Fatherhood

Earlier in the week, I wrote about Mothers Day - It’s this Sunday ! 5 Ways to Not Score an Own Goal !

Here’s A few other ideas -

Buy her a new bag! - something practical, or may be not ?- More here

Or look from a great number of branded gifts at gifts.com .

Kimberly L. Keith, who writes on Parenting issues at About.com, has compiled a great list of project ideas. It’s really great to do these with your kids, they’re cheap and mean so much more..

gifts, mothers day, fatherhood, finances

When you travel with kids, the main enemy is boredom.

You’ll need to plan a longer activities list than you could possibly think of. Crayons may be good at keeping their attention at home, but once dropped on the plane, they can roll the whole length of the cabin.

If your airline allows electronic games like Nintendo DS or PSP, these can be a godsend. Books can be good if your child doesn’t suffer too badly with travel sickness.

Toddlers are usually the worst. They can’t sit still at the best of times, but make them sit in one place for up to an hour and you’ll be pulling your hair out.

air travel, kids, fatherhood, top tips

I’m due to be flying across the Atlantic with my 6 year old daughter in a couple of weeks, and I’ll post a report on which strategies work the best.

It’s Mothers Day in North America this Sunday, May 13th. Try not to get ripped off.

Here’s a few money-saving tips for the day.

1. Don’t buy flowers, they’re hellishly expensive, especially close to the day itself. The only reason to choose flowers is if you pick your own in your garden.
2. Chocolates are alright, but wasn’t it Easter just a few weeks ago?
3. Go visit a craft store. You will be able to help your kids make a card, maybe decorate a photo frame. It’s personal and a great gift, especially made by your kids.
4. Steer clear of a brunch out. Many smaller restaurants up the prices on Mother’s Day, and you can end up paying double or even more, if you can get a reservation that is. Go to the grocery store, get some fresh salad, fruit, a cake or two, and make a picnic. Even if you just have it at home, she’ll really love it. Breakfast in bed is also a great idea.
5. Don’t forget it! The cost of guilt-ridden purchases always far exceeds your original budget, and is never met with the same response as a genuine, hand-made gift.

Good Luck !

fatherhood, mother’s day, finances, gift ideas

With the increase in Social Networking sites like Myspace, teens spend much more time on the net than they used to. And with TV, music, other siblings, there are a lot of reasons teens don’t leave their rooms.

You have to strike a balance between giving enough independence, and ensuring that your kids spend an appropriate time with the rest of the family.

In our house, the computer is in the dining room, and everyone has to use it there. It means that we can monitor the kids using it, and us as well. I think that most technology today is designed for the individual, and can sometimes isolate people behind a wall of white headphones, bluetooth headsets, and doors.

It also goes without saying that you need to make your teen aware that they should be using an alias while online, so if they meet someone they don’t like online, they can cut the link.

myspace, fatherhood, teens, bedroom

I’ve been keeping an eye on this one for a while but it looks great!!!

Over at ParentHacks.com, they’ve found a great way to help kids who have little help from elsewhere.

They suggest sending any old toys you have to Iraq.

My family does a shoe-box of toys, toiletries, a bit of candy and hats and mittens to Romania every year, and we often fill two boxes as we collect all year.

Do your bit for someone less fortunate…

Find out about Toys to Iraq here. Find out about Samaritan’s Purse (the shoe box scheme) here.

iraq, kids, toy donations, recycling, samaritans purse

1. Darth Vader/Anakin Skywalker - Father Of Luke and Leia (Star Wars)

2. Benjamin Sisko - father of Jake (DS9)

3. Angel- father of Connor (Angel)

4. Mr Bennett - father of Claire (Heroes)

5. Jack Hall - father of Sam (The Day After Tomorrow)

6. George McFly - father of Marty (Back to the Future)

7. Captain Adama- father of Apollo (Battlestar Galactica)

8. Cigarette Smoking Man - father of Fox Mulder (The X-Files)

9. Professor John Robinson - father of Will Robinson (Lost In Space)

10. Elrond - Father of Arwen (The Lord of the Rings)

Which fictional, or real celebrity would it be cool to have as a Dad? (Mine would be Paul Teutel Sr!)

best sci-fi dads, fatherhood, entertainment

When it becomes time to help your kids choose a college, how much choice do you want them to have?

It is really easy to push your kids to go to your old school. They might have visited there already. You might still have friends who live nearby. You know how safe the campus is. Or used to know…

The main considerations these days are;

Does college X do the course I want?
Is college Y near home, or will I have to live on campus? Can I live on campus?
What are the fees, can I get help through scholarships, bursaries, family ?
Will I need to work as well to make ends meet?
How long will it take me to pay off that student loan?
What’s the pastoral care and community like. Is it secure?

Nowadays, you can pretty much go to college in any country and have your qualification recognized worldwide.

Denise Witmer has written a great article about picking a college with your teen…

Begin at the beginning. You can start by asking easily digestible questions: What are your teen’s interests? How do these interests play out as careers? What major would that lead your teen into choosing? What colleges offer that major? What are the pro and cons to each of those colleges? When you and your teen take the time to go through these questions, and answer them thoroughly, you’ll both be confident in the college that is chosen.

college choice, kids, teens, fatherhood

I don’t put myself in any boxes really, but I reckon I’m halfway between a not at home dad, and a stay at home dad. I work variable shifts and it quite often falls to me to get my daughter up, dressed, fed and off to school. Sometimes it can be a real pain, especially if I’ve been on a late (until 1 am) the night before.

Wayne Parker, over at about.com, has listed the reasons most dads stay at home. The main four he cites are;

Traditional Role Reversal

Work at Home Dads

Custodial Dads

Independant Income Dads

There are many more reason thats Dads stay home, including my own. Importance should always be placed on not just being home, but making it a home.

If you work from home, there should be clear boundaries for space, and time. A study or den, a change of clothes, a separate part of the home, can all denote ‘work’ time, when Dad needs some space. Take your kids to work day takes on a whole new meaning. Additionally, there are loads of kids who help with their parents businesses, whether helping in the store or restaurant, out working the farm, or helping to pack items for sale.

You must always explain to your kids why you’re home as well, especially if its not the norm for your area.

You can find more about the reasons dads stay home here.

stay at home, dad, fatherhood, kids, family business