Fun Dad

Spring is almost here!

2009-03-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

It's true! Gone will be the days of coldness and cabin fever. It's time to get outside and enjoy some time with the family outdoors.

My family and I have already started taking walks together, going to the park, and playing in the yard. This weekend was one of the first beautiful Sundays all winter. My wife and I thought it would be a great idea to take the kids to the park. As we enter the park, we realized we were not the only ones that had this idea. IT WAS PACKED! I have never seen so many people in the park at once. Truthfully, there had to be 10 times the number of people that are usually there.

The playground had so many kids in it, my wife and I had to split up to watch both of our boys. We've never had to do that before. Usually we find a bench to sit on near the entrance to the playground. This time there had to be 100 parents there, so good luck finding a seat!

We let the kids play for a few hours the took a quick walk around the park. Then I had the great idea to have an early supper (4pm) at the Friendly's down the road. Once again, so didn't every other parent apparently!

Friendly's was just as packed as the park. Once we finally got seated, we found out from the waitress that we were at least the 10th family to tell her we just came from the park.

Over all, it was a GREAT day, even with the crowds. This was definitely a great way to welcome Spring and warm weather.

Idea: Sledding

2008-12-23T15:29:00.000-08:00

If you live in an area that receives copious amounts of snow, you are in luck! There is no better activity to let kids burn some energy than sledding.

The other day we received 12 inches of snow up here in New England. My children were very excited as it was the first snow of the season. Once the snow tapered down and the roads were safe, we took a short trip to the city park and tackled some major hills. This is the most energy my kids were able to burn since the fall ended. Needless to say they slept well that night.

It was the first time my younger son went sledding. He was timid at first, but after a few hills, he could not get enough. Now he continues to ask me daily to go again.

There are other fun activities to do outside when there is snow on the ground:

Snowboarding
Build a snowman
Snowball fight
Build a snow-fort
Let them help shovel
Snow-angels

Now obviously this all depends on the consistency of the snow and the amount that has fallen. Given the right conditions, you can enjoy days of fun outside during the winter!

Preparing for a Road Trip

2008-12-17T18:23:00.001-08:00

My family and I are heading to Ohio immediately after Christmas. The drive usually takes us 12 hours. That's not too bad until you take into consideration we have 3 young children. Since this is not our first trip there, we are a little prepared.

Here is our advice:

Bring portable DVD players: we do not believe in letting our children watch television all the time, but for the sake of our own sanity, portable DVD players are a must. We save DVDs we purchased the kids have not seen yet for the road trips. The only problem we have with portable DVD players is they seem to only last a year before the laser dies (which you can repair, but it costs more money than just buying a new one). The most recent one we bought was a 9" screen with two wireless headsets. That worked well since both our boys wanted to watch a show and we do not have to worry about tangled wires. On Amazon.com there is even a portable LCD screen that has a port for a Wii.

Pack snacks and meals. In an effort to save drive time, we pack snacks and meals for the whole family. Bring a small cooler full of juice packs, sodas, sandwiches, crackers, cookies, and anything else your family enjoys. This way, when you stop for bathroom breaks you are not tempted to buy junk food at the convenience store or burgers at McDonald's, saving money and eating healthier.

Take along crayons and coloring books. These distract the kids for usually no more that 20 minutes at a time. We tend to toggle back and forth between coloring and movies. Just make sure you take the crayons back when the kids get tired of coloring. Some cars have heaters on the floor. If a crayon gets dropped on a vent, it can melt and cause all sorts of headaches trying to clean it.

Do not take the toll roads. One thing my wife and I have learned is that it does not take much longer to drive on alternate routes and you can save a ton of money. You do not pay all the tolls. Gas stations on toll highways are always more expensive. If you want to take a longer break and maybe enjoy a hot meal, you can easily find a restaurant. When driving in bad weather, it is sometimes safer to stop and stay overnight in a hotel. This is easier when on the 'back roads'.

Buy a GPS device. Sort of self explanatory. Road construction happens. Traffic gets re-routed. You get lost! Not anymore. Its kind of like fighting back against a 'Catch 22'.

Bring enough music for you and your spouse to enjoy for the entire trip (or get a Sirius radio unit). Drive far enough and you can find and lose dozens of radio stations. This can be annoying. Nip this in the bud by bringing your own music. If you and your spouse like different music, you can alternate genres every hour or so. Very relaxing.

