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Chris Bernholdt - Philly Dads Group

Chris Bernholdt of Philly Dads Group, a former public school art teacher, has been a stay-at-home dad since 2008. A father of three, Chris writes about his adventures as a stay-at-home dad at DadNCharge and is also on Twitter as @DadNCharge. His writing has been featured on CNN iReport, The Good Men Project and he is a contributor to the website, Life of Dad. He is also the blog editor for the National At-Home Dad Network. He lives with his wife Susie and their children in a suburb of Philadelphia.

Parenting Isn’t Perfection, Failure Isn’t Worthy of Praise

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Does hearing how others fail miserably really make us feel better about our faults or is this like a scene out of Jaws where we all compare our scars to see who has the biggest one of all? 

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Every day we fail at parenting in some way.It's not mommy brain. It's not because we are the doofus dad. Here's an awful truth we must all face: We are human and we are going to make a ton of mistakes. Parenting is hard.I recently sat in a meeting with other parents, mostly moms, quietly listening to them tear themselves down. They seemed to think that … [Read more...]

Filed Under: parenting advice, work-life balance Tagged With:

8 Christmas Traditions We’ll Skip This Year

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1. Giving Santa All The CreditMy wife and I bust our collective asses providing for the children and making sure they have everything they need. When December 25 rolls around, I don't want the fat guy in red stealing our thunder. We still talk about Santa and I play the game every time they say something like "How does Santa deliver all those toys around the world in ONE NIGHT?" or "How does Santa fit down our tiny chimney?"Santa gives our kids toothbrushes and underwear, not the big-ass Lego set. Kids, this gift was made possible by a Danish factory and mommy's hard work. Remember … [Read more...]

Filed Under: holidays, humor Tagged With:

Play Date Tips, Etiquette for Dads

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1. Don't take offense You're a dude. Most of the play date parents you will deal with, especially if you are a stay-at-home dad, will be moms. They may feel weird about dropping their kid off at your house for two hours when they hardly know you. Not to mention that you may or may not be a gigantic scary looking human being to their small child. It's all about comfort levels. 2. Keep it neutral Choosing your house for the "first date" is going way too fast. Meet up somewhere public like a playground so if it doesn't go well there is no pressure to reciprocate. 3. Set a time limit Standard … [Read more...]

Filed Under: at-home parenting, play

Raising Daughters Without Threatening Their Dates

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I grew up in a house full of boys. We had black eyes and broken windows, a garage overflowing with every sports-related implement and a fridge needing constant stocking constantly as our bodies grew and our appetites remained ravenous.When I became a father for the first time I was somewhat relieved my first child was a boy. It was what I was used to and comfortable with and I knew my knowledge of what it takes to become a man would come in handy.When my first daughter arrived, I was more scared. Raising daughters was an unknown for me. I laugh now at the old me who thought it would be … [Read more...]

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12 Life Lessons Learned from My Father

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Dad lessons -- they special things that fathers pass on to sons. Here's an even dozen I've learned over the years.1. Love your family with all your heart and soul because they are the only ones you get in life and life is fleeting so enjoy every moment.2. Life is better when you carry around a balled up paper towel in your hand because you never know when you are going to need one.3. Toothpicks should be carried with you at all times.4. “The trip is not over until you have unpacked.”5. There is no such thing as “too much” outdoor illumination when it comes to Christmas … [Read more...]

Filed Under: education, holidays, parenting advice Tagged With: ,