Everyone has a friend for whom they’re constantly making excuses.“He’s not normally like this” or “He’s cool once you get to know him” or “He’s got a weird sense of humor.”After a while, it becomes apparent that that’s an awful lot of caveats, and maybe it’s time for your pal to start taking some of the blame for his own bad behavior.Of late, that’s how I feel about my son.At first, if we were out and he started acting like a monster, I’d get embarrassed and quickly qualify his bad behavior:“He didn’t get his nap today.” “He’s teething.” “He’s hungry.” “He … [Read more...]
‘Gay NYC Dad’ Wins Coveted ‘Dad Blog of the Year’ Honor
Congratulations to NYC Dads Group member Mitch Chaitin for winning "Dad Blog of the Year" at the recent Iris Awards for his long-running Gay NYC Dad website.The Iris Awards recognize “the finest expressions in art, commentary, commerce, philanthropy, ideas and connections, all the while celebrating the emerging industry created by its pioneers and leaders,” according its website. Nominations and award winners are determined by votes received from past attendees of the Mom 2.0 Summit and Dad 2.0 Summit parenting conferences."It is a real honor to have people in the industry that you … [Read more...]
5 Reasons Your Family Needs to Attend New York Liberty Games
One of my favorite things to do with my daughter is to attend New York Liberty basketball games. If you haven't been to a game before or you missed the 2017 season opener, there's a lot of season left. If you need more persuading, here are five reasons why Liberty games are so awesome:
1. They play in The Garden Madison Square Garden is one of the best places in the country to watch a game. The energy of the fans. The history of the arena. Seriously, nothing beats it! 2. Family friendly and affordable "Affordable" and "New York City" are … [Read more...]NYC Dad Takes Rare Advantage of Japan’s Paternity Leave Policy
Editor's Note: NYC Dads Group member Toshiki Ono of Manhattan writes about doing what few fathers in his native Japan do because of cultural stigmas -- take family time under the country's extremely liberal family leave policy.I am originally from Japan, and since my wife is a graduate student in New York, I decided to take paternity leave for two years here to care for my baby son. Do Japanese businesspeople, especially dads, usually take paternity leave? Definitely NOT.In Japan, a national law allows employees to take parental leave with pay until their child turns 1 years old. The … [Read more...]
‘Fifth Trimester’ Author Advises Dads on Helping Working Spouses
How can dads best support their wives' decision to return to work after given birth?That's what Lauren Smith Brody, author of The Fifth Trimester: The Working Mom’s Guide to Style, Sanity, & Big Success After Baby, gives us the lowdown on in the latest edition of The Modern Dads Podcast.Brody's book is based on interviews and input from more than 700 moms who work in a wide variety of occupations as well as expert advice and real science. She defines the fourth trimester as those blurry days of handling a newborn and the fifth trimester as when the working mom is born.In … [Read more...]
Parent Train Keeps a-Rollin’ While Track Time Changes
My boys aren’t young anymore. Not everything they do is cute. They can be downright annoying, real p.i.t.a’s.If asked, I’m nearly certain they would say the same of me at times. They’re probably right too, but that’s another story.We have two tweens in our house. If a Geiger counter was set to detect eye rolls, annoyed sighs and sarcasm, it would explode as it passed by our house. (It also would explode if it was set to detect the use of the words "annoying," "shut up," "stupid," and idiot – the boys speak to each other like this all the time. It’s lovely, just lovely. Let me tell … [Read more...]
Fodada ‘Fun-Raising’ Idea Gets Families Playing, Helping
Active dads always want to spend more time with their kids, right? Here's an idea on how to do that while also helping a child in need.Nonprofit clothing company Fodada, which uses its revenues to assist programs that foster relationships between father figures and their children, is backing a "fun-raising" program to help kids needing financial assistance to pursue extracurricular activities.Here's how it works: Families select a child seeking a "scholarship" to pay for music lessons. sports equipment or such; they then create a fun activity to do with their kids; finally, they ask … [Read more...]
Quenching Daughter’s Thirst Raises Dad’s Worries
It was 5:15 a.m. when the call came over the baby monitor."DADDY!!!"I shot up, grabbed my glasses, checked the time and raced into Olivia's bedroom. On the way my mind began running through the possible scenarios I was about to encounter: Was the air conditioner making it too cold in her room? Had she wet the bed? Did I need to open our front door to let in the next guest on her highly successful late-night podcast, I'm Not Tired?"I need cold water," she exclaimed under the dual humming of the AC unit and her white noise machine. Both were working hard to preserve her cocoon of … [Read more...]
New York Baby Show Returning May 20-21 to Pier 94
Whether it's your first or fifth child on the way, you will find something new to learn or buy at the annual New York Baby Show, returning to Pier 94 (52nd and West Side Highway) in Manhattan on the weekend of May 20 and 21.And NYC Dads Group members can receive half-off on buying tickets!The show offers a fun, informative and family-friendly day of shopping, learning and bonding to help expectant and new parents from NYC and the Tri-State Area make their way from pregnancy into parenthood. Hundreds of exhibitors and many guest speakers will be present to help you get the low-down on … [Read more...]
‘ZagZig Parenting’ When Mom, Dad Switch Traditional Family Roles
Joining us for a talk about gender role reversal in parenting as the Modern Dads Podcast interviews Kori Reed and Mike Becker, the husband and wife team who have written ZagZig Parenting: (Mis)Adventures of a Career-Driven Mom and a Stay-at-Home Dad.ZagZig Parenting takes readers along for the journey as a thoroughly contemporary married couple switch traditional parenting roles with her being the bread-winners and him being the caretaker of children. They share their differences, struggles, mistakes and failures -- all with a comic touch -- in ZagZig. They even include let their children … [Read more...]