My dad ran up and down the sidelines cheering me on and yelling at the top of his lungs. Â He didn’t know much of anything about soccer, but that didn’t stop him from being my fan. Â That taught me a valuable lesson, which I am using today. I have never been a basketball fan. Â High …
Continue reading My NBA Education, or, What I Learned From My 12-Year OldDad
Dropping a cross post from my Dad the Single Guy blog because I think this audience would have some thoughts on this too: I’ve never been one (or at least I hope I have not been one) to look for help unless I am truly out of options and just can’t figure out a problem …
Continue reading Looking Inward for SolutionsAs parents our world changes the moment our kids begin to speak.  As those words begin to spout forth not so trippingly from the spittle laden tongues of our young ones we can sense the beginning of the end… the end of quiet, that is… and the beginning of a new level of communication between parent …
Continue reading You’re the Parent – Take the High Road!
This is cross posted from my Single Dad blog, but I think its relevant for the Dad-O-Matic audience too. I had an exchange with 10.5 today (through a closed bathroom door might I add) that made me chuckle slightly, and appreciate the differences of the changed world in which we live. Â And in this case, …
Continue reading Perspectives Are Shaped By Our WorldRecently I spent a Sunday afternoon replacing the insides of one of the toilets in the house. It was finally time because I couldn’t tighten things anymore to stop it from leaking, as the hard water had taken its toll on the seals. So I set about my business. As is sometimes the case, it …
Continue reading Changing your toilet and other dad duties
Just a word of warning to regular readers-this post will likely get more than a little sappy, and I can not guarantee the readability. Since the beginning of last summer, I’ve been trying to instill a sense of extended family in my girls.  To let them know that while we see each other all the time, grandma …
Continue reading The Extended Family Plan
Cross posted from my social media blog-its a relevant discussion for this audience too. As the parent of one tween (10.5 who will be 11 in two months) and an 8.5 who wants to do what her big sister does – social networks like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc., are sources of big concern for me …
Continue reading (My) Tween(s) and Social Networking
This is cross-posted from Dad The Single Guy because I think the audience here will have a different take on this one: While it sounds simple, for the last 18 months or so I’ve tried to focus on getting day-to-day for me and the girls, and along the way doing the best I can to …
Continue reading Making Today A Better Day Than YesterdayIt’s Masters Thursday and that means it’s the day I miss my father more than any other day of the year. More than his birthday (and more than mine). More than the day he died 10 years ago (how can it be 10 years?!?) You see…my dad loved golf. Loved to play it. Loved to …
Continue reading Masters Thursday is When I Miss My Dad the MostFor the last two years (maybe even longer) and ongoing struggle in my house is getting the girls (both of them) to do their chores. Â I don’t think I have given them a huge burden to take on-washing dishes, vacuuming once/week, cleaning rooms, putting laundry away and taking out the garbage (nightly). Â There are two, …
Continue reading When Chores are Done, But They Aren’t ChoresToday was one of those days. Â I needed everything to line up just right, and for the most part it did, but there were some very tense moments where it looked like the daily pyramid was going to crumble. I probably missed the early sign. Â I had to catch a train this morning no later …
Continue reading The Fragile PyramidIts great to be able to contribute to this blog and perhaps find others who are trying to take on life’s challenges one day at a time, and in some cases one crisis at a time. By way of introduction, I am a recently widowed father of two girls. Â There’s tons of background about it …
Continue reading Life’s Journey, One Day At A Time“Instead of enjoying her company over the holiday weekend, I’ll be waving good-bye to her as my mother takes her to California for a dance competition.” A Dad carves a moment out of his morning to spend some time with his busy girl.
Continue reading Loving the Little MomentsIt is Father’s Day, and if you’ve been lazy, busy, or just procrastinating way too long I have good news for you. There is still plenty of time to give the best Father’s Day Gift ever, and here’s how: If you are in the same city, go see your dad. Give him a hug – …
Continue reading The Absolute BEST Last Minute Father’s Day Gift!Everyone loves a gift that keeps on giving…something that will be used frequently and thus serve as a lasting reminder of the occasion and the gift giver.  The best way to find a perpetual gift for dad is to take a look at things that are part of his everyday routine.  Get dad a gift he will …
Continue reading A Routine Gift For Father’s Day…Before becoming a dad I had no idea how many forms of hugs there are. I think perhaps we need to do something like what the Eskimos do in Alaska with all the words for snow.
I thought I might take a little time today to talk about all the types of hugs there are.
NOTE: I write all these descriptions from the dad’s perspective but they also apply to moms.
Children:
Daddy’s Home – This is a personal favorite of dads. It only occurs at the end of a long day or when you return from a trip. The excitement and joy embraced in this hug often “quite literally†knocks one off there feet.
