I’ve long been a fan of homemade ice cream.  Not homemade in the store…homemade in my home.  It’s really one of the easiest recipes to make…as long as you keep the ice cream maker in your freezer, you’re always ready to go.

But what about something a bit lower in fat?  Say a popsicle?  Every kid loves to make popsicles…but as every kid also knows, it JUST TAKES SOOOO LONG.

Enter the Zoku Quick Pop Maker.

Now I’ll admit that in comparison to  the plastic molds available for just a few bucks at any grocery store (and sometimes less than that at any garage sale), at $50, this is a pretty hefty investment, but the thing works like a charm and you cannot put a price on instant gratification for your children.

It has a base that you keep frozen, just like an ice cream maker.  You put the sticks in, pour in your flavor of choice and voila, in 10 minutes, you have 3 popsicles.  Do it again and in a bit longer than 10 minutes, you have 3 more (you can buy more sticks if you need more than six at a time).  For kids, they can sit there and actually watch the popsicles freeze, something you can’t of course do the conventional way unless your kids enjoy sitting in a walk-in freezer in a parka.  And as they start to freeze, you can use a straw to suck out the middle (which freezes last) and then fill the center with a different flavor juice (we’ve found great success with lemonade and limeade).

They’re for sale at Williams-Sonoma if you want to keep summer going for a few more months!

Disclosure: I bought this product without incentive using my own dollars, no freebie, no gift.  The review above is my own.

It is back to school time, and today my youngest child, my daughter, started at a new school.  This time, however, I didn’t have to pack her lunch, or walk her to the bus stop. I won’t be looking forward to any more parent teacher conferences or notes sent home about missed homework assignments. Nope.  Those days are officially over as today my daughter started college.  Daddy’s little girl has entered the land of higher education, as her older brothers have done before her, and as such, the proverbial ball is now in her court. I can encourage and inspire and advise, but in the end her school career, and her career thereafter, is now officially up to her.

Fatherhood Is An Education

Parenting is a series of never-ending milestones, and for many years we gauge our children’s growth and progress by their progression through school. From their first day at Pre-K to the day they don their caps and gowns for High School Graduation, through their schooling we see them grow from toddlers to teens, from mischief to maturity, from youngsters to young adults.  As they pass from grade to grade, we mark off yet another year in our quest to be the best parent we can.  Every graduation is filled with enormous pride, and just a little touch of sadness as we realize a teeny bit more of our work here is done.  Of course, the good news is that being a dad is forever, and as our kids grow older and move on to new phases of their lives, we are right by their side, entering a new degree of parenthood.

My daughter called me after her first day on “campus.”  She loved her first classes and was thrilled and excited.  But not as thrilled and excited as I am for her!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

One of the fun things about getting together with the Cast of Dads is that sooner or later each of us gets the chance to share an embarrassing moment…  Or maybe that’s just me who keeps sharing goofy moments?  Well, if it is me, this episode is no exception as I dive into a poorly sung rendition of one of my favorite childhood lullabies. Lullaby notwithstanding, I doubt this show  will put you to sleep as we cover topics as diverse as “negotiated infidelity,” Dude Ranches, sexy Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg as a Dad.

You can LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS Episode 29 HERE.

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• BabyBites Party at BlogHer
• 100 Women + 2 Guys + 1 Bar = FUN time
• Holly Hill interview on Digital Dads TV
• Honesty, Humor & Intimacy
• Dude Ranch for a family vacation
• City Slickers
• People starting to spend more on experiences
• Westworld
• The need of having a good scar story
• Cooking With Brad
• Salmon Burgers?
• Katy Perry in Rolling Stone
• True Blood
• Snoop Dogg Snookie Video
• Snoop Dogg’s Father Hood
• NyQuil + Soda to help kids to go sleep?
• Sass’ Sick Lullaby

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes.  Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

I wonder how many runners there are out here? I wonder how many would be offended if I called myself a runner? Let me tell you my story and you can decide for yourself. Me I know the answer.

I’ve never been a runner. I’ve never thought of myself as a runner and I never wanted to run. I was a wrestler. I was a skier. I was a skateboarder. I was never a runner but in eleventh grade I was convinced to train for our school’s triathlon. It was a 5 mile bike, 5 mile run and 500 yard swim. My training consisted of jogging/walking for 45 minutes twice a week during our phys-ed, but it got me mostly in shape after having dropped wrestling because of bum shoulders. You read that right shoulderS.

