How To Get Your Kids To Stop Playing Online Video Games

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Call Of Duty Black Ops

My 4 year old son loves his Super Mario Bros video game. Some days it borders on an unhealthy amount of love and I have recently started taking measures to cut back the amount of time he is allowed to spend on it. I realize that it is a non-violent video game for kids, but I really don’t want him to be so dependent on video games for entertainment. I mean, that’s why I bought him all those toys, right??

While doing my daily rounds on the internet yesterday, I came across another reason why I want to cut down on his video game time. That reason came from this article on Kotaku.com, which describes how far one father was willing to go in order to deter his 23 year old son from playing video games.

The father of 23 year old, Xiao Feng, didn’t like how much time his son was spending playing online video games, so he took matters into his own hands. In an effort to discourage his son from gaming and to get him to focus more on finding a job, Mr. Feng decided to hire in-game assassins to kill his son’s character every time he logged into his game.

As a former (mediocre) online gamer and as someone who has been killed in Call of Duty more times than I care to admit, I can sympathize with the frustration the boy must have felt. The son probably won’t admit it but the planning that must have gone into hiring in-game hitmen is most impressive. I wouldn’t even know where to start in contacting the top players of a specific game. It’s not like they use their real names and openly publish all of their contact info. Although, they may begin now that a new “Hitman For Hire” business opportunity has opened up!

I’m not sure how effective this strategy would be with other kids but it seems to have had the desired effect with Xiao Feng, who said “I want to take some time to find one (a job) that suits me.” I’ll be keeping this one in my back pocket for future use. Secretly, I hope it’s something I get to use someday. Talk about being a Bad-Ass Dad! Way to go, Mr. Feng!

Cheers!

And This Is Why We Don’t Do Spins Near The Christmas Tree!

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Kids Dancing

My kids love to spin. It doesn’t matter where we are or even if there is music playing, they just spin. I try to be a good parent and warn them of the dangers of spinning next to free standing objects but I can’t be expected to watch them every single second, right??

The following is an outtake from the “Dads sing Mariah Carey” video for the Life of Dad website. You’ll want to ignore the singing and pay attention to my son at the end of the video…

Also, MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

To Wrap, or Not To Wrap: That Is The Question

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DSC_0006

I recently posted on my Facebook Page, asking advice about whether or not you wrap the presents from Santa Claus. I had never heard of not wrapping them but the thought of cutting 6-7 presents off the wrapping table was intriguing to me.

I think the most comments I have ever received on a Facebook post was around 16, so when this one hit 70, I knew that it was a topic that needed further exploration. From reading through the comments, I also realized that there were no official operating procedures when it comes to Santa’s gifts. I tried to reach Santa but was told that he was too busy to comment. Understandable at this time of year.

We have always wrapped the presents from Santa in a special wrapping paper and will most likely continue this tradition, but I really enjoyed reading through all the different opinions on the subject. I even liked the ones that criticized me for posting about how Santa Claus may not be really real because their kids might walk behind them and see their computer screen! I’m sure it was done in jest.

Here’s a quick “wrap-up” of some of the responses I received. Pun intended.

* No presents from Santa, only stockings.
* Wrapped, with Santa’s gifts having different paper.
* Presents from Santa not wrapped and bundled together in a specific spot.
* Big items unwrapped, all others wrapped.
* Santa’s elves are tired and lazy, so Mommy and Daddy wrap them.

Now it’s your turn! Does Santa wrap the presents he leaves for your kids, or are they left unwrapped for them to enjoy right away?

Cheers!

No Words.

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I hadn’t planned on writing anything. I figured there was enough of it on TV and the internet, that adding in my thoughts and feelings would be inconsequential and unnecessary. Thing is, I can’t stop thinking about it, so I’m going to write it down anyway. I don’t need anyone to read this or comment on it, I just need to get it off my chest, for myself.

Something my wife will attest to, is that I am not someone who puts his emotions out on display, to a fault in most cases. I’m not a heartless monster by any means; I just choose to keep my feelings to myself a lot of the time, instead of burdening others with them.

