Santa Claus and children’s gifts go hand in hand during Christmas. It is a good idea to teach kids that Christmas is as much about giving as it is getting. One way to do that is the Christmas Angel program, or something similar. The program involves going to your local mall and picking out a child’s name who you will by gifts for anonymously. The child you will by gifts for come from families who have suffered hardships and cannot get gifts for their children.

While this is a great activity for your family it presents a conflict when you go and pick out your Christmas Angel just after visiting Santa Claus. There is a good chance your child will ask why Santa Claus can’t get the presents for the kids. Here are some answers that we have found to help you justify the program.

• Pick out a Christmas Angel that wants mostly clothes, telling your child that Santa mostly brings toys.
• Change your gift giving habit so that Santa brings one big gift. Tell your kids that you are buying all the smaller gifts that the family can’t afford.
• Tell your children that since the kids have a hard time the rest of the year, you want to make their Christmas extra special.
• Tell your children the truth. (This is totally your call. If your kids are smart enough to see through the other excueses, they can handle the truth.)

As a kid I was always told that I need to eat all my dinner. Honestly I don’t remember if I did, but that lesson stuck with me my entire life as throughout most of my adult life as I always ate all my dinner. This is not a good thing. When children are told to eat all of their dinner it can become a habit for life. Given the average portion size served at today’s restaurants, eating all of your dinner can be detrimental to one’s health. I still have a lot of trouble walking away from food at a restaurant. This often carries over to home cooked meals as well. If the food tastes even slightly good, I always have the urge to eat it up to the last bite. When I do I always regret it both physically and mentally.

After a life time of eating large portions it’s easy to become a very unhealthy person. For years I struggled with my weight. I attributed my obesity to those large portion sizes. About 4 years ago I found that eating smaller portions at each meal helps to control that weight and allows your body to feel leaner. I am very lean and in shape now, but to this day I still struggle with my portion sizes. I did a great job while I was losing weight. Once I got to that target weight however I noticed that I have started to revert back to my old ways of eating all my dinner. I have managed to keep most of the weight off by a ton of exercise, however that is not always an option for everyone. Exercise is essential to life, but not everyone can get out there an hour a day 6 times a week.

About a month ago I realized that we were passing on this bad habit to our son. We want him to grow up being a well rounded person when it comes to his taste in food. We always encouraged him to eat all of his dinner, just like my parents did when I was a kid. If he ate all of his dinner he got a small desert. I had a talk with my wife and we decided that our request for him to eat all of his dinner was not in his best interest. We now have a new rule. Our son must now eat half of his dinner.

Some people may say that this is a waste of food and that there are starving children in other countries that don’t have those meals; however, you can always pack up that leftover food for lunch later in the week, or if it is a side dish, use it with another meal. We feel that requiring our son to eat half of his food will help build a habit of controlling portion sizes and prevent over eating at a meal. With any luck my son will not go through the weight struggles that I went through over the course of my life as well as the overeating struggles that I still experience to this day.

Here are a couple tips to help prevent over eating for both your self and your children.

1. Eat six smaller meals throughout the day. By eating more often you will be less hungry. Your body will learn that it doesn’t need to store as much food due to the higher replensih rate.
2. Use smaller dishes. If you fill up a smaller plate and eat all of your dinner, you will be eating much less than if you filled up a larger plate and ate all your dinner.
3. Do not under any circumstances upsize your meal at fast food restaurants. That food is bad enough for you. Teach yourself to eat less by ordering less.
4. Cheat every once in awhile. If you have to have a big meal go for it maybe once a week. Just remember how uncomfortable that stuffed fealing is when you are done.
5. Eat a small salad with a little dressing as you can. Eating a little bit of lettuce, carrots, etc just before a meal tends to fill me up so that I am not as hungry when the less healthy main course comes. Remember not to use too much dressing as that completely defeats the purpose.

Remember next time you telling your child they must eat all their dinner, that you are setting an expectation for them that they may have trouble not living up to later in life.

Feel free to leave a comment with any tips you have for controlling portion sizes.

Here is our list of 10 things that all dads should be thankful for.