Enjoy the experience! Think of it like this Buddhist quote states: "Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

Idea: Keeping Kids Active During the Winter

2008-12-11T23:12:00.000-08:00

For the past two weeks, my older son has been misbehaving at school. He even got sent to the principal's office, which is unheard of. My wife and I could not think of any reason he was behaving this way. That is, until a friend of ours made a suggestion.

He said maybe it is because he is not active any more and he has 'unused' energy. That got us thinking. The last time he played a sport was in October with soccer. The last time he played outside was before Thanksgiving at the park. Now that it is cold out, we stay cooped up inside. Maybe our friend is on to something!

As I am writing this, I have not yet done any physical activities with my son, but I do have a few ideas:

Ice skating
Rock-wall climbing (local place)
Martial arts
Roller skating/blading
Hiking/letterboxing

I look forward to these activities this winter. I am going to start with hiking and letterboxing, since it is still nice enough outside to enjoy a short hike.

If you have never heard of letterboxing, it is an old 'treasure hunt' activity. People post hidden letterboxes in random places that you have to find and stamp. Check it out at the official letterboxing site : http://www.letterboxing.org/. Its something I have wanted to try for a little while now.

Next, I'll switch to the indoor activities. My second priority to have my son try martial arts. He will burn energy, learn to defend himself, and learn better discipline. There are numerous places locally, so it should be no problem finding one that fits our schedule.

If anyone has any suggestions as to which form of martial arts is best for 6-8 year olds, please add a comment and let me know what you think. I have never taken any form of martial arts, so it is Greek to me.

Top Frugal Gifts for Dad

2008-12-09T15:28:00.000-08:00

The economy is affecting the way we all buy gifts this holiday season. Budgets are getting tightened like never before seen. Most dads are like me and do not want a gift, like usual. The problem is most wives are like mine and insist on still buying gifts.

If you must buy a gift for that special Dad, here are my choices:

1. A new cell phone

Most cell phone companies offer large discounts to subscribers to upgrade their current phone. Instead of paying $100+, you may be able to get dad a new Blackberry. Avoid phones with full keyboards as most guys do not text and do not have fingers small enough to use the keyboard. Also avoid flip phones as most men will break these quickly (I've gone through three flip-phones in the past two years).

2. Cigar of the month membership

This is the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Instead of buying dad a humidor this holiday season, get him a subscription to a cigar of the month club. He will enjoy the variety throughout the year. Plus, you do not have to worry about selecting a good cigar; that job is taken care of for you. Check out www.cigarmonthclub.com.

3. Wii zapper/blaster/light gun

If the dad you are buying for is into video games and already has a Wii, the variety of attachments available are almost endless. You can purchase one for around $20 online. There are so many varieties available right now. I will have an entire post on the brackets available very soon.

4. Golf lessons

Most driving ranges are closed, but the pro shop is usually open all year. Take advantage of this and buy your guy a few lessons. Even one lesson will improve his game. He will be very appreciative (to my wife: hint, hint).

5. Gift certificates

I don't mean the usual gift certificates to Applebee's or Target. Most dads would love a Dunkin Donuts gift certificate. Another great gift certificate would be for an oil change at the local garage.

Please feel free to provide feedback on what you think good frugal gifts for dads are.

Living with Diabetes

2008-12-07T15:00:00.000-08:00

The night before my older son's birthday (and birthday party), he spent the whole night waking up to pee and to drink water. He woke up early in the morning and threw up. Being the independent young man he is, he just grabbed a towel and cleaned it up, then went back to bed. When I went to wake him up later on in the morning, he was extremely lethargic, pale, and had a fever.

My wife and I were so worried, we decided to cancel his party and take him to the hospital immediately. I stayed home with my younger son and she went to the urgent care with him. She called me an hour later to tell me our suspicions were correct: he had diabetes.

We did not know a thing about diabetes, and we were very scared. Was this a terminal disease? Would he ever be the same happy little boy he was a few days ago? We needed help.

He spent a week at the children's hospital. While he was recovering, the doctors and nurses educated us better than my highest expectations. They taught us about insulin, the pancreas, blood glucose levels, injections, symptoms of highs or lows, and many more pearls of wisdom.