After what has happened in China and Connecticut this week, I’m finding it hard to fight off the emotions that are swirling around in my mind. We’re talking about young children here. Babies even. How do you get those thoughts out of your head and carry on with your day to day life?

I feel so selfish to still be tearing up over it because it’s not like I lost anything in either one of those incidents. I’m not one of the parents of those young children, who have to learn to deal with that kind of loss. I don’t have to explain to my child why a maniac tried to hurt them and their friends and teachers. Yet anytime I see the images of the injured or the names of the children or the heroic teachers, I break out in tears and feel an overwhelming amount of sadness. They were only babies. They had whole lives to fulfill.

I understand the circle of life but this certainly doesn’t seem like it should be a part of it. Nobody should have to go through the pain and suffering these families are going to have to deal with in the months and years to come. I’m so sorry to everyone affected. I’m sorry that there is nothing I can do to help. There are no words or dollar amounts that are going to fix anything that has happened, although I will happily offer both.

I don’t know what it’s going to take to make this type of tragedy stop. Whether it’s stricter gun laws, better care for the mentally ill, less violent television or some other explanation, a discussion needs to take place, but that’s not why I’m writing this. I just hope that we are able to figure it out before it happens again, as it always seems to.

I don’t even know how to end this because there’s so much more I want to say. I just really want to express my sincere condolences to all the families affected by these tragedies and to let them know that they are in my thoughts and in my heart. There is a change that needs to happen but that change will not be a madman changing the way I view my world. I still have hope that good will prevail.

Life is too short. Be kind to each other. Help those in need. Say “I Love You”, often.

Together We Can Accomplish Anything

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There is strength in numbers. Take my hand and we will face the world together.

How About Another Dose Of #AwesomeDads

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After a great response to last week’s Awesome Dads post, I’ve decided to keep it going as long as I keep getting photos submitted. I’m also working on a design for the main photo, so it doesn’t look like I’m implying how awesome I am from week to week, haha.

My goal is to feature Awesome Dads doing awesome things with their kids. Whether it’s hitting the slopes, helping with homework or snuggling them back to health, I want to showcase the changing face of Dad. That said, here are this week’s Awesome Dads!

 

 

Here’s Oren Miller from the blog, Blogger Father. This isn’t the first time he’s appeared on my site and the write up I did on him for Dad Blogs Exposed will tell you more than I could write now. To follow Oren’s journey, you can check him out on his Facebook Page! Thanks, Oren!

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Mike Reynolds from the blog, Puzzling Posts. I don’t really know how else to describe Mike, except to say that he is one of the really great ones. I’m not talking just Dadding here either. He just seems to be a genuinely kind person and I’m happy to have met him and his family. Of note, Mike just single-handedly raised over $1800 for our recent Movember campaign. Not an easy feat. You can catch him on Twitter at @PuzzlingPostDad.

 

 

 

 

This is Kevin, who I only know as @KevinSky on Twitter. The best thing about pictures is that you don’t need to know somebody to appreciate them and I love that Dad and Grandpa are present in this amazingly patriotic shot.

 

 

 

 

Here is a photo of Chris, helping his daughter learn how to swim. This one strikes a chord for me because it’s one of my favourite things to do with my kids. It’s great when you can capture pride in a picture!

 

 

 

 

 

Last but certainly not least, meet Ryan Sanders from The National Fatherhood Initiative. This photo has me missing our Expos and even more so because he’s cheering for the team that they left for. Ryan has also been kind enough to offer me a guest post on his blog and I’m grateful for the opportunity. You can also follow him on their Facebook Page.

That’s it for this week! Thanks to all the Dads and wives who submitted pictures. They were all great! If you’d like to submit your great Dad pics, please send them to [email protected], along with their name and a link, if any, to your site. Til we meet again!

Cheers!

Dads Sing Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas”

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I was recently asked by Tom Riles, who runs the Life of Dad website, if I wanted to be a part of their latest “Dads Sing“ video. I was more than happy to take part and then immediately got nervous when I he told me that we’d be tackling the very challenging, Mariah Carey version of, “All I Want For Christmas”.

