One thing I’ve found fascinating since starting {dad.is.me} is the amount of incredible information I’ve been exposed to as I navigate the parenting blog network, specifically the “dad blogs” out there. I thought the spirit of the Fatherhood Friday meme would be the perfect context to share some of the parenting content that interested me from around the Internet. Some of the links I come across throughout the week will be posted on the {dad.is.me} facebook page as they strike my interest, others may be articles I find as I research things that I’ve written about or topics I hope to cover in the future. Hopefully some of the content interests you as much as it does me.
{On Playdates}
Fresh off my experience of the value of the playdate for parent and child alike, I came across this article on babble.com echoing the importance of playdates for children while also providing some great tips for creating context for successful playdates and avoiding the playdate gone wrong.
“Playdates are like a story: they have a beginning, middle, and end. They take practice, boundaries, and a sense of humor.”
The article lists the following “keys to a successful playdate”.
- Start things off right
- Establish rules
- Plan a snack break
- Practice positive discipline
- Encourage clean-as-you-go
- Don’t push play
I think this list is a good starting point for setting the stage for a positive playdate. I like to let the kids make some choices regarding where they would like to play — I encourage outside play as much as possible. I’ll then establish the rules of the house that they need to be aware of and other context about the playdate so that we — parents and kids — are all on the same page.
The two items on this list that I found most illuminating were planning a snack break and encouraging clean-as-you-go. Planning a snack for the kids preempts their asking for one of their own liking at their own time. I think it also makes it easier to convince the kids to eat — and drink — in a more “spill-friendly” location. The clean-as-you-go technique is similar to what Ryan is taught at Montessori school — you can’t move on to the next activity until you’ve put away the items that you were working on for the next child.
{On Organic Foods and the Dirty Dozen}
In the comments section of my post this week on our thoughts around organic food and cleaner living, Barbara Edwards mentioned the “dirty dozen” fruits and vegetables that have the highest concentration of pesticides that you should focus on making the organic transition. Here is some further context to the “dirty dozen” including an updated list and a handy wallet guide and even iPhone app to help remind you when you are out shopping.
{On Being Dad}
A documentary on a topic close to the heart of this blog, Fatherhood and the “evolution of”, was recently released by our friends at Evolution of Dad. I’ve included the trailer below and have just ordered the DVD.
I’ll be sure to include a future post with my thoughts on the film.
Sometimes as I navigate the “dad-o-sphere” I find something so special and so sage that it requires being shared. This week, that such post came from Alvin at “Allswagga.com” who wrote a life letter to his son.
Son be you, live by a strong set of core values, enjoy a life of significance, know that life is not a race, be mindful that not everyone will like you, be strong and be open to setbacks and also learn the meaning of love.
I encourage the read not only as a parent, but wisdom that should be open to all.
{On Birthday Parties}
With Ryan’s 4th birthday party coming next weekend, birthday parties are certainly “on my mind”. Having a birthday on Memorial Day weekend screams “at home barbecue”. We went back to that well again this year adding some crafts, face painting and a bouncy house and can’t wait. But as I researched at home parties, I did come across two ideas a little to late to consider for Ryan this year that I liked enough to pass along; the “planting” party from our friends at Dad Labs and the cooking party from Simple Bites. I like that both parties strike a balance between structured activity and fun while providing a positive lasting “lesson” at the same time. I could see us doing something similar to these next year.
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