I can’t say I was in great shape. I think it took me 3 hours to complete the whole thing but I finished and that was a lot more than most the student body could say. That night was prom and I had such a headache from dehydration that I just went to sleep at the after party right in the middle of everyone.

The next week I was hanging out with a friend and we stopped by our local convenience store. We were hanging out outside and somehow a girl who was too young to be driving was out with her parents 69 Caddy. She was backing out of the parking space next to us and managed to pin my leg between her front bumper and the Bondoed rear corner panel of my friends CJ-7. Thank God for the Bondo as I was able to twist my leg free and the Caddy slipped off my leg and into the back of my friends Jeep. My leg swelled up like a big balloon but I didn’t call the cops and I didn’t have anyone look at my leg. Now 17 years later I still have numb spot and you can still feel the chip in the bone.

For a long time I used that as an excuse and then I just stopped worrying about exercise all together until last year. At the begining of 2009 I saw the ad for the Peachtree road race and decided I wanted to run it. So I went and bought a pair of running shoes from my local running store. They also sold me some socks. I left the store, sent my application via snail mail and started running.

Then a few weeks later I receive a note saying that my entry was too late and had been denied. So I stopped running, as it was starting to get warm. Then in the fall just before my son got here I decided to start running again. So I got my self up to running 1 mile and I did that a total of six times before my son arrived last October. Then I stopped running when my son arrived for about six weeks.

After six weeks I saw a friend of mine tweet about running a half marathon and I thought, now that’s a challenge that I can take on. So I started running with him trying to train for the 1/2 marathon in March. This was late November or early December. I got up to running six miles or so before I realized that I just didn’t have the time required to train. At least without my wife’s agreement I didn’t have the time. So I took a few weeks off.

When I started running again it was like I was starting over, but it didn’t take near as long to get up to running consistently again and I was beginning to enjoy running. I’ve finally covered enough distance that my shoes are beginning to show the wear and I have worn holes through my socks. I have also had to purchase new inserts for the shoes because I had some weird stuff going on in my feet. So now after a life time of hating running, after a year and a half I find my self thinking about needing to replace my running shoes and wondering if I really should get a treadmill for the times I can’t leave the house. For the first time in my life I don’t even doubt if I’ll use it. I know I will, and I hate running on treadmills. But you know what, somewhere along the way I realized something, I love running. So I ask you, am I a runner?

P.S. If you don’t understand how anyone can love running then you haven’t done it for a long enough period of time. Just keep trying and practicing and you will eventually get the runners high. It’s a different experience but anyone can get it, if I can get it. I’m a 255lb guy who should weigh about 190.

(photo credit: © Nadezhda Bolotina – Fotolia.com)

Summertime is often a time we catch up on reading and this summer is no exception.  I finally sat down to read a book I purchased last summer, Crazy for the Storm: A Memoir of Survival (Amazon affiliate link) by Norman Ollestad.  This is a true story, but written with the depth, pace, and strong characterizations one would expect of a good novel.

When Norman was 11 years old, the charter plane he was on with his Dad and Dad’s girlfriend crashed into a mountainside.  Norman was the only survivor.  As much as this is a story of survival, it is also an insightful look at fatherhood, and a very special relationship between a father and son.  Watch the video below for more.

Book Review: Crazy For The Storm (for Dadomatic) from Jeffrey Sass on Vimeo.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

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• Norman Ollestad: Father’s Day: Sole Survivor Of A Plane Crash At 11 Grows Up To Teach His Son To Face His Fears (huffingtonpost.com)

(Note: I originally posted this on my personal blog, but felt it was also relevant here on Dadomatic.  I hope you don’t mind the repetition if you are a visitor to both.)

Last night I went to a Memorial Tribute arranged by a co-worker and friend whose father passed away unexpectedly a few weeks ago.  I have been to my fair share of funerals, “Shiva” sittings, and memorials over the years, but I have never had the honor to experience one like this.  It was a true celebration of a life, and an evening filled with much more laughter than tears.  There were probably 400 people in attendance, and a heavy presence of both law enforcement professionals and leather clad bikers, two seemingly disparate communities, yet my friend’s dad was clearly beloved by both.

