8 Reasons Why Birthday Parties Should Start After Age 5 – Dudes To Dads Ep 106

03/14/17 • -1 min

Who doesn’t like a good birthday party? Well even though we like them, we need to stop with having parties for babies and toddlers. There is simply no solid reasons for having these parties. I’m not talking about acknowledging your child and doing something with the family. Have a special meal, buy them a small cake, whatever. I’m talking about putting together a birthday party. There are a bunch of reasons that people would provide, but I find none of them valid! For this Episode 106, we offer “8 Reasons Why Birthday Parties Should Start After Age 5”: 1. The child doesn’t remember anything. Sure they might “recall” some things from pictures or video that was taken, but they won’t remember that you invited 30 people, had amazing food, a bouncy house, and a clown come to visit. 2. It’s way too expensive – I know, you can have people bring food, choose a free venue, and have friends do the entertainment. However we still have the other reasons to make up for it. There are just better things to spend your money on. 3. The child doesn’t need more stuff – Their room is already a mess and the garage is overflowing with toys. The last thing we need is more stuff. Sure people suggest donating to a charity, planting a tree, or other noble ideas, but let’s just avoid forcing other people to buy stuff on your kid’s behalf. 4. The party is for you not the child – I’ve been to so many child parties where the child is crying or even ASLEEP during the party. Yes ASLEEP. The kid doesn’t care. Your’re the one who cars. 5. Other people don’t want to come – When you have young kids, the last thing you want is more …

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Does Punishing Your Kids Work? Dudes To Dads Ep 105

The topic of punishment is a hot topic of debate for parents. In this Episode 105 we explore punishment and whether it is good or bad. We had our own debate in Episode 33 where we talked about punishment. This topic has come up more and more with the dads I talk to and recently in some additional parenting classes I am attending. I can here it now…”When I threaten or do take away my son’s video games, he behaves. Well, I bet he does. It seems quite difficult for people to accept the idea that punishment isn’t the answer to solving your children’s issues, getting them to do something, or when they do something “wrong”. For context here, I’m primarily referring to situations where you may “ground them”, take away their electronics or toys, or provide a long or severe punishment. Telling your child to go to their room can simply be a technique to cool off, both for them and you. The key is the follow up and we’ll touch on that later. So why do we typically punish our kids? Here are a couple of reasons: – We want to teach them a lesson – We want them be accountable for their actions – We want to correct their behavior That is what we want the punishment to do. The problem is that punishment doesn’t result in any of those things. So why do we punish our kids? Why do we have the perception that punishment works? 1) We don’t know what else to do? 2) It makes us feel better’ 3) It does and can provide a quick fix…focus on the quick fix 4) It’s easy to do – punishment is easy So what do we do then if we are not going to punish them? …

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14 Easy & Inexpensive Things You Can Do For Your Wife to Score Points – Dudes To Dads Ep 107

Who doesn’t like banking some extra points? While they may go fast, extra points are good karma. There are tons of lists and ideas out there. I have compiled some of my favorites for this episode 107. Here are some easy and inexpensive ways to do things for your woman: 1) Buy her flowers – doesn’t need to be roses or expensive. You don’t need to go to a fancy flower shop either. I know near us, you can get a small bouquet for $7-10 at a grocery store. There are all kinds of options. Bring them home from work for no reason other than saying I love you. Want to score even more points, if she works, have then sent to her work. Women love being appreciated in front of other women. 2) Massage her feet – While often guys will use massage as a way to lead to sex, this is a massage just for the sake of it. Get some lotion. I highly recommend coconut oil. It’s inexpensive and feels good in your hands too. 3) Do a chore or task that is usually hers – For example, if she typically makes dinner, let he know in advance that you will be taking care of dinner tonight and you want her to relax. If you can’t make something, order take out. If she handles laundry, do a load of laundry and offer her the break. 4) Write her a hand note – Express how much you appreciate her and love her. Put the note somewhere where she gets to find it. 5) Make a coupon book – If you want to go bigger, make a coupon book of however many things you want, and allow her to cash those in. There are also some cool, cheap ones …