1. Our families Let’s face it we can’t be dad’s without kids and the kids mom. Even for those that are not together with their kids mom, we have to be thankful for bringing our kids in to the world and making us dads.
2. Jobs What other activity allows you to get away from the family for 8-10 hours a day and get paid to do so?
3. Sports Even if you are not a sports fan, you should appreciate how sports give you and your children a fun way to exercise
4. Video Games Without video games most of us can’t play 18 at Pebble Beach every weekend.
5. Synthetic Lawns Beautiful yards with no work. (For the record everyone at DailyDads.com do not have synthetic lawns)
6. Computers Check on the scores, play games and communicate with everyone all from the same device!
7. Friends Hanging out with guys who understand why you do guy things is a valuable balance to your relationships with women
8. Beer Sometimes you just need a cold one, nuff said
9. Televisions TV’s are a great break from reality. You can get lost in a sci-fi adventure, watch a game or laugh at a great comedy.
10. Cars Even if you aren’t a car freak, imagine your life without a car. I sure don’t want to walk or ride my bike 20 miles each way to get to work everyday.

What are you thankful for?

Children are very aware of their behaviors and the resulting consequences of those behaviors. This awareness does not, however, deter them from testing our limits as parents. After our child is born we as parents cannot wait for them to grow up and start gaining independence.  The first year we can’t wait for them to walk, the second we can’t wait for them to talk and so on.  As soon as we find joy in seeing our children walk and talk, we quickly find out these skills can be used for no good.

Between the ages of 1 and 5 our children start really becoming individuals. They take on personalities and learn that they are people just like their parents. They find they have needs and wants. In many cases those wants may not be what is best for them, or you as a parent. Children learn a great deal from reinforcement and discipline. If they do something good, we reinforce them through praise, or perhaps a treat. If they misbehave we do something negative, perhaps a time out or taking something away such as a toy. These methods can be very effective. The one stipulation to the effectiveness is consistency.

Counting to 3 is a tradition that goes back as far as time itself. For many of us, when we want our children to do something or stop doing something, the first word that comes to mind is “ONE”. So we say it: “ONE”. The first few times you do this, your child will probably just wonder what you are blabbing about, or if they are a little older, they will wonder “Why is my mom or dad counting, when I am clearly doing something they do not want me to do?” Ok, so no response from the child. “TWO” we say with a little more anger and authority in our voice. The child now does one of two things, they either comply with your request or they continue to defy you. Who knows they may even start counting with you.

This is the point where the effectiveness of the three count comes into play. As parents the next words out of our mouth determine whether this technique will work. So what is the next word?

“TH…..Two and a half!”  There it is; the point at which the child has shown that they are the authority figure and not you. Deep down you just want to give them another chance to behave or maybe you do not want to go through the hassle of the punishment. “Two and a Half” only shows your lack of sincerity. We need to give our children credit for the intelligent beings that they are. When they realize that a three count is just a tactic they will exploit it for every fraction available between 2 and 3, and there are a lot of them, an infinite amount actually.

“Three!” Ok you have decided enough is enough and the child is going to be disciplined. You discipline your child and move on with your day hoping that they have learned their lesson. They probably won’t completely learn it, but if you stayed course and did not add any fraction lessons, the number 2 will become a word that means “I’m serious, you need to behave or else”. If you decided to prolong the count, most likely all your child will learn is that they now have a way to push your limits and your limits seem to expand like a rubber band. The limit is there, but who doesn’t like to pull that rubber band back as far as possible?

I am a carb lover, I can eat carbs all day long: rice, pasta, bread, bring it on! unfortunatly, carbs do not like me as much as I like them. I often feel less than stellar after having too many of them. Carbs are very important as they provide fuel for your body, however excess carbs along with excess calories can cause an increase in body fat percentage. I try to to get to into weight gain because lets face it we are guys, not all weight gain is bad for us. When we put on muscle and gain weight, that’s good; when we put on fat and gain weight, not so good. About a month ago I was shopping at the grocery store when I noticed a new product in the bread aisle…mmmm bread…! So what’s this new product I am supposed to be raving about? Well here it is:

Oroweat Sandwhich Thins, you may see them as Arnold’s Sandwhich Thins depending on what part of the country you live in.

