How To Build Your Very Own Escape Room For Kids!
/2 Comments/in Inspiration, THE BLOG, The Daddy Files /by Chris ReadChoosing Kindness and the Grace VanderWaal Experience
/0 Comments/in THE BLOG, The Daddy Files /by Chris ReadBe The G.O.A.T. By Giving The Gift Of … A Goat!
/32 Comments/in THE BLOG /by Chris ReadIt occurred to me recently, that with the hectic schedule we have been keeping, I hadn’t been budgeting in time to continue teaching the kids about the importance of giving back. We are so blessed with the ability to put our kids in the sports they want and to not worry about things like not having food on the table, that it’s easy to forget that not everyone is so fortunate.
After learning about Plan International Canada’s Gifts of Hope program and looking through the various gifts with my kids, I decided that this would be my ask for Father’s Day this year. My ultimate hope is to set an example for my kids in showing them that providing a gift for someone else can be a gift in itself.

Plan International Canada is a global children’s rights and gender equality organization, and the Gifts of Hope are not symbolic, they make a real difference. The gift you choose is the gift someone will physically receive. For instance, the $75 for a goat goes directly to a goat program that purchases goats and provides training in raising and breeding goats in countries like Cameroon. Not surprisingly, the gift of a goat was my kids’ favourite option.
While there are more than 50 gifts to choose from in the Gifts of Hope catalogue, there was one that stood out above the rest for me. Strong Dad, Strong Family helps facilitate community fathers’ groups, where men can meet to learn and talk about such topics as maternal, newborn and child health, sexual and reproductive health including family planning, and men’s roles in these areas. There could be no better gift this Father’s Day than to help other dads around the globe!
It doesn’t take much to have a huge impact and with gifts starting at just $10, there’s something for every type of budget. Please take a moment to check out the Gifts of Hope catalogue and take a minute to be the GOAT (Greatest Of All-Time) for someone who truly needs it!

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Plan Canada.
A Naked Wall Is A Boring Wall
/0 Comments/in THE BLOG /by Chris ReadWe have lived in our current house for almost 10 years and for some reason I only just recently started noticing that we had a lot of empty wall space. I think a large part of the problem is that we use social media so much to share pictures these days, that I rarely get anything physically printed to put up around the house.
It was perfect timing when I received a message from BestCanvas.ca asking if I wanted to collaborate with them, because a wonderful account on Instagram had just created a beautiful artwork of my daughter from her last gymnastics event and I knew we had to do something with it.

I browsed the BestCanvas.ca website and found the perfect Canvas Print almost immediately! Having never ordered a canvas print online before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but I can now tell you with 100% certainty that not only did my daughter love the print, which we gave her for her 9th birthday, but it’s going to look amazing next to her trophy case!
You didn’t think I was going to leave you empty-handed, did you?? If you use the code CANADIANDAD when checking out at BestCanvas.ca, you will get 15% off your order! I’d love to take all the credit for this but really it was BestCanvas.ca’s doing. If you do end up ordering something, please feel free to share it on social media and tag me so I can see how great your canvas print looks!

Disclosure: I received a complimentary canvas print in exchange for this post and yes, I will be using my own discount code to order more prints in the future.
Funniest Parenting Tweets of the Week!
/0 Comments/in Funniest Tweets, THE BLOG /by Chris ReadIt’s time to laugh with some of the funniest parents from around the internet! Each week we’ll share what we deem to be the funniest tweets about parenting, so you can spend you Monday mornings laughing out loud for strangers on the bus!
My toddler found a huge box of Band-Aids, so now everything we own is "all better."
— Nathan Gregory (@MrGirlDad) March 31, 2019
The garbage was overflowing in the kitchen, so I asked my son to take it out. His response: “But we’re so close to setting a record!”
— Sarcastic Mommy (@sarcasticmommy4) March 28, 2019
This is why some animals eat their young.
Kids aren’t food critics, that implies they’ll actually try things. Let’s be honest, they’re food bigots.
— HowToBeADad (@HowToBeADad) March 28, 2019
5 min: we’re leaving soon. Is everyone ready?