My son got better during that week. Over the next two months we learned to manage his blood glucose. The first few days after he came home were the toughest. He was still scared of shots, and it did not make it easy to give him four shots a day. I had to hold him down while my wife gave him the injections the first day. At breakfast on the second day, instead of holding him down I told him, "Daddy doesn't have to hold you if you sit still. You can do it like a big boy all by your self. Just don't move." Surprisingly, that worked. From that point on he sat still and by the third day he wasn't even flinching for his shots.

It has been almost a year since he was diagnosed. Everything is going great. He's learned to test his own blood sugar. He has no problems at school to get help from the school nurse. We even have an appointment to get him on a pump so he doesn't need to have four shots a day.

For his upcoming birthday, my wife and I are planning a big party. We are going to rent out a roller skating hall and let him invite all his friends. He deserves it.

Kids: The Computer Gurus

2008-12-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Learning how to use the computer seems to be second nature to kids lately. My kids turn the computer on, log in, and open up programs using the mouse without a single question for Mom or Dad.

That's unbelievable! I remember when I was a cable-guy, I did an install at a college professor's house. Once I finished the install, I asked her if she needed me to show her how to get online. She said she did need help. I already had the computer on, so I showed her how to open Internet Explorer and surf the net. When we were done, she asked me to show her how to shut down the computer. I showed her where "Start" was, and how to log off. The computer shut off. Then she dropped the bombshell of a question: "So do I click on 'Start' again to turn it on?" I'm not kidding people.

So the point of the story is that you do not need to show children how to use the computer, you have to supervise them while on it. Kids are not afraid to click on every icon they see like many adults are. They do not carry the burden of paying to fix the computer when they break it. They do not worry about viruses, spyware, and malware taking screen shots and stealing your passwords. For that reason, you have to direct them to websites that are safe for them (and you).

Check out Nick kids games at www.nick.com. Nickelodeon does a great job providing age-appropriate games mostly for children 4 and up. They update the site with new games frequently, too.

Another is www.thomasandfriends.com. It has many activities for toddlers. You can also print out coloring pages for free. Another plus from this site is you can also access websites for the other HIT Entertainment shows like: Barney, Bob The Builder, and more.

Idea: Home brewing Beer Together

2008-12-04T17:30:00.000-08:00

How many people know how beer is made? Wouldn't it be amazing to have your own children to know the process? Making your own beer is a great hobby alone, but involving your children turns it into a great bonding moment.

Now I'm not pushing alcohol consumption to minors, don't misunderstand me. Home brewing makes for a great lesson to kids. It is a science project and teaches kids how to follow instructions for specific results.

You can purchase a starter kit for around $200. One batch makes about 8-six packs of your beer of choice, for about $30.

I let my son help me out with every task that did not involve boiling water/wert or something involving exact measurements. He had such a great time helping his Daddy with this project. His eyes were wide open the entire time. He took in every part of the experience as something special he'll never forget.

It takes about two months for the beer to ferment, so that is where the patience comes in. Unfortunately I'm the only one that gets the final satisfaction of drinking the beer we made. I can see a special moment on both of my boy's 21st birthdays drinking their homemade beer. I can't wait.

Skiing or Snowboarding?

2008-12-03T18:51:00.000-08:00

Which one do you prefer? Think about the perfect father-son day. Neither the father or the son know how to ski or snowboard. Which is the better one to try?

Let me know and I'll provide a complete post on our trip!

Idea: Walk the kids to school

2008-12-03T17:08:00.000-08:00

Walking my son to school is one of my favorite father/son times. Its beneficial in that we get our exercise and talk to each other, just he and I. I realized after the first time I walked him what a great opportunity it was.

I like to reinforce the importance of good behavior at school during our walk. Using the moments before school begins to remind him to be aware of his manners is a big plus. Stressing good behavior at the dinner table or at bed time seems to be forgotten overnight. He is a very well behaved young man, but it never hurts to remind him to be good.

He likes to ask me questions. Random questions. Like: "When I get big like you, will I be a Dad?", "When are we going to get a puppy", "How can Santa see everything?", etc. These are the types of questions I love to hear and love to answer even more.