I am not one of those who can give up my bread. I need a hamburger bun for my hamburgers. Wraps are just wannabe tacos in my opinion. The sandwhich thins are a great way for me to get good healthy carbs and enjoy my sandwhiches the way they were meant to be enjoyed. The whole wheat Oroweat Sandwich Thins have a measly 100 calories and 21g Carbs. Compare that with a typical hamburger bun which has around 160 calories and 35g Carbs. You may fine some hamburger buns and wheat bread out there with similar stats, however looking at the ingredients will determine how good or bad that bun really is for you. The Oroweat Whole Wheat Sandwhich Thin’s first ingrediant is whole wheat flour which is a good source of complex carbs (good carbs). The very first ingrediant shows you this is not a chemistry experiment you are putting in your mouth, it’s the real deal.

The Oroweat Sandwhich Thins can also be included in different recipes such as garlic bread, mini pizzas and more. Give them a try and enjoy those carbs the right way!

Looking at the night sky can be a fascinating activity for your family. Most of us take it for granted and never just stop and look up. We are so busy with our day to day lives that we forget that there is a whole universe out there with things going on that we couldn’t even imagine. On a clear or even semi-clear night, the sky can be one of the most beautiful things we on earth have the privilege to see. It’s even more fascinating if you know what you are looking for.

Throughout the history of mankind, humans have looked at the stars and found meaning in them one way or another. Some have interpreted them as the heavens, or the home to their gods. Today we know they are, as Pumba puts it from the Lion King, “balls of gas burning billions of miles away.” Each star out there has it’s own history. Many of them have a meaningful history for earth as well. When out with your family a great place to start is to find constellations. Constellations are groups of stars that people often associate with a picture and a story. One of the most famous constellations is the Big Dipper. There are hundreds of constellations each with their own story.

A constellation that can be seen from many parts of the world is Orion. For most of the United States, Orion is currently located in the eastern sky between 9pm and 12pm depending on your location. It is viewable all night long as it moves from the eastern sky overhead and sets in the west. Orion is typically very easy to find so it is a good constellation to start your stargazing with. To find Orion, look for three bright stars in a row (knows as Orion’s belt) along with four bright stars which sort of make a box around those three original stars. Below are images from Stellarium to help you find Orion:

Orion

Orion with Constellation Lines

Orion With Artwork

There are many stories about Orion. One of the most interesting is that Orion is associated with the last pharaoh of the Firth Dynasty, Unas. It is said that Unas slayed and devoured the gods and then used his power to traverse the day and night sky as Orion. Other Egyptian sources say that Orion is the representation of the God Osiris.

Orion gets it’s modern name from Greek mythology as Orion was seen as a hunter. This hunter was killed by a giant scorpion at which point the gods raised them both to the sky as can be seen by the neighboring constellation Scorpio.

Looking at the stars can be an educational experience for the whole family. Getting an amateur astronomy book will help to locate different constellations in the sky and get you started. Before going out look up a few constellations and their stories so that you can share with your kids making it both a fun activity and a history lesson.

There are also a couple of great computer programs out there which you can use to view the night sky at any time from any location on the planet and even from other planets. One is Stellarium. Stellarium is free and works very well. I did notice it tends to take a lot of resources from my computer causing the fan to kick on. However it is free. Click here to learn more about Stellarium. The second program is Starry night. Starry Night is used by education institutions around the country and is a fully featured software that does everything Stellarium does and much more. Click here to get Starry Night

References
Orion (constellation). (2009, November 20). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 13:17, November 21, 2009, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Orion_(constellation)&oldid=326914235

My son is changing preschools. Next week he starts at a brand new school where he will no doubt make a lot of new friends. We have been preparing him for weeks for this change. I thought it may be a good idea to have him go for a couple hours this morning as kind of a short trial run so that he wouldn’t be in total shock come Monday. When we got to the school, I asked him if he was going to be brave to which he replied yes. I took him in and sure enough he was a brave little trooper and tried to get involved right away. I was only bringing him in from 7am to 9am at which point I was to pick him up and bring him to his other school for the rest of the day.

