DiaryDad learned a lesson about strength, but first he had to do a lot of push-ups. I want to tread into the realm of teaching kids to be strong. I am a father of two young boys who I want to grow up to be strong men. I want my boys to be emotionally, mentally,…
Grow Up… Adults!!!
DiaryDad wants you to GROW UP!!! — Twice in the past week I have dealt with issues in which adults have done very immature and/or childish things when they should have been setting a better example for the children they were around. Unfortunately both times it has been my youngest that has been impacted and… well… I’m…
“I wish I hadn’t done that…”
DiaryDad wants you to make a few less mistakes. — “I wish I hadn’t done that…” “I didn’t mean to…” “I didn’t think that would happen…” As a dad these are things I hear my children say, far more often than I would like to. It is heartbreaking to be a parent at the point these…
Faith, Fear, and the Cleansing Power of Shampoo
DiaryDad’s character was defined in a shower once with the help of a clever bottle of shampoo. — Over plates of spicy Mexican food the other night I revealed to my wife a moment that was one of the most defining character experiences that I have had in my adult life. She was surprised that…
“The Odyssey” of Fatherhood
DiaryDad is on an Odyssey of Fatherhood. — I have always been a fan/student of mythology. I have written a hand-full of about the topic. Of those however I have never done a post on The Odyssey of Homer, which is one of my favorite mythological stories of all time. This story constantly evolves for me…
Where Will the Feet that Fill These Shoes Go?
DiaryDad’s mind wanders as he ponders a pair of shoes. — I found myself looking at this pair of shoes left in front of the sink in our bathroom last week and I had an awful moment of enlightenment. They fit snuggly on the feet of my soon to be 12 year-old son. As I…
I WAS an Angry Young Man
DiaryDad once had a pointless point of view. — I sat at the piano this weekend plunking around and playing bits and pieces of songs I used to play all the time when I was in my late teens and early twenties. My youngest son who is currently learning piano was getting quite a kick out…
America, Are You Not Yet Entertained..?
DiaryDad is not entertained by today’s politics.
Modeling Healthy Positive Relationships
DiaryDad wants his kids to know what a healthy relationship looks like. — If your child were to candidly evaluate the relationship you and your spouse (or significant other) have what would they say about you? I gave that a little space so the question could hang there for a second. So, what do you…
Rock On! A Story of an Unemployed Dad
DiaryDad has been down on his luck…
The Art of Telling a Really Good Story
DiaryDad loves telling a good story. — A good story can’t wait to be told. Sometimes it has to be found, worked on, and whittled into a shape that can be digested by an audience. Some stories we have been telling for thousands of years and at the hands of a master craftsman it is…
The Magic of Fatherhood
DiaryDad still has a little magic to share with his kids. — I am watching my boys grow at a spectacular rate. Spectacular because they are growing big, strong, and healthy, but at the same time they just keep growing. Relentless in this goal to break free of the title of my “little boys”. That…
Who’s Afraid?
DiaryDad and his sons are learning fear can be conquered. — Fear and being afraid are two concepts I have had to deal with as father in so many ways. For myself there have been the fears that come with becoming a father, for my kids there have been the opportunities to help them face…
You can’t win ’em all… if you want your kids to win well
DiaryDad can’t win ’em all. I love playing chess. It is fun solving a puzzle that reacts to each move you make. You have to consider at each move what it could mean three or four moves later. Just because you can take a piece doesn’t mean you should and just because you like a…
I’m Teaching My Kids to Swear
DiaryDad is teaching his kids to swear like the “best” of ’em. I have given up on watching my language around my kids. I don’t let them swear though and I have no problem with the double standard either. I have friends on both sides of the fence on this issue. Some are very careful…
Why Are You Teaching About God…You Are An Atheist!
DiaryDad teaches his kids about God in their Sunday school class, funny thing is… He is an atheist. — Most Sundays for the past 2 years you would find me in the a place that should be the last place you would look for me, in a church. Recently, more than just in a church, as…