A Story Well Told…

One by one, dozens of family, friends, and former co-workers took to the podium to share very personal, emotional, and overwhelmingly funny stories of their experiences with, and love for, my friend’s father.  To say it was inspirational would be a gross understatement. I felt I was witnessing an incredibly special moment, driven by pure love for someone who clearly had been an incredibly special person.  While I never had the chance to meet my friend’s dad, hearing the stories and seeing the slideshow of so many captured moments, I could clearly see his spirit and influence in my friend, and even in my friend’s young son.  Yes, it was sad, but it was also very beautiful and filled with hope.

Influence And Impact

In this episode of Cast of Dads one of the dads tells of a late night spill that ended with a trip to the ER and some stitches… which leads to a discussion of kids and injuries… which leads to me recalling the tale of my daughter and her missing finger tip… (you’ll have to listen to the show for the rest of that story!)  In the midst of all the gory talk we manage to give some heartfelt parenting advice, and even some tips on cooking as a family.  Once again we prove that five dads and thirteen kids equals a treasure trove of tales to tell.  Enjoy!

CLICK  HERE TO LISTEN TO “CAST OF DADS” EPISODE 28

Topics discussed in this episode:

• Michael falls down
• Battle scars are cool
• Macallan Scotch is C.C.’s favorite
• Stitches Stories
• Looking for finger tips
• Brad IS ok after last week’s show
• One on one time with kids is priceless
• NJ Vacation
• Easing back into school bedtime routines
• What to do when a child wants to be vegetarian?
• Teaching kids to cook
• Every guy must know how to cook
• Boboli Pizzas
• Caution with boiling liquids
• Oven door dangers
• Scooping out the toilet

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

Photo Credit: © Eric Gevaert – Fotolia.com

In the latest episode of Cast of Dads, we actually started the show with a couple of specific topics in mind: “Kewl Birthday Parties” and “the dangers of drowning.”  From happy to scary and everything in between we cover it all, and then some, in a show that combines serious parenting tips with a lot of goofy laughter.  A glitch in the phone system caused me to “hear voices” only on my end of the call, and one of the dads had a “live” parenting issue interrupt our recording for a little bit of unexpected drama.  In the end we learn that a pile of dirt just may be the best birthday party evah, and when it comes to multi-use liquids, spit wins hands down!  Enjoy!

CLICK TO LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 27…

A Blast From Sass' Party Favor Past: Toxic Crusader Action Figure!

Topics discussed in this episode:

• KEWL Birthday Parties
• Beer always makes kids birthday parties easier
• Reptile Man!
• They have Rednecks in the Bronx?
• Googling “Reptile Man Johnny”
• Toxie Party Favors
• Pile of Dirt = Party Time!
• Flaming Unicycles
• Co-op Bouncy Houses
• Video Game Vans
• Dangers of Drowning Article
• Pool Safety
• Don’t depend on public pool lifeguards
• Pool Parties = Can’t relax and enjoy
• Safety from weird colored bathing suits
• When in doubt, pee on it
• Dip Spit = best cure for stings
• Dealing with cranky kids at bedtime
• Live Parenting Failure
• The voices in Sass’ head

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes.  Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

When we were kids, entertainment was mostly a passive activity.  We plopped down in front of the TV and zoned out on BATMAN and THE MONKEES (ok, I might be showing my age here, but those are the shows I was enamored with…)  Our kids, however, are growing up in an increasingly connected, interactive world, that is changing the shape of entertainment and entertainment marketing.  Already their world is filled with immersive games, and high definition and 3-D images.  They are constantly connected with their friends through their social networks (as are we), so to get our attention marketers really have to raise the bar.

I Joined The Colony…

As part of a promotion for the upcoming (July 27th) premiere of season 2 of  THE COLONY, The Discovery Channel has created a rather ingenious interactive and very personal experience that makes clever use of our individual social graphs.  If you visit jointhecolony.com and log in using Facebook Connect, you will enter a very real, interactive simulation that blends status updates, news reports, video and more, from your real friends, to tell a detailed and realistic story about a fictional Pandemic.  It is a taste of what the classic WAR OF THE WORLDS radio broadcast might have turned into if Orson Welles had worked his magic today.  Instead of Welles, much of the content at JoinTheColony.com was created by the talented author JC Hutchins, but it appears, quite convincingly, as if the messages, comments and news stories are being presented to you by the people you know and trust.  It is very cool, and worth spending some time getting lost in the fantasy…

And This Has What To Do With Dads?