— No Idea: Daddy Blog (@byclintedwards) March 25, 2019
Kids: yup!
3 min: get everything you need!
Kids: ok!
0 min: let’s go.
Kid 1: where’s bun-bun!!!
Kid 2: I can’t find my shoes!
Kid 3: ** explosive diarrhea **
I have a hard time relating to non parents. They’re always doing fancy things like “eating hot food ” or “drinking for pleasure” or “sleeping normally.”
— WTFDAD (@daddydoubts) March 28, 2019
Uppity assholes.
[1989]
— Lurkin' Mom (@LurkAtHomeMom) March 28, 2019
*ice cream truck music*
Me: Can I get one? Please?
My Mom: No, ugh are you kidding that thing is such a rip off!
[2019]
My Son: Ooh, can I-
My Mom: How much for the whole truck?
I just clipped my 6 year old’s toe nails. He collected all of the toe nails then put them under his pillow. I asked what he was doing and his reply was “I am about to find out if I can make any money from these!”
— Cydni Beer (@cydbeer) March 29, 2019
Sometimes I can’t tell the difference between a cat’s meows and my 3yo’s whines, partially because I’m a shitty dad but mostly because my toddler is an animal.
— Dad and Buried (@DadandBuried) March 29, 2019
5yo: *burp*
— Marcy G (@BunAndLeggings) March 31, 2019
Me: Please don't do that at the table.
5yo: It's not me it's my body.
Me:
5yo: What do you want me to do? swallow my burp!?
Me:
5yo: Do you want me to die!!?
Me: Just use your manners.
5yo: *burp* excuse me! *fart*
Me: Sigh….
The weather is warming up so now the kids can finally go outside and get some fresh air while they play on their phones.
— Rodney Lacroix (@moooooog35) March 30, 2019
My greatest mom super power is being able to sense when someone in the house has opened a bottle of water when they already have an unfinished one floating around somewhere.
— ωнαтѕαяαнѕαι∂ (@tinyandtired) March 26, 2019
My kids live by the saying, "You are what you eat" by wearing 75 percent of what they were eating at the end of every meal.
— A Bearer Of Dad News (@HomeWithPeanut) March 27, 2019
Never ask your sons how often they change their underwear if you’re not prepared to live with that knowledge.
— Unfiltered Mama (@UnfilteredMama) March 26, 2019
Pediatrician: I recommend no more than 30 minutes of screen time for children under 10
— The Dadvocate (@thedadvocate01) March 31, 2019
Me: I’d like to get a second opinion
My kids love practicing piano so much that they check how much time have left to practice after every note
— Robert Knop (@FatherWithTwins) March 26, 2019
BASEBALL MOM: so we had Caleb at the batting cages all winter and he attended all-star camp over spring break
— Valerie (@ValeeGrrl) March 30, 2019
ME: pretty sure my son’s reaction time’s improved since last season cuz he plays so much Fortnite
From the other room, I just heard my daughter say, "Daddy can fix it! He can fix ANYTHING!"
— Nathan Gregory (@MrGirlDad) March 31, 2019
Unless "it" is a Pop-Tart, I think she's about to be extremely disappointed.
Funniest Parenting Tweets of the Week!
/0 Comments/in Funniest Tweets, THE BLOG /by Chris ReadWe’re starting a new feature on the blog to showcase some of the funniest parents from around the internet! Each week we’ll share what we deem to be the funniest tweets about parenting, so you can spend you Monday mornings laughing out loud for strangers on the bus!
SHHHHHHH….If you put your ear to the ground right now and listen..
— A Bearer Of Dad News (@HomeWithPeanut) March 24, 2019
.
.
.
..you can hear a parent stomping to their kid's room for the 100th time tonight to discuss if a dinosaur's poop is taller than you.
Just walked in the door and my 1yo's face lights up.
— Stay at Homies (@stayathomies) March 21, 2019
He comes running towards me while laughing.
I bend down with my arms wide open.
And he runs right up to the grocery bag I'm holding with Tostito chips in it and hugs it.
