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Sciences Dad
Richard Blake, Colorado USA
STEMpunkED.com
From DADLY Dads: Parent of the 21st Century Copyright © 2018 Motivational Press. Reprinted with permission. By Hogan Hilling and Austin Dowd.
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I’m a dad of two children and husband to a wonderful wife. I’m fascinated by mind-bending Sci-Fi, cog-edged Steampunk, and my children’s amazing observations and ideas. Education is my passion, and I enjoy exploring science, tech, engineering, literature, and art on my own, with my children, and with anyone who happens to be caught with me in a queue.
When I’m not busy daddying I design and present interactive science-based programs for middle school children as my alter ego Dok Science. I also love to tinker with my 1965 VW Microbus as well as a host of small mid-century vintage mechanical gizmos on my garage shelves.
Quote.
“Chance favors the prepared mind.” ~Louis Pasteur
What I do well as a dad.
Encourage my children to follow the advice of Ms. Frizzle: Take chances! Get dirty! Make mistakes! And let their imaginations and creativity run wild.
What I learned from another dad.
Use the word ‘No’ only when absolutely necessary. It’ll mean more that way.
Lessons learned from my child.
My children’s voluminous observations and insights have taught me that every idea is precious and is a seed for even more learning and growth in both their hearts and minds. I first realized this when one day after I described a rough patch of my own childhood to my four-year-old boy, he looked at me and said, “Maybe your dad was so mean because he didn’t have someone to love him enough,” Smart kid.
Successful fatherhood moment.
I had worked myself into a frenzied rant over a literal ‘spilled milk’ incident and suddenly realized that it was me who was making my children cry, not the milk on the floor (and the chairs, table legs, walls, etc.). Learning how to stop, apologize and explain myself to my children when some of the dysfunctions of my childhood creep into my own parenting is one of the greatest lessons I learn as a father.
Dad I admire.
Chris Eastment: because his badass biker/homebrewer exterior is seamless with his teddy-bear-of-a-dad interior. He always listens so carefully to everything his children have to say and responds to them with his own childlike curiosity and energy.
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Originally published in DADLY Dads: Parent of the 21st Century Copyright © 2018 Motivational Press. Reprinted with permission.
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Photos courtesy of the author.
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