I’m sad daddy – There are times that nothing can cure the “sad†but a hug sure comes close. Sad hugs are generally full hugs with constant pressure but don’t contain the excitement that might be experienced in other hugs. The sad hug is honestly as much for the daddy as it is for the child because it gives the daddy something he can “do†to help in the situation.
Continue reading Where is my Hug?Last month I told you about a project I had started back in November called the DADvocate project. The project has been rolling along and today I am launching the new DADvocate web site. I’m very excited to announce the new site as I’ve been working on it for over a month and I guess …
Continue reading The New DADvocate Project Web Site
I don’t talk about my dad too often, actually this is my first post where I’m acknowledging him. Unfortunately he has had sever depression for the last 10 -15 years and he hasn’t dealt with it. Three months ago after my son was born it finally got in the way of our relationship and we are not currently speaking. This hurts me and is not really by my choice but it is what it is and it does not take away from the fact the my father was a great dad while we were growing up. He was a doctor and he was busy, but he was there for us and present when he was with us. I never felt neglected and I loved, and love him very much.
Continue reading I’m a dork just like my dadDADvocate – Internet Discussions from Kevin Metzger on Vimeo. This is a video interview with Security Expert Ben Halpert. Ben has two daughters and a son on the way. When his first daughter was born he began thinking about the security risks for being on line with children and how and when that conversation should …
Continue reading Savvy Cyber Kids – An Interviewwant to be a full time dad through the thick and thin, through the love and hate, the good times and bad. Don’t mistake me: there will probably be times where I truly will hate my children and question what demon-spawn I have birthed. Sure as I am writing this I have felt that same way for my parents at times. I know that regardless of what issue lies in front of us I will love and adore my children always and hold them above anyone else. That is what my parents do and have done.
Continue reading Thoughts From A Future DadHeritage is a powerful word. In its truest sense it implies all the things we are made of and all the things that make us who we are. Family heritage is deeper than DNA, and thicker than blood. Our heritage is built upon people and personalities, characters and culture, history and hysteria, stories and legends, …
Continue reading A Family Defined (In High Definition)It’s that time of year again. It’s time to sort the CDs. Oh, I’m sure you’re thinking “Why don’t you just keep them in order as you use them?†and normally I would agree with you. After all, that’s how I use them. But I live with children. Four of them to be exact. And …
Continue reading Daddy’s Music HelpersThe ten most important things divorced fathers should realize as they transition parentally from “Husband and Father” to “One-and-Only Dad”…
Continue reading Top Ten Things Divorced Dads Need to KnowAs a dad myself, Father’s Day is always a double whammy – I get to honor my own dad, and all he has meant to me, and I get to be honored by my own kids and take some special time with them to reflect on what it means to be a father. We learn …
Continue reading Giving And Receiving On Father’s Day!I’m all for positive nuclear family images in kid films, even the “hit-you-over-the head-with-a-mallet” kind (see: Spy Kids). What makes me uncomfortable is when divorce is superfluously depicted to kids as the end of the world. The obvious inference to real-life children of divorce (of which there are roughly one million a year): Your family is broken. Happy ending for us; stinks to be you.
Continue reading Why Must Kid Films Demonize Divorce?It’s Mother’s Day, so naturally that would have to be the topic for my weekly visit to Dad-O-Matic. As a Dad, I thought long and hard and realized that I wouldn’t be a Dad if not for two very important Mothers… My Mom, and the Mother of my three wonderful kids! So, in tribute to …
Continue reading Without Moms There Wouldn’t Be Dads!No, I am NOT talking about Kentucky Fried Chicken!  Instead of poultry I am here to talk about dentistry!  At South By Southwest last week (SXSW for those who prefer acronyms) I was talking with Dad-O-Matic founder Chris Brogan and he mentioned that he was having trouble getting his young son to embrace the concept …
Continue reading Finger Licking Good!As I walked out of the gym this morning, I passed a woman walking 15-20 feet in front of her toddler. He was young, probably 2 1/2 at most. He had a pacifier in his mouth and he was happily distracted by some flowers. The Mother turned and said: “Hurry up! Your going to make …
Continue reading I'm Talking To MyselfI had one of those conversations today that not only gives me something to blog about Dad but to also raise a question for the readers. I went with Sharon to the Family care clinic to get Harry ( now 1month old ) weighed and checked up and generally assessed for health. I was not …
Continue reading A Duty and Responsibility.I was helping my father to get online just a few days ago – I helped him buy a wireless USB adaptor, so that he could share his neighbour’s wireless wi-fi signal (with her full permission, I should say). However, I’d forgotten just how much of a pain it was to install a new device. …
Continue reading Why can't my Father get farther online?