Ok, so perhaps The Colony and Jointhecolony.com are not really targeted to families or kids, and certainly they are not appropriate for young kids… However, I think the way this promotion leverages Facebook and drags real people we know into a fictional but realistic story is a small taste of what is possible, and an indicator of the kinds of interactive entertainment that will perhaps soon be commonplace to our kids.  As parents we already know we have to guide our kids through their digital lives and make sure they understand the implications of their social lives online.  Raising digitally aware and digitally responsible kids will be even more important as they experience creative uses of their social networks, like this one, that may temporarily blur the lines between fiction and reality.  Our kids are going to be exposed to new and exciting forms of entertainment that we might only have dreamed of when we were their ages.  I think that is pretty cool, and look forward to seeing how things evolve.  What do you think?

Survival Of The Fittest?

I found out about JoinTheColony.com from an unexpected package that I received, and I made the short video below to document my own experiences with this clever promotion.  If you are reading this, then you can assume I survived and am #STILLHERE.  Enjoy!

I Joined The Colony and am #StillHere from Jeffrey Sass on Vimeo.

DISCLAIMER: I am not expected to return any of the items in the package.  I can keep them (and they may come in handy during hurricane season).  CC Chapman, who was involved in the promotion on behalf of Campfire is a friend, and a co-host with me on the Cast of Dads podcast.  JC Hutchins is also a personal friend.  No pets, children, or neighbors were harmed during the making of this video, but some may have been spooked by seeing me running around the backyard in a bio-protection suit and mask…  That’s their problem.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

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• Documenting Your “Now” For The Future (stevegarfield.blogs.com)
• I’m #StillHere – Are You? (cc-chapman.com)
• The end of the world, as seen on Facebook (adweek.blogs.com)
• #StillHere, A Fiction Experience For Discovery Channel’s “The Colony,” Is Online (jchutchins.net)

If you have more than one child at home do you find that they often “tattle” on each other? I have written about digital tattle tales before and on a recent trip to San Francisco I was thinking about it again, and how, in my case, counting on one or more of my kids to squeal on the other has become a defacto form of checks and balances when I am away from home.  I chat about this with one of my fellow “Cast of Dads” dads, Michael Sheehan from HighTechDad in the short video below.  Although I joke about the snitching being helpful to me, in retrospect I think the trust issue is more important and that I may be better off in the long run if I discourage my kids from being so loose with their lips (something about sinking ships…)  What do you think?

What do you think about kids that throw their siblings under the bus?  Does having kids who tattle on each other help or hurt?  Should the behavior be welcome or discouraged?   Feel free to tattle about it in the comments!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

Much is being written about the awesome and uber viral Old Spice campaign featuring former football player Isaiah Mustafa.  It turns out the “Old Spice Guy” is a dad, and, it seems a great dad at that. Check out this “call out” to his daughter as part of the interactive “real time” videos that Old Spice has been churning out at a miraculous pace. What a great way to work being a dad into your work! Kudos to Old Spice, the ad team at Wieden + Kennedy creating the spots, and of course, my vote for dad of the day, Isaiah Mustafa! Go Dads!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Old Spice guy personally thanks online fans (adweek.blogs.com)
• Old Spice: The Archetype Of a Successful Social Media Campaign (mashable.com)

I was fortunate enough to interview Jeff Fatt, the purple Wiggle from the world famous Wiggles! They’re going to be coming to the USA for their Wiggly Circus tour this summer. Jeff took the time from his hectic schedule to give me a call. I tried to ask him questions that I’m sure many of you parents and your children would’ve asked.

Me:
Hello Jeff. First of all, how did you become the purple Wiggle?

Jeff:
We all got to select our own favorite color. Anthony liked Blue, Greg preferred yellow, Murry fancied red and I always enjoyed purple.

Me:
You’re famous for being the sleepy one with the song “Wake up Jeff” being a real crowd pleaser. Is there any basis in reality to that?