As it turns out, it didn’t matter, because the kids and I had a lot of fun with it! And here’s the finished product. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! PS – The outtakes from my family’s shoot may or may not end up on here at some point as well…

Cheers!

Forget Dad Fail; Here Is Some Dad Awesomeness! #AwesomeDads

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I got slightly annoyed this week, after seeing two separate posts featuring photo slideshows with the tagline of DadFail. I won’t link to them but I assure you, they are out there and the pictures were a complete misrepresentation of what I’m guessing in 98% of the Dad population.

I thought it would be a fun idea to counter that post with some pictures of the Dads I associate with, doing the things that real Dads do with their children. I’m sure it won’t get even 1% of the hits those other posts got but it’s a start. We’re certainly not perfect but we are definitely not failures. I put a call out for photos and received so many that this could become a weekly feature.

 

 

This is another Canadian Dad blogger, James from EduDad and also from the Dads Round Table. You can catch him on Twitter at @SaskaDad. He’s a good dude and a great Dad!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Trent Hamilton, who blogs over at Green Eggs & Hamiltons and also at Life of Dad. Don’t be afraid to hit him up on twitter at @mrThamilton. He is a perfect example of the changing face of fatherhood today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is Spencer Warren and his daughter at last year’s Ottawa Children’s Gala, which he also organizes. It’s an excellent event, for kids too, which raises money for the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario’s ‘Plan It Safe’ Program. He is a really good person and has committed a lot of his time to helping kids in my community. You can follow him at @CharityForCHEO on Twitter.

 

 

 

 

 

This is Daddy Nickell from the website Daddy Scrubs. It’s actually a very cool website and I encourage you to check it out. You can also catch up with him on the Daddy Scrubs Facebook page.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How about a Dad who doesn’t blog? They are the majority after all! Here is a cool shot of Darryl hanging with his kids out in the wilderness. I’m willing to excuse the Penguins hat here because of the amazing setting and the giant smiles!

 

 

 

 

 

Last but certainly not least, we have Mark Buell from my hometown of Ottawa. Hard to believe we are back to tobogganing season already! You can find Mark writing things at, A Semitone Higher and on Twitter @MeBuell.

 

 

That’s all for this week’s Untitled Dad Awesomeness Feature! I hope enjoyed it as much as I did putting it all together. I’m hoping to keep it going but I’ll need your help. You can do so by sending me your cool, Dad pictures, of you and your kids spending quality time together. You can send them to me on Twitter at @CanadianDadBlog, via my Facebook Page, or email them to me at [email protected]. Have a great week!

Cheers!

Our Elf On The Shelf Is Back! Say Hello To Zerby

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We started our family’s Elf on the Shelf tradition last year and the kids really got into it, so we’re welcoming the Elf back to our shelves again this Christmas season! I’d like to introduce you to, Zerby!

Sure, he sounds like something out of a 1970’s science fiction movie, but I can assure you that he is the coolest Elf you will ever meet. Plus, Zerby is easy to remember and is way better than having to repeat Princess Fluffy Muffins or Pinky Sparkles McStrawberry the Third!

Zerb’s and I spent most of last night catching up with each other after a long 11 month break and he had me in stitches all night long. Of course, that could also have been the Rye… Either way, it was good to have him back and I know the kids will be excited to see him in the house.

We started with just the Elf last year and although the kids enjoyed having him change places every night, it didn’t really hit full stride until we saw the Elf on the Shelf movie on TV. Since that day, there has been even more excitement over his arrival, as it gives him a back story that the kids can draw from.

In the interest of getting the full effect of the Elf’s presence, I suggest that you go out and get the DVD. It has been so much fun watching the kids’ excitement over it. For those of you in Ottawa, I picked mine up for $10 at Tag Along Toys in Kanata, or you could try to catch it when it airs on TV, but I find it’s always nicer to have the hard copy.

Well, that’s it for me and Zerby! I hope you’ll keep checking in on our crazy Dad and Elf adventures this year, as we have a lot in store for you!

Cheers!