other venues? How do you balance these friendships with being a father, husband, employee, etc.?

I look forward to hearing your responses!

Project 365 (240/365) - One Tierd Girl

100_1683, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Project 365 (239/365) - Time For My First Boat Ride

100_1654, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Project 365 (238/365) - Good Friends

100_1739, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Friday, July 10, 2009

"Kooky" USB: A fun way to brighten your day!

I was asked recently to try out a new product from EMTEC, called a "Kooky" and are based off the popular character pens known as "Kooky Klickers". As the company states: This product is a

They are the fashionable alternative to standard USB drives and are perfect for teens to use to save their important documents. The colorful handheld devices have fun faces and crazy hair that make them easy to find in the depths of kid’s backpacks. The drives are available in 2GB capacities for $14.99.

Upon receiving the USB, I immediately noticed the similarity of the Kooky Klicker as Diva-J had been given one of these in the past and she loved it (mostly because it was pink and had crazy hair). The USB that they sent me coincidentally also was pink and had crazy hair on the top. I could see immediately that the company was right in saying that this USB would not easily get lost.

EMTEC states that:

Each Kooky Klicker collectible pen is uniquely named and numbered, and collections are released in limited edition “Krews.” With millions of Kooky Klickers sold since they hit the market in 2002, the Kooky Klickers were recently recognized as one of the “Ten Hottest Toys at Retail” by industry trade publication Toy Book. Kooky USB Drives, which share the unique personalities that has made this brand so popular, are an ideal storage solution for stylish technology users. Kooky USB Drives are currently available at over 1,200 Office Depot retail locations throughout the United States.

In trying out the Kooky, I found it very easy to use and though Diva-J (my eldest) is not yet old enough to have a need for one of these, I showed it to her none-the-less and as before, she thought it was funny as well as cool. She also asked if she could keep it. I explained to her that we would save it for her for a little while until she was a bit older and needed such an item. Knowing the Diva that she is, the company did a good job in sending the Kooky that they did.

I will also put in a plug here for the fun nature of the product. I think these USB's are just the thing that one needs on a bad day to turn the frown upside down (as we sometimes say to the Divas). The zaney, wacky nature of the characters, bring a smile to one's face whenever you see it.

I would completely recommend the kooky for all of you out there who have school age kids who are starting to need to save pictures, documents or the like. With the 2 GB capacity on the Kooky it will not get filled up too quickly and should not get lost in the milieu of materials that pile up in their backpacks as well, as this thing truly stands out.

Project 365 (237/365) - Petting Stingrays!

100_1498, originally uploaded by dadofdivas.

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Dads are a demographic too

Have you ever noticed how there are a ton of product reviewers who are mothers? I have. A friend of mine, Deb (Mom of 3 Girls), reviews a ton of products, and even gets sent on trips from companies to review for her site (Just a Mom's Take On Things).

Recently I was talking to her about reviewing products, as I am all over being a reviewer and tester of different things... and you will soon get to know that I enjoy talking about the positive and negatives of products as well. Well, in talking to her I asked her about her reviewing, I mentioned that Dad Bloggers do not seem to get the same opportunities for reviewing as Mom Bloggers do. That is when she uttered the words, well... you probably are not in the demographic they are trying to hit.

I take offense to this somewhat (not against you Deb). There are many Dads out there that are doing most if not all of the purchasing for the family. While this may not be the norm, we still have much to say about products for our family and for our homes. What products have many Dads been asked to review? Of course technology is one. I have seen a few Dad Bloggers that have had the opportunity to review computers and other technology (I am jealous).

I just got asked to review a jump drive for a company that I will be posting in a few days once I review the product. Lacking though are the trips to places to try items, to be treated as if our opinion counts when it comes to the family. I believe that this should change, as all Dads have something to say, even if they are quieter individuals.

I will continue to try and be a reviewer of products to bring you my opinion on items that you may wish to purchase in the future. I hope to find that companies will start seeing all of us Dads as a demographic that they will turn to for their opinions and insights as well!

What are all of your thoughts on this?