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Title: 50 Things Every Single Dad Should Know
Author: Detra D. Davis
Article:
"Mama said there'd be days like this," are strikingly honest lyrics that should be the introduction to the single dad's national anthem. What mama didn't say is that the days would sometimes go on, and on, and on, and on. It's no secret that being a single parent is a tough job, and being a single mom is next to impossible, but being a single dad, now that is a death defying feat.
Single dads are not suppose to exit, it's a sort of oxymoron. Fortunately, any dad who takes on the role of single parent "by choice" should receive an Oscar; okay at least a Golden Globe. The knowledge that comes naturally to women does not exist in the pronominal character of a man.
There is however, basic knowledge that fathers should know if they find themselves under the category of single father.
Note: This list is not all inclusive and you are welcome to add your own words of wisdom, just remember like all families, single or not, your children reflect the type of home they come from, so take pride dad, take pride!
1. Babies are a lot tougher than you think, so be gentle.
2. Toddlers will not listen to you, pick your battles.
3. When feeding children 0 to 6 years of age, keep it simple, real simple.
4. Little children have accidents, get over it, learn to clean it up and wait on the next oops...it will happen.
5. Never leave the house without sending everyone to the bathroom first.
6. Always have a first aid kit. Keep one in the house, in the car and at your place of employment.
7. Child proof your home, every inch.
8. Never leave small children alone in the bath tub.
9. Never leave older children to supervise small children alone in the bath tub.
10. When tending to your children, allow the phone or cell phone to ring, the voice mail will pick up the call. Who ever it is, they can wait. Your children are a priority.
11. Play with your children.
12. Sing with your children. (Sing anyway)
13. Entertain your children. Act silly, tell jokes, have fun with your children.
14. Take pride in how your children look.
Clean, well fitting, color coordinated clothing is key. Keep it simple. (Resale is okay...honest)
15. Teach your children that cleanliness is next to....well, you know....BATHE from head to toe
16. Some small children need to use deodorant
17. Talk to your mother, female friend, or female physician about female hygiene concerns
18. Talk to your children about sex, drugs, video games, porn sites and all other issues covered in the newspaper and on television, before they hear it or learn of it outside their home
19. Keep a family photo album
20. Take photos of special events and everyday activities
21. Watch your children play, study, and interact with one another, learn about their personality
22. Don't ever, ever be afraid to tell your children "NO"...Just say "NO" (Give a short explanation, but don't renege.
23. Organize your family life, a lack of structure is stressful to you and your children (it's okay to have a schedule...up at 7 a.m., dinner at 6:30 p.m. lights out at 8 p.m.) You know.
24. Show and tell your children how to behave, set the example
25. "I hate you," and "I wish you were dead" are common expressions used by all children and teens at least once in
their life, expect to hear it
26. Your children are human, they will get angry. Allow a cool down period and then talk, listen, talk, listen, talk, listen,
listen, listen.
27. Tweens (children 10-14) are all knowing; always go behind them and check everything they say and do
28. Teenagers are all knowing and all doing, always go behind them, under them, around them and through them, checking everything they say and do
29. Give your children chores; there are no free lunches in life
30. Insist your teenagers work; it builds character and prepares them for the reality of life
31. Never buy your child a car or any expensive item; they will care for it better if they have invested in it 100%
32. Never get your child a cell phone unless they can pay for it themselves. If you must, use a phone that allows limited calling i.e. a Firefly (I am not plugging this, it's just an example) if you must provide a method of communicating with your child
33. Do not buy your child anything they want, they will not respect you or appreciate the purchase
34. Tell your daughters the truth about how boys really think
35. Encourage your children to celebrate life and be happy
36. Encourage your children to understand the mind/body connection and take care of both
37. Eat health foods
38. Plant a garden with your children
39. Provide opportunities for your children to succeed, sports, board games, cooking
40. Praise your children from being good, loving caring people when they display those behaviors
41. Expose your children to the possibilities in life, encourage them to dream big dreams
42. Never be jealous of your children
43. Love your children unconditionally, there will be times when this is difficult, or impossible; just do it
44. Learn to let go of your children and let them fail, it really does build character
45. Learn to wait before helping your children out of financial difficulty. Allow them to figure out the solution for themselves
46. Know that children are particularly emotionally dependent on single parents
47. Know that single parents are particularly emotionally dependent on their children
48. Learn to live and love apart
49. Appreciate all the ups and downs of raising your childrenand know you did the best you could and that was alright.
50. Celebrate a job well done!
About the author:
Detra D. Davis is a certified Parent Educator with the North Carolina Parent Network and has been a writer for over 25 years. Visit her website Supporting Our Children.com, a membership site providing parents and educators with to assist them in supporting parent involvement. Author of several e-books and workbooks email Detra at: detra_davis@supportingourchildren.com.
Title: Finding Success As A Stay At Home Dad
Author: Daphne Succes
Article:
Many people believe that success is determined by happiness and that is just what a lot of modern men are finding in being a stay at home dad. Not only a very demanding career, but being a stay at home dad is often one of the most rewarding jobs that any man could accept.
