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Elizabeth turned six years old on Saturday. One of the things she has been wanting to do for her birthday for the last couple months was for me to take her out to the Texas Roadhouse for lunch. Well, I decided to take her out for a special dad and daughter lunch. As some of you may be aware, a lot of these restaurants these days sing to you on your birthday. Well, we were sitting there minding our own business when a lady who was seated just a few tables from us appeared to have a 21st birthday.

Elizabeth, being the sharp little girl she is says, “Dad it is my birthday today too.” So I asked her if she wanted everybody to give her the “Texas yee-haw”.. and of course she nodded up and down with an obvious yes.

So I told her she had to tell the lady next time she came by to check on us. And sure enough when the waitress came she let her know it was her birthday and that she was now 6 years old. Oh boy… Well, she got to ride on the saddle while everybody in the joint gave her a big Texas yeee-haaaawww…

She loved it!!!

But the next day we spent over at her grammie and grampas house. Had a cake and opened gifts. As you can see in the photos the cake was chocolate and holding up her bear which was a big hit.

-sillydad

What gave me the idea to write about this was reading a Tooth Brushing Hint over at Dadventure. Are you having trouble getting your kids to learn about brushing their teeth? My daughter came home from school one day with a new toothbrush, floss, and some toothpaste. Also in the little packet was a little plastic hour glass. What a cool idea. You tip it over and the sand falls through the contraption for 3 minutes. That is how long you need to brush your teeth for.

Well, let me tell ya, that hour glass was quite the hit in this family. All the kids lined right up to take turns flipping that hour glass.

My oldest daughter would wake up in the middle of the night to go brush her teeth. While she was away at school my younger ones would go into the bathroom and brush their teeth together. It wasn’t about the teeth though, it was about watching the sand fall for 3 minutes.

So if you are having trouble getting your kids to brush their teeth, try a 3 minute hour glass that is roughly 2 inches tall. Works like a charm!

-sillydad

By golly gee-wiz! Another birthday party invitation makes its way home. I just wished somebody warned me. Check out my previous blog on birthday parties to get the full scoup. Now I feel weird because Elizabeth’s birthday is coming right up and we are only keeping the party within the family. But, hey she seems to like the idea and having a large family helps weigh it out a little bit.

Who here likes to throw parties for their kid’s birthday? Do you still, as an adult, celebrate your own birthday?

-sillydad

I can always tell when Sam has been in the fridge. When I open the door to it there lay his toys. In a lot of cases he hears me coming and drops everything, slams the refrigerator door, and b-lines it to the living room. Other times he may actually think Mr. Dinosaur needs some food. Who really knows?

I always tell him to ask me first before pawing through all the food with his grubby hands, yet I am always finding his toys scattered about. Some days Spiderman could very well be resting up against a block of Monterey Jack cheese. Other days the Hulk has climbed half way up the jug of milk.

-sillydad

Eccentric Father, a new site added to my blogroll, hits on a key issue I always like to address, and that is quality time. He believes that quantity + quantity + quantity + quantity = quality time and in fact starts his article this way:

“Quality time is a myth started by parents who do not wish to spend as much time as they possibly can with their children.”

I do agree with him to a certain degree. I actually believe there are parents who wish they could spend more time with their kids and so through denial and justification they in fact turn the tide. It is all about quality time they say. I believe this to be true in a lot of cases BUT, I also believe that quantity time does not always lead to quality time.

An example would be the dad takes his son to the park for the entire day and lets him run all over the place while dad sits on his cell phone and talks to friends, clients, co-workers, or whoever.

So quantity does not always lead to quality time and to get quality time you need to spend as much time as you can with your child. Does that make sense to you?

-sillydad

Recently I wrote an article on the top 10 things not to say to a Stay at Home Dad. Though people agreed and even added their own comments of what not to say to a Stay at Home Dad, I decided we need to have a plan. So now we know what not to say to an SAHD, let’s provide a list of what SAHD DO want to hear.

So here are 8 things you DO want to say to a SAHD:

1) Wow, that is a very honourable thing to do. Obviously you are thinking of your family first and not about yourself
There are a lot of people who treasure a man’s “title” over doing what is honorable for the family. When people recognize that you have sacrificed what some people wouldn’t in order to stay in line with the proper stereotypes it helps make your life and decisions more at peace. When people say you are not selfish and that you put your family first, it also reinforces to you how important your job is at home.

2) You must be a wonderful father to your children
Just because you stay home doesn’t mean you are a wonderful father, but I think when it becomes a choice for a man to stop going out into the world to work to stay at home it tells you something about your character as a person. Though this statement may not be entirely true, it definitely increases your chances of being a wonderful father because of your overall choices.

3) Your wife must be happy to have a husband who puts the family first
Sometimes it hits home when other people mention how happy your wife must be. Not only are you a wonderful dad, but now you are also a wonderful husband. We all know how some fathers will do whatever they can for their children but are still disrespectful towards their wife. Comments like this still could be false but their assumption definitely makes a Stay at Home Dad feel worthwhile.