I arrived at his new school around 9am and found him outside as his class was on the playground. The staff told me he had a wonderful two hours and seemed to have fun. He was excited to see me. He ran up to me, gave me a hug and told me he had a good time. We got in the car and drove to his other school. When we got there he was very upset. This was not what I was expecting as I figured this would be the easier of the two drop offs of the day. I asked him why he was upset. His response: “I already went to school today. It’s time to go home.” I found this to be quite humorous as it really seems that little kids really don’t have all that great of an understanding of time. He seemed to be interpreting the two hours as a day of school and couldn’t understand why he had to do it again.

Whether or not you do your own oil change or pay to have someone do it, it needs to be done every 3,000 miles or 3 months for the health of your engine. Paying someone such as Jiffy Lube, Walmart, or your local automotive shop is convenient but can be expensive. They tend to want to “upgrade your oil” or over charge for air filters and numerous other services. The average cost for a oil change is $19.99 to $30.00 and up depending on where you go. You do however get the convenience of someone else doing the work and cleaning up the mess. If you are unfamiliar with a cars engine, you also have the peace of mind that it is being done right. 

Doing your own oil change can be cheaper and get you more familiar with your engine. While shopping for your parts and oil, you can research different brands and decide which is better for your budget and vehicle.  Doing your own oil change can be rewarding, cheaper, and can help you learn more about your vehicle and give you the  confidence to do minor repairs yourself. If you do choose to change your own oil, please dispose of your oil responsibly and good luck!

My three year old had an accident earlier this week, he wet the bed. He has been potty trained for 9 months now and this is a very rare occasion. I didn’t say much to him about it. I just got him up, cleaned him up and changed his clothes. Kids do have accidents every now and then, especially at 3 years old. The next day however, he went to the bathroom again in bed, this time letting go the big number 2. When I got him up, he told me he did it, to which I replied in a very stern voice that it was completely unacceptable to keep going to the bathroom in bed. I didn’t yell but I told him with great authority in my voice. He could definitley sense my disappointment as he began to cry in a sad way as opposed to an obnoxious way.

We cleaned up and got him dressed. Afterwards I sat him on his bed and asked why he went in his pants, to which he replied “I don’t know”. I proceeded to explain to him in a very calming voice that it is very important for big boys to use the potty when they need to go to the bathroom. I explained to him that if he feels he needs to go in the middle of the night that it is ok to wake either me or his mother up, or even go by himself to the bathroom. Then I used the big brother routine on him. I explained that it is very important that when his little brother comes in Feburary he is going to have to help us and set a good example for him. When his little brother is old enough he is going to have to help teach him how to use the potty. I told my son that I needed his help and the more we practice the right way now, the better we will be when we have to help his little brother. We ended the conversation with a hug and a high-five.

Since then we have not had anymore accidents and in the morning he points out that he did not go potty in bed and he is trying to make me proud of him. He tells me how he has to be a big brother and teach his new little brother how to use the potty.

We use this technique a lot on our son. The first thing we will do is tear him down by talking sternly, even sometimes raising our voice. We as parents feel it is important to make sure that the child knows he did something wrong, and the best way to do that is to let him know you are very disappointed and make him/her feel uncomfortable. After a couple minutes we talk about the situation and what he did wrong. We then tell him how to improve the behavior and set up some kind of expectation for him. We make sure that expectation makes him feel important. We also makes sure to know that when he meets that expectation we will be very proud parents. In subsequent situations when he meets that expectation, we make sure to praise him like there is no tomorrow, telling him what a great job he does.

In our minds we really appreciate how well behaved our child is. With any luck it has something to do with our parenting. I think deep down he is just a good kid. I look forward to seeing if our parenting techniques work well on our second child.

Most kids love to color; mine does. Coloring books are fun gifts, but when you need to find something for your own kids to color there is no better place to look than the internet. There are tons of sites out there with free printable sheets to color. Here are a few good ones that we use often:

http://www.coloring.ws/coloring.html
http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/
http://disney.go.com/magicartist/coloring/

Take a look around by searching google for free coloring pages. There are a ton of sites out there which allow you to print out a wide variety of pictures.