There is no doubt that children need their parents, which is why many families are selecting either the man or woman to stay at home while the other works. The process by which the selection is made is based entirely upon each family's decision, but all experts believe that children need parental guidance in order to happily mature. It isn't enough to simply hire a babysitter or leave the children at preschool.
A stay at home dad will get to spend the most time with the children and will be responsible for many of their daily activities. Making sure that they have well-balanced meals, are dressed properly when going to the store or play with toys that convey a positive message are just a few of the responsibilities of a stay at home dad.
Anyone accepting the role of a stay at home dad will need to prepare themselves for a job that is far more difficult than any paid position. The stay at home dad will be a supervisor, a teacher, an authority figure and a friend. Being a stay at home dad is about more than just watching the children, which is very important - it is also about spending quality time and having fun with them. Playing video games, going out for lunch, going to the movies and sporting events and other activities is a very important part of what being a stay at home dad is all about.
With this role comes the need for extreme patience and understanding. As is their very nature, children can be demanding and even sassy at times. It's important to handle each situation with love and respect for the child. A stay at home dad must have the ability to effectively communicate with children. For example, yelling and punishment will not be as effective as explaining why the child's action was wrong, why it is not acceptable to be repeated and a reasonable punishment for the act.
Being a stay at home dad is one of the best jobs in the world and will likely is the most rewarding career that any man can perfect. A closeness with the children and watching them grow up as loving adults will be a reflection of how they were cared for in their earliest years.
About the author:
Daphne Succes, Writer, Business Owner, Motivator and Self-Starter Independent Consultant for Passion Parties
http://www.daphnespassion.com
Title: A Daddy Baby Shower - New Twist on the old Baby Shower
Author: Randy Wilson
Article:
Try something new, a Daddy Baby Shower. Even though no one would realistically expect a new daddy-to-be to sit around with his closest buddies, opening baby shower gifts and playing party games while oohing and aahing over the imminent birth of his child. That doesn’t mean that Dad can’t have a baby shower-type celebration. Daddy deserves to celebrate the birth of his child, too!
Of course, the term baby shower does invoke visions of baby themed parties. Like the one described above when planning a baby shower. So perhaps “baby shower” is not an appropriate name for this get-together. Why limit yourself with a label, anyway? Call it a “celebrating-Jim’s-impending-fatherhood” party, if you want, instead of baby showers for dad.
Here are a few suggestions to make this type of party one for daddy-to-be to remember:
Play Games:
Well, not baby shower games. But you can play horseshoes or even a game of shirts-n-skins football in the back yard.
Eat, Drink, and Be Merry:
Have tons of fattening and not-good-for-you foods. Make spareribs, cheese steaks, wings, and anything else you can eat with your hands and make a mess with. The wives won’t be there to complain and you can grunt all you want. Have some soda and barbecue.
Last Night Out:
Take the dad-to-be out for a night on the town. You might also want to check with mom-to-be to make sure she is okay with this plan. She is, after all, pregnant and might not be all that amenable to the last-night-out-before-fatherhood party.
Gifts for Dad-To-Be:
Let the official baby shower take care of the baby necessities. Give Dad, http://www.planning-a-baby-shower.com/gift-for-dads.html, gifts for himself, or gifts that he would have chosen for the baby. Buy him a diaper tool kit, complete with goggles, rubber gloves, tongs, clothespin, and of course, diapering essentials, or a Daddy Gear Diaper Bag.
Gag gifts are fun, too. Or you could buy clothing for the new baby with Dad’s favorite sports team’s logo or matching Dad and Baby t-shirts. Think about necessities like batteries, too. Most likely they won’t be on Mom’s registry, but all parents know that batteries are a hot commodity in any house with children. Be creative.
And don’t forget that Dad might need some reading material to get himself up to date on the latest parenting trends. Consider getting him a, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?search-type=ss&tag=planninababys-20&keyword=the%20father%20s%20almanac&mode=books, book on fatherhood, funny or otherwise, or maybe a, http://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=rXMsQpERbJo&offerid=54694.60715&type=2&subid=0, magazine subscription for daddy, such as American Baby Magazine.
Ask other new dads to think about what toys or objects were particularly helpful when their little ones were inconsolable, and either buy or recommend them for the times when dad-to-be is home alone with Junior.
Comfort Dad:
New Dads are usually pretty stressed out about what there life is going to be like after the new baby comes. Be prepared to have guests tell funny and helpful stories about their own experiences with becoming a daddy. Make it a point to reassure him that his wife is not really crazy, she is just hormonal and this, too, shall pass.
Remember, daddy baby showers don't have to be like the traditional shower, or even called a shower, but you can have one for dad just the same.
© Copyright Randy Wilson, All Rights Reserved.
About the author:
Randy has dozens more baby shower related articles such as <a href="http://www.planning-a-baby-shower.com/baby-diaper-cake.html">Baby Diaper Cakes</a>, <a href="http://www.planning-a-baby-shower.com/Baby-Shower-Games.html">Party Games for Baby Showers</a> and <a href="http://www.planning-a-baby-shower.com/party-favors.html">Baby Shower Party Favors</a>.