Owner: The Busy Dad Blog URL:http://www.busydadblog.com Join Date: Thu, 13 Sep 2007 02:29:38 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: Lessons, tips and observations from a busy dad...
This is not a diary blog, nor is it an expert blog. Far from it. I consider it a random “dad” thoughts and best practices repository. Granted, it’s more “practice” than “best,” but my hope is that fello Site statistics:Click here
The Busy Dad Survival Kit - Part I 2007-09-12 00:09:50 Part 1 of 2...
You’ve read the books, you’ve scoured the internet, you’ve done all you can to ensure junior’s well-being for every contingency imaginable, from floods and famine to jellyfish stings. Almost there… keep the following arsenal on-hand to solidify your status as the family superhero.
Lessons my son has taught me 2007-09-08 01:58:43 Nothing like having a kid in the house to recalibrate your perspective on things… Read more:Lessons
How to make your kid a smartass 2007-09-06 22:49:22 Only a child could be so ingenious as to totally punk people using Roman numerals.
The proper way to stop a nosebleed 2007-09-05 02:05:38 A recent trip to Bass Pro Shops triggered nostalgia and a nosebleed. I indulged one and learned how to stop the other.
Teach this phrase 2007-09-01 01:54:45 The term "due diligence" deserves its place alongside "use your words," "what do you say?" and other go-to phrases in our parenting arsenal.
Not Your Father's "Dad" 2007-08-24 00:29:01 Just an introduction to my blog. Who I am and why I decided to document my life as a busy dad... Read more:Father
The best gadget you never needed 2007-09-28 02:05:45 Sometimes it's the random "huh?" gifts that turn out to be the items you can't live without. I now have a child tracking tool that Marcus actually likes (that's an understatement) to use.
The inevitable “my kid says the funniest things” posting 2007-09-25 23:07:02 I tried ... I’m sorry. In general, I try to weave stories about my son into something that reflects universal themes shared by our collective “Dad” consciousness. But less than a month in, I’ve succumbed. At least I’ve chosen just a few “best of” selections culled from 3 years of journals, random .txt files scattered on my desktop and note-to-self voice clips saved on multiple generations of peripheral devices. Read more:things
Respeqt my Intelleqt, Qid! 2007-09-21 07:39:04 My son outsmarts me. More than I’d like to admit. When Marcus strikes, it leaves this dad with no suitable recourse but to grumble incoherencies under his breath like a thwarted cartoon villain. But even Tom bests Jerry every once in a while.
Not-So-Easy Rider 2007-09-18 23:13:13 Marcus learns how to ride a bike and I got it on film. Truly one of the most satisfying moments (ok, so it took 2 days) in my life as a dad so far. Read more:Rider
The Busy Dad Survival Kit, Part II 2007-09-15 17:48:44 Part II. More Busy Dad essentials. Original intro:
You’ve read the books, you’ve scoured the internet, you’ve done all you can to ensure junior’s well-being for every contingency imaginable, from floods and famine to jellyfish stings. Almost there… keep the following arsenal on-hand to solidify your status as the family superhero.
You're Nobody 'Till Some Potty Loves You 2007-10-03 00:42:31 A friend of mine recently posted in my guestbook about potty tips. As I wrote him back, it surprised me how little I actually remembered about the whole experience. Even though Marcus has the basics down, my dad life still very much revolves around potty-related practices. So, before these are forever lost, I wanted to get them on paper. Read more:Nobody
Jacked O' Lantern 2007-10-10 19:30:09 I think I started a tradition that has potential to become a worldwide Halloween phenomenon for families with kids. It has all the makings of one: it’s low cost, fun for the kids, hands-on, and incorporates the true spirit of the holiday, which in this case means hacking stuff up with cutting implements. Remember folks, it’s not always about the candy. Read more:Lantern
"And We Like to Drink Our Milk From a Mason Jar..." 2007-10-05 01:27:44 There’s nothing like catching a live band in a rowdy bar. Bikers, beer and … kids? Yup, if my son gets picked up by the law on the day of his junior high graduation for starting a bar fight, I can look back on this day as the tipping point. Video clip. Read more:Drink
, Mason
The Practice Pumpkin Revisited 2007-10-19 00:41:07 I wanted to jump on here real quick to let all you parents know about a serendipitous discovery that came about as a result of initiating the "PracticePumpkin
" tradition last week. If you pre-empty a pumpkin and let it sit in the fridge hollow for a couple days, it softens up real nice. For those of you with young kids, this will make the carving process a lot easier. Even with kid-friendly tools, carving a fresh pumpkin requires the exertion of a lot of force at very unstable angles. By dry aging your pumpkin first, nobody loses an eye except for ol' Jack. How soft, how squishy, how Dahmer-esque... Read more:Revisited
The Busy Dad Confessional 2007-10-18 01:46:01 Being a kick-ass dad does not necessarily mean being a model parent. Maybe this is why generations before us never let dads do the child rearing. Well wake up people! It's a new age - one with better therapists and self-help websites ... just in case. Read more:Confessional
No time for a haircut? Have fun with it! 2007-10-16 23:37:22 We've been meaning to get Marcus' hair cut for about 3 weeks, but something always comes up. Rather than fret about the fact that he's begining to resemble one of the original Bad News Bears, I've learned to have fun with it. We've been playing "Elvis Hairdo," making faux hawks and doing it up Alfalfa style every night after his shower. Yesterday, I outdid myself. I had to show my newest creation: WOLVERINE!! Does this kick ass or what! Although Halloween night is already decided (we're going as Luke and Han Solo), he still has his kindergarten dress up during the day. I'm thinking a little biker jacket, some cardboard claws and boots would make for the baddest costume in school!