Another "plus" to our walks to and from school is that he remembers the way back home. Eventually he will be walking to school on his own, and I'll have the confidence to allow him (not any time soon, though!). By the time he gets his license he will be able to navigate around the city in which he grew up. He is learning how to navigate at a young age. He could easily point out his left and right, but now we're working on recognizing North, South, East, and West.

Who would have thought something as simple as walking your child to school would be worth so much? I recommend to every parent to take advantage of this brief opportunity in the life of our children. Children open up more during one-on-one moments and ask questions they normally do not bother asking.

Top 10 toys for Christmas 2008

2008-12-02T07:05:00.001-08:00

So my children put their Christmas lists together and my wife and I went out shopping. Based on our observations, here are my top 10 Christmas gifts for 2008:

#10: mp3 players

They are on sale everywhere. My older son, at 6 years old, wants one badly. My wife and I figure he doesn't need an iPod so we got him this one at Toys 'R Us for $15 (but now sadly is $29):

#9: Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Kitchen

This is a great gift for little girls ages 6-36 months (Amazon.com states the toy is for 3 years + but trust me, per the manufacturer, it is 6-36 months). The set plays 21 songs in all, mixing some of the old nursery rhymes with newer children songs. Both sides of the toy kitchen are loaded with activities for kids to enjoy. My wife insisted we get one for our daughter, and was absolutely ecstatic when we found out it was the last one in the toy store.

#8: Vtech Kiddizoom Digital Camera

For the second year in a row, this camera is one of the hottest Christmas toys. We bought one for our oldest last year and he loved it. Even though it takes really low quality pictures (but what do you expect), the camera comes loaded with extras like: games, adding things like pig noses and devil horns to photos, an SD card slot, and connector cables for television hookup.

There are a few different colors available: yellow, blue, and pink.

#7: Nerf N-Strike Vulcan EBF-25 Blaster

Ok, maybe this should be at the #1 spot (if it were my Christmas list!)... it is a fully-automatic belt fed nerf-dart gun, that comes with a tripod. Get one for every boy in the world! I got vetoed on this one, but my older son's birthday is in February, so....we'll be blasting away in a few months time. For those of you that do get one for your children: I envy you.

#6: Leapfrog Tag Reading System

This is my wife's personal favorite. She has wanted to buy this for a few months now, but I insisted we wait for Christmas. I have to admit, it is a great toy. My oldest does have trouble reading certain words (he's in 1st grade). We read with him often, but when he reads by himself, he skips words he cannot sound out. This toy will allow him to learn new words whenever he has the urge to read. It is going to be a joint gift for both my sons, as my younger son is two years old but is certainly ready to begin reading.

#5: Erector sets (yes, erector sets!)

Erector sets have been around since my father was a boy (all the way back in the 1940's...) and they are making a comeback lately. There are a few different sets, each depending on your child's (or your own) preference and mechanical ability. The set we got for our oldest is the construction set, which comes with instructions to make 15 models. There are sets that are motorized as well, but I don't think he's ready for that yet. The age recommendation is 7+ but I think with Dad's help, a 6 year old can handle it.

#4: ThinkFun Zingo game

Ever heard of it? I have to admit, this is my favorite game to play with my children. We bought it for my younger son's birthday when he turned two. We play it as a family and it has taught my children so much. My older son learns how to spell the words on the cards (such as deer, panda, cake) and my younger son learns to identify pictures and also how to follow instructions. I recommend this for anyone with children ages 2-8.

#3: Animal Crossing game for Wii

Ok, this has to be the hottest Wii game of the season. While my wife and I were in line at Toys 'R Us at the electronics counter, there were 4 people in front of us. They ALL bought at least 1 copy of this game (one woman bought two). I had no clue what the game was, and it made me curious. That was before black Friday. On black Friday, however, we were bombarded with commercials for the game (thank you Nintendo). Here's the best description of the game from Amazon.com:

"You make the whole story, as you and up to three other players move into a town and just live life. Befriend your animal neighbors, decorate your house with cool furnishings, fill up your wardrobe, get to know the local wildlife, hop on a bus to visit the new city and just explore the world. There are a million different ways to play. Every charming animal character has a personality: some are grouches while others are chatterboxes. And there's no final goal or high score to hit."

It really does sound like fun.