Ohhhhhh yeah! pic.twitter.com/yAljEPF2Ir
— HowToBeADad (@HowToBeADad) March 23, 2019
Millions of parenting books, but none of them can ever really prepare you for how difficult it will be when you overhear your children continuously using the word “epic” to describe a new pop-tart flavor.
— Lurkin' Mom (@LurkAtHomeMom) March 23, 2019
My kids sure do make a lot of plans for being people who don't know how to drive themselves anywhere.
— Sarcastic Mommy (@sarcasticmommy4) March 23, 2019
Sex is great and all but have you ever gotten your kids to bed and had enough time to watch an entire movie without falling asleep halfway through?
— Dad and Buried (@DadandBuried) March 21, 2019
Sometimes I like to go to the local playground to be reminded how intolerable other people's kids are. It's nice to know it's not just mine.
— Salty Mermaid (@Jenn_H_Scott) March 21, 2019
[Centers for Disease Control]
— The Dadvocate (@thedadvocate01) March 23, 2019
Agent: [in a biohazard suit] We’ve identified the source of the outbreak: This old contaminated teddy bear
Me: Oh hey my kid’s been looking for that
*give 1yo a PBJ sandwich*
— Stay at Homies (@stayathomies) March 20, 2019
*10min later, sandwich is gone*
Me: "Wow buddy! Good job eating!"
*2 hours later, change 1yo bc he has a full diaper and discover PBJ wedged in the front of his diaper.*
I am "goes to the store to buy antacids at 9 pm, hears The Living Years by Mike and the Mechanics over the radio, and starts crying in the store" weeks pregnant
— Anecdotal Birthcontrol (@PedersenAhmed) March 23, 2019
Husband: Did you clean your room like I asked you to?
— Goldfish and Chicken Nuggets (@gfishandnuggets) March 23, 2019
5: No
Husband: Why didn’t you clean your room?
5: Because I wanted to colour and watch TV and do fun stuff
I can’t say she’s not honest ??♀️
Told my dad about how I caught my son shoving a french fries between the couch cushions and he reminded me about the time I burned down our garage.
— eric is on a train (@ericsshadow) March 20, 2019
Dear people making kids books with dust covers,
— mommed real hard (@MommedRealHard) March 24, 2019
Seriously? Have you met children?
Sincerely,
A confused parent
Me: Can you tell the kids to stop jumping on the couch?
— Jessie (@mommajessiec) March 20, 2019
Husband: Kids, what you’re doing is going to ruin our furniture.
Me: Well, don’t encourage them.
When my son was 3, as I was putting him to bed, he said “you’re much better than other daddy!”
— Robert Knop (@FatherWithTwins) March 17, 2019
I grilled him for ten minutes until I discovered he meant mommy. Mommy was “other daddy”
Thing 1: You’re the best daddy in the world!
— Distracted Dad (@Distracted_Dad) March 20, 2019
Me: Aww, thanks!
T1: [thinking] Unless Santa has kids.
Me: Ha! Okay, that’s-
T1: Or Superman. Or any superhero. You’re best after them.
Me:
T1: Do astronauts have kids?
You can either have a nice evening or you can help your child with their math homework.
— Sarcastic Mommy (@sarcasticmommy4) March 20, 2019
You can’t have both.
If you wear ripped jeans in front of your dad, there’s a 100% chance he’ll ask “what happened to your pants?”
— not the WORST mom ??♀️ (@nottheworstmom) March 22, 2019
-If Thanos had a toddler-
— A Bearer Of Dad News (@HomeWithPeanut) March 24, 2019
Thanos: Avengers, your end has come-
[Tries to snap fingers, but gauntlet is sticky]
What the?
[Cut to earlier that day and Thanos' kid spilling juice all over gauntlet]
I read that it takes 6 years to catch up on the sleep deprivation from having a kid.
— The Salty Mamas (@saltymamas) March 19, 2019
My son will be 6 in June, but I've had two since then so I'm crunching numbers like good will hunting and with the compounding sleep deprivation I'm proud to announce I'll be caught up in 2064.
[Calling doctor's office]
— Marcy G (@BunAndLeggings) March 20, 2019
Lady: When is your child's birthday?
Me: *panic* click