The Musical Misery Tour 2007-10-16 01:59:23 "Music hath charms to soothe a savage beast" but music lessons hath potential to thoroughly bore the average child. There's no doubt that music lessons can enhance a child's cognitive and creative abilities. Just make sure you don't drive the kid nuts with all that enhancing. Read more:Musical
, Misery
Guerrilla Counter-Whining Tactics 2007-10-23 00:56:02 Let’s get my disclaimer out of the way first. Whenever possible, I follow the accepted protocols of parenting. To borrow a term from the search engine optimization world, I do my best to keep it whitehat. Above the belt. Geneva Convention. But as every dad knows, these adversaries we call our children are a reckless bunch, often flagrantly disregarding our accepted rules of engagement. We don’t like to do it, but in the name of maintaining family sanity, we must occasionally don the ski masks, shed the dog tags and regulate. The following techniques are straight from my black book of parenting techniques, section C-47: Counter
-Whining Tactics. Warning: may cause post-traumatic guilt syndrome.
Like Taking Candy to a Daddy 2007-10-26 14:30:45 I really need to start playing Sodoku or something. Anything to kick-start the neurons in this once-glorious dad brain. For five years, I have been coasting on the assumption that I am too sharp to be intentionally duped by my kid. As my posts have demonstrated, I’ve been wrong. But yesterday, Marcus reached a new low (or high, depending on which side you’re on). He has now taken to brazenly rope-a-doping me. We’ve just finished dinner and it’s time to wind down for the night. Ten minutes playtime, shower, book, bed. For finishing all his veggies, I let him have a piece of candy from his candy jar. He finishes his candy, and I start looking for the timer to begin his 10 minutes. As I start getting up, he brings me a bag of sour gummy bears. Without a word, he carefully undoes the twisty and places the open bag in front of me. “Oh! I totally forgot I had these! And you even opened them for me!” I grab four and pop them into my mouth. I love sour gum Read more:Taking
, Candy
, Daddy
Meme in, Meme out 2007-10-26 02:24:50 Ah, the dreaded meme. I have to be honest and say that I liked this. Being tagged by a fellow blogger wasn't bad at all. If this were my gang, I got ‘beat in’ today. Now that Joeprah has vouched for me, any lame post I make from here on out will reflect badly on him. Hey, but that’s how it goes in the ‘sphere.
BusyDad Halloween Pics 2007-11-01 01:47:01 A fun time was had by all (well, maybe not the dog). Candy was plentiful and the weather was warm. The Force was with us.Was it worth buying all sorts of random stuff from eBay, Jo-Ann Fabrics, the Army Navy Store, Home Depot and Chick's Sporting Goods (a real police duty belt, an airline seatbelt belt, a kid's karate outfit, athletic tape, nylon webbing, spray paint etc.), discovering I can't sew worth a damn, and taking 2 hours off of work (which I just had to make up now from home after trick or treating) for just a few hours of dress up fun? HELL YEAH!! Read more:Halloween
Happy Halloween from the Galactic Empire 2007-10-31 00:40:45 For some mysterious reason, my street gets no Halloween
traffic. In the four years we have lived there, we have given out a total of maybe one handful of fun size Snickers. For this reason, I find it a shame that my pumpkin creations shine their lights for no one. This year, I would like to give them their turn in the spotlight. Indulge them please... Read more:Happy
, Galactic
, Empire
, Happy Halloween
Crossing Over 2007-10-29 10:15:46 How do you define a parent? Of course, there’s the biological way, but if our celebrity counterparts have taught us anything this year, a 40 lb. DNA match and Bugaboo stroller a true parent does not make. No, to be a real parent you need to get into character a tad more (ironic isn’t it?). How do you know when you’ve successfully crossed over and truly embraced the biggest role of your life? This is my list. Read more:Crossing
La Revolucion will be showing at 6:25 2007-11-05 10:25:11 It’s illegal to yell “Fire!” in a movie theater, but what about inciting a popular uprising? I guess that’s ok, because Amnesty International hasn’t added Marcus “Fury” Lin to their roster of political prisoners to campaign for. But I’m afraid this episode only inched my son another step closer toward a coveted spot on the CIA watch list for future political rabble rousers. Read more:Revolucion
Total Recall 2007-11-01 23:31:11 Consumer Product Safety Commission Recalls Toys. All of Them. WASHINGTON , Nov. 1 – Following the recent increase in toy and children’s product recalls stemming from lead-based paint, choking hazards and “those damn Chinese,” the US Consumer Product Safety Commission issued today a recall of every toy ever made. “We figured parents have better things to do with their day than to catalog every toy in the playroom and perform a match query against all the serial numbers we provide,” the agency said. “By simply recalling every toy ever made, we’re sending a message to parents that we care about their children’s safety, but recognize that they need to make dinner.” This “clean slate” recall is being touted by industry analysts as a move in the right direction. Similar strategies are being considered for the furniture and pharmaceutical industries to protect consumers from their growing tendency to not read instr Read more:Total
, Total Recall
Darwin Would be Proud 2007-11-08 18:49:50 On a recent car ride… Marcus: Dad? Me: Yeah? Marcus: Why are you socdej? Me: Huh? What’s sock dedge? Marcus: Why are you sojek? Me: Come again? So jacked? Marcus: Why. Are. You. SHOJEF! Me: What?? Wife: He’s asking, WHY ARE YOU SO DEAF? … because, dear family, the human body has the ability to adapt to its surroundings to survive in its environment. Read more:Darwin
, Proud
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