Family

Post image for Wake Up! Mother’s Day is Almost Here!

In case you didn’t know it already, Mother’s Day is right around the corner. Heads up to daughters and sons everywhere, it’s time to think about the person who hopefully nurtured you through the developing stages of your life and has provided you with ongoing support and unwavering love. However, I think it is important to not just think about moms, but also those female figures in your life who have given you guidance, a helpful hand, companionship and protection. These could be moms or mother-in-laws or mother figures or step mothers or foster mothers or simply mentors who are women.

Happy Mother's Day 2013 - From HighTechDad

Happy Mother’s Day 2013 – From HighTechDad

Mother’s Day may be a commercial day, great for cards and flowers, but it is important to take a little bit of time to honor these women, all gifts aside. The mother or mother figure pretty much across the human (and animal kingdom) is the protector. In my family, my wife is the “mama bear” – the one that will throw herself in the way of any type of physical or psychological danger to protect her offspring. The mother takes on various forms in our society, and I must admit, I don’t know each and every mom personality-type out there. Heck, there are probably dads or other caregivers who assume the “mom” role. Regardless, this is their day, and you should thank them for their efforts, love and encouragement.

I do have to mention the dads out there (but obviously we have a day as well). Without dads, there would be no moms. But those moms are really great reality checks for us dads. They keep us in line. Heck, my wife calls me her fourth kid…perhaps because I act like one so often? Who knows. What I’m trying to say here is that it is important for dads to recognize their family counterparts as well on Mother’s Day. (Hey dads, did you buy your wife a card yet?)

I’m not sure if Father’s Day gets the same type of treatment. But that is fine in my book. On Mother’s Day, mom gets to be queen for a day, instead of indentured servant, slave, project manager, cook, chauffeur, cleaner, organizer, tutor, doctor, psychiatrist, fashion consultant, mentor, entertainer, social coordinator…need I go on? Of course there are professional moms who add “day time bread winner” to the mix as well. Back in 2007, I figured out that if my wife, a “stay at home mom,” were to earn a salary based on the “jobs” that she does running the household, she would pull in over $240,000!

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Post image for Did You Miss Us? We’ve Been Licking Lemon Ant Butts! Cast of Dads Podcast #57

Yep, we’re baaaack! Have you ever tried to organize the lives of 5 busy dads who are dispersed across the country and time zones? The image of herding cats comes to mind. The desire to record our Cast of Dads podcast is there, the free time, however, is not. Yeah, excuses, excuses. We did manage to all get on a call about a week ago and chat through a variety of topics though, and were able to record Cast of Dads Podcast #57, “Lemon Flavored Ant Butts.”

Cast of Dads Podcast - Episode #57

I always feel that half an hour is simply not enough time to catch up and talk about the various parenting and life topics that are on our minds. In fact, Jeff and I would like to think that a little, profanity-filled, private video that we filmed together and shared with the other Cast of Dads members when he was visiting the town where I live was the impetus for us FINALLY getting back together to discuss our life activities. Perhaps if we have time, we will clean up the video and share it with y’all. However, until then, you just have to listen in on our latest podcast!

By listening, you might think that we are all a bunch of ADHD-plagued dads (well some of us are incredibly distracted, myself included). Just take a look at the topics we covered below, from light hearted parenting questions to the horror that occurred at the Boston Marathon to those “first times” at summer camp.

The Topics

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Post image for Remember the Evil. Embrace the Good. Talk with your Kids.

Take a bucket full of water. Pour some oil into it, not too much, but enough so that is forms a small blob floating on the surface. Now find a large rock and drop it into the water and oil. What happens? Obviously there is a splash. And if you look down in the bucket, you see lots of smaller blobs of oil. Now sit back and wait. Eventually, the blobs will all coalesce into one big blob again.

Water Splash

This week, society was once again marred by evil at the Boston Marathon. As of this writing, we do not know if it was the evil acts of one individual or many. A big rock was dropped into a bucket of oil and water. A single, violent, tragic event tore apart the calm. But watch, in the horror, stories of survival and heroics emerge. And society joins together to condemn these evil acts, prays for those effected and strengthens as a whole to become better.

Is the World Evil?

When I talked to my oldest daughter about the events in Boston, she was shocked. Hearing the bombs go off on the radio gave us both chills and prickly goose bumps. I really wasn’t sure what to say. One never really does. As a parent, our duty in life is to protect, nurture, educate and love. It is difficult yet incredibly rewarding. But when that rock is thrown and the water is splashed and the oil separated, how do you talk about this with your children.

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Post image for Wii U – Will U? I Will! Why I like the Nintendo Wii U

I’m not a hard core gamer. I do have an Xbox (original & 360), a PS3 and the original Wii. Now I have the Nintendo Wii U. I’m more of a social family gamer, that is to say, I only game with my kids (or occasionally when I have a free moment at night and then it is FPS and car racing games). But, for the most part, my game consoles are a bit dusty.

Recently, Nintendo came out with the Wii U, and I, not being a hard core gamer, thought that it was brilliant. When I first tried the original Wii, I knew that it would be powerful and literally, a game-changer. It got you out of your sofa and jumping around the room. Nintendo seemed to be the first that understood that it was important to do more than just move your thumbs. Active participation in a game was different. It was fun. It was engaging. And it was for the entire family. And it was new.

Nintendo WiiU console

Nintendo WiiU console

Other major platforms followed the lead of getting people out of their chairs. And, alas, the poor original Wii was a bit left behind. The other platforms were more powerful, had more games, supported HD formats and probably had more marketing dollars pushing them forward. And then the Wii U was announced. And I thought that once again, Nintendo was pushing the envelope by making a dual screened device. (Yes, I know there is a similar systems by Sony…but I haven’t had hands on with the Vita so I won’t be doing that comparison.)

HTD Girls at Wii U Launch Event

HTD Girls at Wii U Launch Event

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Social Media Policy for Families

April 10, 2013
Thumbnail image for Social Media Policy for Families

Quite a few years ago, I came up with some Social Media Guidelines, primarily geared towards businesses. I realized I also seem to write a lot of tips and recommendations for parents on how they can help their kids with social media. That got me thinking. Perhaps, I should come up with a social media [...]

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The Front of the Line Experience at Universal Studios Hollywood

April 8, 2013

Hollywood is a magical place. It has a 24-hour buzz of excitement, creativity and activity. Most people never get to really understand it unless you “work in the industry.” It’s the place where actors make it (or don’t), where writing comes to life on the screen and where people flock from around the world to [...]

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5 Reasons Why Social Media Might Actually Be Good for your Child

March 25, 2013
Thumbnail image for 5 Reasons Why Social Media Might Actually Be Good for your Child

WARNING: The repeated use of Social Media can be dangerous to your child’s well-being. Should we have a Surgeon General’s warning label slapped onto each and every social media site out there? What about some sort of age rating system like we have for movies, music and video games? No, of course not. The Internet [...]

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The Ford Fiesta Movement is Back! And Here’s My Entry! #FiestaMovement

February 25, 2013
Thumbnail image for The Ford Fiesta Movement is Back! And Here’s My Entry! #FiestaMovement

Piggybacking on the success of the previous Ford Fiesta Movement a few years ago, Ford is re-launching the Fiesta Movement (www.fiestamovement.com) to showcase the 2014 Ford Fiesta. Ford is currently looking for “the most vibrant voices and talented storytellers to be agents in the Fiesta Movement.” So, I figured that I would throw my hat [...]

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