Aaaah, the holiday season. It returns, bringing with it more joy, wonder and potential deathtraps than you can shake a pointy stick at. Third-degree burns from frying latkes. E. coli from contaminated romaine lettuce. That concealed carrying cousin from your mom’s side who always wants to pre-game a family gathering with the rallying cry, “Let’s pound some Fireball!” Don't forget those killer toys (literally "toys that kill"). You won’t thanks to World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc., which recently released its annual list of “10 Worst Toys.” While “worst” to most parents implies toys … [Read more...]
Hottest Toys, Games for Children this Holiday Season Revealed!
Toys, toys, toys! 'Tis the season to be buying them for children of all ages (yeah, that means mom and dad, too). But with so many things to choose online and on the shelves, what should a parent buy for his or her little one? Are electronic games really a good choice for wee ones? What else besides video games would interested my tween? Christopher Byrne, the content director for TTPM (stands for Toys, Tots, Pets and More -- formerly Time to Play Magazine) and author of the nostalgic look back at old-school fun, Toy Time!, joins us on the latest Modern Dads Podcast to tell us what the … [Read more...]
Free Toy Recycling Program Great Way to Keep Earth Green
Want to do something with your kids that's good for the environment? Recycle those broken toys. During the month of April, which is highlighted by Earth Day on the 22nd, you can fill a box with up to 10 pounds of headless dolls, busted Tonka trucks and the like cluttering up your home, and mail it in for recycling for free. The toy recycling program is a joint effort between natural personal care products maker Tom’s of Maine and international repurposing giant TerraCycle. It aims to significantly reduce the amount of toys that end up in landfills each year. “Knowing what to do with … [Read more...]
Melody Ellison: American Girl Enters the Civil Rights Movement
History has a song and sometimes it takes awhile for us to recognize its Melody. I’ve mentioned before that my mother integrated a school, and how I had the opportunity to visit the land that my ancestors worked as slaves, but those stories (and many others like them) can be difficult at times to convey to kids. Sometimes that history becomes unwieldy or difficult because it is so personal. Nonetheless they are crucial stories for us to learn, know, and pass on to the next generation. Sometimes that is done through personal stories, and sometimes that is done through fictional characters … [Read more...]
The Force Awakens in a New Generation
If you haven't introduced your kids to Star Wars yet, we're going to assume that it's only because he/she/they are still womb-bound. Or that you prefer Star Trek ... weirdo. Regardless, it seems that teaching your kids about The Force (not teaching them The Force but if you could that would be So. Freaking. AWESOME) has replaced buying them first baseball mitts or dance tutus as the essential rite of parenting passage for dads. So how best to do it? Chicago Dads Group member Ariel Isenberg writes lovingly about how he passed on his love of Luke, Yoda and the others to his boy and girl in … [Read more...]