It happened when we were standing in line to see Pee-wee Herman. My mother-in-law’s Christmas present to us was VIP tickets to Pee-wee’s Big Adventure on its 35th anniversary plus a photo opportunity with Paul Reubens at Atlanta’s Tabernacle. That's when the push notifications started: Fulton County schools, cancelled; the NCAA basketball tournament (that was to be played a few blocks from where we stood), not happening; Disneyland closed for the fourth time in 65 years; major league soccer, baseball, basketball, all done because of the coronavirus outbreak in our nation. It was time to … [Read more...]
Chaos and Creation: Becoming a Father During a Snowstorm
Jerusalem’s snowstorm of the century began with a toast. My mother-in-law, Jean, was visiting us, and I had bought a bottle of her favorite local wine and a bouquet of flowers to mark the occasion. As Jean and I partook a second glass of a delicious pinot noir, my wife, Debbie, was hit by a pint-sized rocket. “It’s OK," she said. "The contractions are far ... ahh!” Our unborn daughter's hand had left a deep imprint on Debbie’s belly. In the seconds following that monster contraction Jean moved with all the swiftness of a cheetah. She called for a taxi, packed up Debbie’s hospital … [Read more...]
Raising a Daughter Special Challenge for Divorced Dad
Editor’s Note: Orlando Dads Group co-organizer Flor Mercado spoke at the recent Dad 2.0 Summit as a featured “Spotlight” reader. He read this piece advising divorced/single fathers raising children, especially daughters, to the audience in Washington, D.C. A version of this piece first appeared on his website Dad Style 99. Getting divorced is something no one plans on when they get married. Having a child in that marriage adds a whole different level of challenges. This is a difficult step for either parent to go through. All you can do is hope to have a civil, respectful relationship … [Read more...]
Be Nice, Kids. Better Yet, Be the Things You Want in Others
Hey, my teenage sons -- and friendly others -- you might remember that I’ve been offering advice to you -- my boys, not the others -- instead of talking about what you're up to as I did for so many years. Honestly, I thought it would be easy to give advice and drop wisdom bombs. You know what? It ain’t. Before I get started, though, let me tell you a quick story. Since right around the time you boys were born, 15 or so years ago, this same guy in the deli at our local grocery store has been slicing our ham and salami and bagging up fried chicken for us. His name is Neil, and he recently … [Read more...]
Guide to Being a Work-at-Home Parent During Coronavirus Closures
There’s no getting around it: Coronavirus (COVID-19) closures mean you’re going to be home for the foreseeable future. So are your children. They're fortunate that they probably don’t have to attend a video call-in for their class’ presentation on the War of 1812. You -- a working parent -- are not so lucky at your job. What do you do when you have to be a parent and employee at the same time? Here are some suggestions to help the growing number of work-at-home moms and dads new to this dual role conquer the day: First, talk about why everyone is home And by talk, I mean listen. … [Read more...]
Explain Religions of World to Children with This Book
“How did you explain people’s different religions to your kids?” a fellow dad asked me recently. Short answer: I didn’t. But my children and I learned together by reading Mary Pope Osborne’s One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship. You and your little ones may already be familiar with her work because Osborne is the author of the Magic Tree House series. One World, Many Religions is written for grades 4 and up, and it introduces the seven major religions of the world: Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. Throughout the book, Osborne’s tone is … [Read more...]
St. Patrick’s Day Dad Jokes for Kids that Irish I Had Written
St. Patrick's Day dad jokes for kids: You'd think a father with my name would have a slew of riddles, puns and other Irish jokes for his children that deal with this holiday? Well, I do ... even though my Irish lineage has long been in doubt. But that's what the internet is for. So if you've enjoyed our previous holiday-theme dad jokes for children, then these gags about leprechauns, shamrocks and all things green will have you and your kids Dublin over with laughter. Erin go braugh, everyone! Best/worst St. Patrick Day's dad jokes for kids Q: What’s Irish and stays outside your house … [Read more...]
Ross Feldman Finding Ways Charlotte Dads Can Have Fun, Network
EDITOR’S NOTE: Our ongoing feature series this week features Charlotte Dads Group co-organizer Ross Feldman, a married father of a 6-year-old son. He helps host the group's fatherhood podcast -- the appropriately named Charlotte Dads Group Podcast. City Dads Group: How long have you been a member of the Charlotte Dads group? Ross Feldman: Five years, since 2015. What motivated you to join the group's leadership? I like to support organizations that align with my personality and beliefs. My dad was a working, but active, dad and I want to be one as well. I like to have a community … [Read more...]
Parenting Siblings Requires ‘Special’ Fair, Equitable Strategy
When you have multiple children, you quickly realize parenting siblings individually to a collective audience is one of the most challenging issues you face. Each child is different and requires different types of attention, different resources and different parenting styles for maximum effectiveness. Even when you give it your best to be fair and equitable in parenting these different individuals, you realize that at times you simply come up short. How often do your kids hit you with, “You let the other one do it!” or the classic, “That's not fair!”? If you're like me, these … [Read more...]
Babysitting Little Brothers: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
My 5-year-old stares at me, not really comprehending what this means. Unless it’s candy or a shot to my balls, he doesn’t have much use for it. But my 11-year-old son, he knows exactly what it means and his face falls. “Dad …” he begins. “No,” I say. “Don’t dad me. Don’t even begin to think I’m changing this. Your mom and I are going to see a movie and your sister is babysitting.” “But …” “No buts.” He looks at me hard, and his lips go tight. But then he accepts it. My wife looks wonderful today. She smiles in a way that she did before we had children. It’s more carefree, … [Read more...]
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