4) Being a full-time at home parent is a lot of work
There is nothing worse than a person thinking you stay home and do nothing all day while you let your wife go out into the world and slave to bring home the bacon. It is mostly difficult for the older people, especially those who lived through the Great Depression. Men slaved and begged for work and it was hard times. To even think of allowing your wife to go out into the work place while you stayed home, especially during some of the tougher eras here in America would be completely ludicrous. Fortunately, today we live in a society where the economy is booming and the overall situation makes the workplace more enjoyable. We can pick and choose jobs to some degree. So staying home and letting the wife out to work is not what some people make it out to be. The reason most fathers stay home with their children is because the wife makes a lot more money, and in most cases it doesn’t mean the husband couldn’t find a job at all. So, anyway it is nice to see others who understand that staying home with children is working. You don’t get paid with money but you are investing time and energy and love into your family that cannot be measured by dollar bills.

5) I wish I could get my husband to do that
I have actually heard this comment before and not just on one occasion. There are men out there who will not stay home with their children even if it meant more money. Usually it is a pride thing. Stay at Home Dads like this comment because it reinforces that what they are doing is not just valuable for your family but also valuable enough that some husbands still are not kosher with the idea.

6) That is so wonderful, you will be able to watch your children take their first steps
Again, not too long ago men were the ones out working long hours and making money. They would come home late at night to hear how their little one had taken their first step or said their first word. Daddy wasn’t around much to witness these first steps. But, Stay at Home Dads today will be more likely to catch all those great and happy moment and if they are fortunate can catch it all on film for their working wife. So when people mention this, it certainly helps our outlook on our decision and puts aside all the spit-ups and diaper changes, and really hits home the more important developments in a child’s upbringing.

7) That is great, you can raise your kids how you want to
When I hear this comment I think it refers to in opposition to daycare. Some parents drop children off at school and/or daycare for the day while both go to work. Sometimes families need both incomes to make things work. In our family we found that most of the 2nd person’s income would get dumped into daycare anyway. So, staying home with your children instead of leasing them out helps to get to know your children and raise them the way you feel is the best way according to your family’s goals and values. Again, this is an investment and when people appreciate your decision to raise your own kids it helps reinforce to you that your decision is the right one.

I know a guy who stays home with his children too and it had worked out great for them.
To hear another person made the same decision and not only did it work out, but it worked out great, is like hearing bells on your wedding day. A one sentence success story for a family who is living similarly to your own. What a time to be happy for your decision. And it also shows you are not alone in this world. There are other dads out there scattered across America who are staying home with their children. In fact, statistics show a steady increase. So if you are ever talking to a Stay at Home Dad and know of another Stay at Home Dad, then let them know.

Please feel free to add any of your own…

-sillydad

Last month I wrote an article mentioning the top ten things NOT to say to a Stay at Home Dad. Well over at dadstayshome.com there is an extended version. A lot of people are sharing their personal experiences and what they are faced with each and every day. I think you will be amazed at some of the tormenting comments that go on in this world. Also there is an example here of even a situation that happened to a wife of a Stay at Home Dad that was not too pleasant, but fortunately ended well.

Go amuse yourself…

-SillyDad

Just recently I wrote an article at dadbloggers.com about my experience driving long distances with my 4 children. It is somewhat comical but extremely true. If you haven’t yet experienced such a trip or would like to compare your own car trips with mine please jump over and read it. At the end of the article I actually put together a list of 10 real basic things that you should bring with you to make your life a little easier, and to make your car ride slightly more enjoyable.

And please, take the article for what it is worth. I will post that list below but make sure to go read the entire article. Funny!

1) Plenty of diapers and baby wipes (This should be obvious but just checking)
2) For each child over 4 years old, bring one extra outfit. For each child under 4, bring two.
3) Bring several large water bottles full of juice. Dilute the juice. It is better for their tummies.
4) Bring snacks. Make sure the snacks do not have jelly or chocolate in them.
5) Bring about 12 plastic bags from the grocery store. This is for trash and unexpected diaper changes and vomiting.
6) Blankets. Each child should have a blanket whether or not it is cold or hot out. When they get tired they will resort back to how they normally sleep. If a blanket is missing, they may not sleep well on the way home which leads to crying.
7) One toy for each child.
For adults, one change of socks. Just prior to driving home, actually put on new socks and put the dirty ones in a plastic bag, tie it up and put in trunk. Trust me, you may not even think of it but if you do this your ride home will be more enjoyable.
9) Roll of Bounty paper towels.
10) A half dozen washclothes and roughly 3 large bath towels.

-sillydad

Hello all! Just wanted to mention I have installed some forums for those who would like to sit back, relax, and chat. Check out the forums here:

Silly Dad Forums

Hope to see you all there. I will also be updating the blog more regularly like I have in the past. I actually have some pics I will be posting sometime in the next couple days with a short story.

School is starting back up and I will have 2 little ones off to school. Should give me a little time to get back in here and do some serious bloggin’

sillydad

Here is a question for all you parents out there. Is telling your child “No” wrong if you have no other reason to say it other than just wanting to say it? Here is a better way to look at it. Your child asks you if they can watch a movie and you say “No” only because you just feel like not letting them.

Is that good parenting? Do you need more of a reason to say No other than the fact you simply just feel like saying No?

It seems silly to ask, but then again I am silly dad right? In all seriousness, think about it a minute. How can this backfire? Does it matter how old your child is or should you always have a good reason for your decisions?

I have my theories but I would like to hear yours.

-sillydad