Jeff:
Yes, I’m afraid there is a bit of truth to it. I’m the oldest Wiggle so I do tend run out of gas quicker than the others.

Me:
What do you think of all these new bands out there that seem to be inspired by the Wiggles? One of them being the Imagination movers.

Jeff:
Honestly, we’re flattered by it all and think there’s plenty of room for all of us. In the end, it benefits all of the kids.

Me:
Being the parent of three children under the age of 11, I’ve always been a fan of the Wiggles because all three of them love the band. I’ve always enjoyed your upbeat and positive attitude and the educational lessons instilled in your songs and the TV show. For example, “Look both ways” teaches the valuable lesson of crossing the street in a fun and important way. “Fruit Salad (yummy yummy)” shows kids that healthy snacks can be delicious and also fun to make. There are so many more great examples like that.

Jeff:
Thank you. That’s very nice to hear. We set out to do just that, perform songs that have a good message in a fun and entertaining way. The secret to our success is that little known fact that some of us were pre-school teachers so we understand how to communicate with children.

Me:
How long can the Wiggles go on? One of the founding members, Greg, had to leave the band due to health issues and Sam stepped in to replace him. How has the transition been and how have the fans reacted to this big change?

Jeff:
We feel that the Wiggles can go on for a very long time as each one of us will eventually be replaced. The fans have really embraced Sam and understood that it was in Greg’s best interest to step away from the grueling tour.

Me:
By the way, how is Greg doing?

Jeff:
Greg is doing quite well these days. We all still keep in touch and see him from time to time.

Me:
How long is this current tour going to run and what cities will you be visiting this time around?

Jeff:
The entire Wiggly Circus tour is going to last 5 weeks and all of the dates and cities can be found on the Wiggles website.

Disclosure: I will be attending the Wiggles concert with my three children when they come to Atlanta thanks to Wiggles and their management team who will provide us with tickets. We were planning to go anyway. Sssh, don’t tell ‘em.

Are you enjoying some quiet time with your spouse while the kids are away at camp?  If so, you are also probably getting ready for the infamous “visiting day,” when parents invade the camp grounds to see what their offspring are really doing while off at Camp Cost-A-Lot.  Having been both a camper and a counselor in summers past (way past) and having sent my own kids to “sleep-away” before, I have seen the good, bad and ugly of all sides of “visiting day.”  With that in mind, here are…

5 Tips For A Successful Summer Camp Visiting Day:

1) Show Up! – From a counselor’s perspective, there is nothing sadder than the kid who is alone on visiting day.  And from the kid’s perspective, there is no greater heartache than the ache you feel when all your friends are with their family and you are not.  It may be your summer vacation too, and you may be spoiled by not having the kids around, but when you make your own summer plans make sure going to visiting day is first and foremost on your calendar.

2) Bring Something For Each Bunk-mate! - Subject to the camp rules (there is usually a list sent to parents of “contraband” that they don’t want you to bring…) it is nice to bring a little something for each kid in your child’s bunk.  It can be simple and inexpensive, but it is a nice gesture that makes all the kids feel good, and has the added benefit of letting them know your kid has cool parents (something he or she will appreciate and be proud of after visiting day is over.)  Make sure you cover all the kids in the bunk, and not just your child’s best friends.  If you have brought other gifts for your kid, try to pass them along to him or her in private and not in front of the others.  Not every kid’s parents are as generous as you are and there is no point in creating jealousy.

3) Defer To The Counselor and Camp Rules – You may be the parent, but during visiting day the Counselor is in charge, and your child is playing by camp rules, not your rules.  You are there to watch and share, not to take charge.  Respect the wishes of the Counselor and try not to interfere.  If something really bothers you and you really object to it, speak to the Counselor or Camp Director privately.  Don’t undermine the camp or Counselor in front of the kids.  It will not make the rest of the summer any easier for anyone.

4) Participate (if asked) - Some Camps have all sorts of activities planned during Visiting Day and try to include parents in the events.  If your kid asks you to join the kickball or softball game you must, and you must do so eagerly.  Camp is a great place and time for you to let down your guard, get off your butt, and let your kid see you as you once were when you too were a kid.  Have fun!!!