#2: Tonka Bounce-back Racer

This has to be one of the best selling toys of the year. My wife and I first saw it on an episode of Jon & Kate +8. Their kids were having so much fun with them. They are radio-controlled cars that, when tipped over, keep going, with a new color on the other side. One side is blue and green, and the other is orange and red. The remote control does not have the usual wire-style antenna but had a plastic-rubber antenna which is much safer. We had to go to a few different stores to find one.

#1: Wii (no surprise here!)

The Wii has been, and probably will be for a while, the best Christmas gift. There is no other game system that people from 4-99 years old can enjoy equally. They have such a great selection of games and they are all interactive like no other games have ever been. My wife and I are looking to get a Wii Fit and my buddy and I want to get a few Wii Zappers. The fun just doesn't end with this thing.

I hope this list helps you out with your Christmas endeavors. Best of luck in your holiday shopping and for safety sake, shop online!

Idea: Go see a play

2008-12-01T14:37:00.000-08:00

Yesterday my oldest son and I went to see "A Christmas Carol" with my parents and sisters (my wife made the sacrifice and stayed home with the younger two children). It was his first play and I was excited for him. I realized on the way, when he asked me where we were going, I had never taught him what a play was.

I was not sure what the best way to explain it was, so I told him it was like a movie, except with real people acting it out. He told me he understood and I could tell he did because of his look of apprehension towards going.

Over all, he had a good time. He was a little scared to see the ghost of Jacob Marley and the ghost of Christmas past. I laughed quite a bit when the actors walked by us and interacted with the crowd. I don't think I have ever seen his eyes so wide and jaw dropped down low. He is a typical boy though; every time I asked him if he was scared, he replied, "No way Dad!" Man that made me proud!

Idea: Including kids in fixing the car

2008-11-30T09:49:00.001-08:00

So the other day I decided to finally finish a project I had started in my car a while back. I installed a bluetooth adapter so I can talk hands-free. The only problem is the place I installed the mic was the worst possible places. No one could understand me when on the phone. I decided to move it to a new location, and why not let my sons help?

The had so much fun. They both got to see how the molding of a car can be taken off. They saw how screws hold most pieces together, and some just snap off. They had such wide eyes the entire time. My oldest son got to use the screwdriver and take some of the parts off. My younger son got to hold the screws and clips, which he was ecstatic about! He also got to play with all the miscellaneous junk I had lying around my car. He reminded me of how many hats I have left in my car over the past few months, as he insisted on trying every one of them on.

I even had a few laughs. One time I looked back and my younger son was laying on the back panel between the head-rests and the rear windshield. He looked like a cat perched on a window sill, it was so cute. Overall, the kids had a good time and they both learned a little mechanical skills, which, to me, is important to develop in children while they are young.

I do have one important bit of advice: always check to make sure the younger kids have not turned on any of the dome lights......

Idea: Baking Cookies

2008-11-28T21:18:00.000-08:00

Baking cookies?! That's not manly! But wait- a dad is necessary to bake cookies with children. The other day my wife told me she baked cookies with my two boys. I thought, "Wow! They must have had so much fun!" But alas, neither one mentioned it to me, and trust me, if they enjoyed something, they tell me over, and over and over, etc. I realized why: my wife hates messes! How can two little boys bake with flour, eggs, sugar, etc. and not make a mess? Because they were not allowed to do much!

That's were I came in.

Oh man did they get messy. And the cookies were a mess. But...the boys had the time of their life! They were covered in flour. You could not figure out what the cookies were supposed to look like (pumpkins and turkeys). They had a TON of sugar all over them. They were perfect!

Kids do not really care what the cookies look like, nor do they care if the mess was hard to clean afterward (of course, I had to help my wife clean the mess).

Ultimately, the kids happily ate the cookies and since then have asked numerous times to bake them again. I will have to wait until my wife recovers from the first mess they made!

First post!

2008-11-28T18:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog! If you are a father (or anyone involved in the life of children) that is looking for ways to keep kids busy doing fun/educational activities, this blog is for you.

My name is Seth. I have three children: Evan (6 yrs), Ethan (2 yrs), and Madelyn (6 mos). My wife (Manuela) and I are always trying to find fun different things to do with our kids, and that is not always easy.

This blog is dedicated to finding new fun activities to do with young kids. It will be loaded with pictures, because sometimes words just do not describe how much fun we have. I'll also confess whether an activity is worth repeating frequently; not all fun activities are easy to accomplish!