5) Make A Graceful Exit – Visiting Day can be the best day of the summer and the worst, especially for younger campers and sleep-away first timers.  While it is wonderful to see your folks, it can be heart-wrenching to say goodbye and watch them leave.  I still remember the awful feeling in my gut when my folks knocked on the cafeteria window and waved at me when I was 10.  It would have been much better if they hadn’t reminded me they were leaving and just departed quietly during lunch as the rest of the parents were instructed to do.  When my own son was a similar age we also had a terrible scene with his mom and him and lots of crying as we tried to leave his visiting day.  Smart camps have the parents depart when the kids are together as a group and engaged in an activity, so that saying goodbye is not an event the kids can focus on.

These are just a few of the things I recall when thinking about Visiting Day.  How about you?  Do you agree with this list?  What other tips would you add to ensure a successful Camp visiting day?  I hope you enjoy yours!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

Photo Credit: © kathy libby – Fotolia.com

The heat was on for this week’s Cast of Dads show as the Northeast experienced record breaking (and air conditioning breaking) temperatures.  From the humidity to stupidity, we crack open some beer and wine and I cracked some of my usually corny jokes (well, you might not consider them jokes). I seemed to have had a problem with my microphone so I apologize for my tinny voice.  Luckily the other dads sound fine, and had more pithy things to say than me anyway.

CC's Daughter Emily & Her New Friend...

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Beer & Wine Shout Outs
• Photo proof of the Boston Heatwave
• “The Wife”
• Knight & Day
• Twilight Eclipse
• Baratunde live hate tweeting the #Twilight premiere
• The sex lives of Mormons
• University of Georgia Athletic Director BUSTED!
• Serpico
• Julie & Julia
• Julia Child’s Sex Scenes?
• Six Cheeseburgers in Two Days
• Bacon Explosion
• The Bacon Log
• Almond Milk
• Texas Hill Country
• Unplugged time = Quality time
• What do WE do that pisses off our wives/girlfriends?
• Daddy Do Lists
• Baileys + Facebook = Happy Distracted Wife
• Listening to Cast of Dads at the gym
• Interacting with a significant other on Facebook? Yes or No?
• “Let old guys get drunk and dance!”
• 3 weeks away from the kids
• The essence of being a dad

You can LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS #26 HERE!

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please don’t forget to tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes. Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

It is Independence Day but I find myself considering “independence” in more ways than the birth of our nation. Having recently gone through both a High School and a College graduation with my kids, lately their independence has been on my mind.  So, to celebrate parenthood on the 4th of July, here is a quick look at…

10 Milestones In Your Child’s Path To Independence:

1) BIRTH – This is it.  The moment that umbilical cord is cut, your child truly enters the world as a separate, independent being. Sure, they are wholly dependent on you, yet, in the big picture, they are another new person, ready to begin making their own unique mark on the future.

2) CRAWLING – The first bit of self propelled movement is the moment a child begins their true journey of discovery.  It is a bit of new independence that suddenly brings things within view also within reach.

3) WALKING – If crawling is the tip of the movement iceberg, then taking that first step opens the floodgates to new-found independence.  Not only does your child go further and faster, but standing up presents a whole new view of things… literally and figuratively.

4) TALKING - Communication is perhaps the greatest inherent gift we have, and when a child starts to speak their world instantly gets bigger and richer (and ours is changed forever).

5) GOING TO SCHOOL – The first time we send our kids off for the day is their first true chance to experience a world outside of the familiarity and comfort of home and family.

6) READING – Learning to read is another moment when the scope of one’s universe suddenly expands overnight.  Reading is not only the gateway to knowledge, but also a wonderful path to your child exploring their own imagination and creativity.

7) RIDING A BIKE – Wheels!  From the driveway, to the block, to the neighborhood and beyond, a childs’ first bike is their first vehicle and their first chance to travel on their own.

8 ) DRIVING A CAR – More wheels!  Suddenly your kids can go and do what they want, without being tethered to the range of their feet and bikes, or the scheduling of the Mom/Dad taxi service.  A massive right of passage for kids, and a new adventure in stress and worry for us parents.

9) GETTING A JOB - Whether it is mowing lawns, babysitting, painting a neighbor’s porch, flipping burgers, or starting a computer consulting business, the first time your child earns their own money leads to a new sense of power, independence, and pride as they begin to truly value the value of what they work for.

10) GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL/COLLEGE - Finishing school is a huge moment of accomplishment and a big step toward true independence.

BONUS:

11) STARTING THEIR OWN FAMILY – So far I have survived all ten of the milestones above, and each and every one of them has made me increasingly proud of my children, their accomplishments, and the ways they have handled their own growing independence and transition from being great kids to being great people.  The next step will truly bring everything full circle as one day each of them is blessed to find a great partner and start their own families.  That will be quite an Independence Day, I am sure!

What do you think?  Are there any milestones I missed when thinking of your own kids’ path to Independence?  Please share your thoughts in the comments, and HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

The Russians are coming, the Russians are coming!  From warships in San Francisco, to spies to Diplomatic tweets, this week the Cast of Dads hopped around more topics than a room full of kangaroos.  If you’d like us to be a little more focused in the future feel free to E-mail us your topic ideas!

Meanwhile the topics we discuss in this episode include:

• Big thunderstorms in Texas
• Mr. Boom Boom & his flashlight
• Family Secrets
• St. Patrick’s Day
• Finding out about Santa and The Tooth Fairy
• Earthquake Weather
• Russian Attack Drills as kids
• Russian Spy Ring Busted
• “Watch out for the Germans!”
• Russian warship docks in California
• A tweet from the Russian President
• Spies Like Us
• The darkness of Toy Story 3
• Is the Karate Kid’s famous crane kick a real move?
• Grown Ups
• Why Noggin should carry sports
• Dead time of year for sports
• Old Sports Stadium Charm
• Yankees Suck
• Dad’s enthusiasm forcing kids to what we want?
• Sporting Equipment Costs
• Streaking Teams?
• Plan With Sass
• Social Bullying
• Buying kid’s names as domains
• Go Daddy
• Domain Squatting

You can LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 25 HERE.

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads podcast, please don’t forget to tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed or via iTunes.  Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

This has been floating around Cyberspace a while I think, but it just landed on my radar and it is too good not to share with Team Dadomatic. Enjoy!

Dad Life from Church on the Move on Vimeo.

Kudos to the super creative team that wrote and produced the Dad Life song and video!  Go dads!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

I’m going to admit that I’m on the fence. With this ad for Huggies Diapers (click through if you can’t see it in your reader), the ad itself is a bit awkward (adult women making “oh he’s HOT” faces at toddlers – yes, it’s tongue in cheek), but I dunno. Diapers that look like jeans? If we’re going there, I want ones that look like studded leather pants. Or chinos. Or…

You?

In this show the Cast of Dads regroup to recap our respective Father’s Day activities, but as usual we can’t possibly stay focused on one topic.  Before long we jump from discussing a dad’s happiest day, to a day many dads fear: V-Day! (with “V” standing for Vasectomy!)  Want to know which of the Cast of Dads has already suffered through the “big snip”?  Listen on…

Topics discussed in this episode include:

• Camping without technology (as it should be)
• Florida Supercon & Troma Booth
• Father’s Day Scooter Ride
• Pikachu
• C.C.’s Father’s Day Gift
• The Difference between Mother’s Day & Father’s Day
• Shout out to gift giving @Caffinated_Mom
• The Big Snip
• When did you decide to get a vasectomy?
• Terminator Balls
• The new iPhone 4
• iOS4 is awesome
• Toy Story 3
• This is It
• Repopulating the world
• Paint as a present?
• Backyard Discovery Highlander
• American Baby Magazine promotion for Max’s wife
• Big Lebowski Parties
• Movie quotes
• Frozen Peas
• March Madness Vasectomy?

You can LISTEN TO CAST OF DADS EPISODE 24 HERE.

If you have been enjoying the Cast of Dads Podcast please tell your friends about the show and have them subscribe to either our direct feed orvia iTunes.  Also, please leave us a review in iTunes!

Cast of Dads is a group of podcasting and blogging dads who gather to gab about fatherhood. The cast of dads includes C.C. Chapman, Jeffrey Sass, Max Kalehoff, Michael Sheehan, and Brad Powell, who collectively represent 13 kids from the youngest of babies to full grown adults. Each of them brings a unique perspective to being a father.

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 21, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.

Photo Credit © Barry Barnes – Fotolia.com