Last Weekend Before Back-to-School!

Dear fellow Dads,

This is the start of the last weekend before school starts. Do what you have to do to make sure your kids have what they need to be cool next week. Your son will need...

New Clothes - Wash them though. Get rid of that new clothes feel. Printed tee and jean shorts is all you need to make a neutrally cool splash. Or go with a cool theme like the Minions, or Star Wars, or Angry Birds etc.

Backpack - Lots of great themes to suit any child. Star Wars for Tommy. They're a style statement though. Don't send him with last year's backpack or underestimate it's cosmetic as well as functional purpose.

Lunch Pail - Find one that matches the backpack if they aren't together.

Thermos - Same as above.

New kicks, styling as you can find. Nike. Vans. Converse. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. If it were you, you'd want to look cool, so choose shoes wisely.

Oh yeah, then you have all the other stuff that you need for school, like pencils, paper, fancy stationary, and food containers. That stuff is probably important too, but nowhere near as cool or #thugdaddy blog worthy.

You don't have to spoil them to be considerate of their wants; but do something that puts a smile on their face.

That's the best thing they can have on their first day of school.

Use the force ThugDaddy!

While reading Non-Conventional Feeding Habits

  I had my own revelation about feeding those little ones that can't yet feed themselves. Now maybe it's just me, but somehow I seem to think there are plenty of other Thugdaddies out there that possess the same Jedi mind powers that I do. Tell me you've never done this:

Feeding time!  You have your little one sitting up in the high chair all strapped in. You open up the jar of apple sauce (or some other delectable baby food) and there he is leaning forward, mouth gaping ready for that first rubber coated spoon full. In it goes... his action slows for a few seconds, eyes fixed on you, slowly manipulating the apple moosh around his gums as he deciphers what that heck you just put in his mouth. Then suddenly, the look comes over him like he was just reunited with a long lost friend and all the joy and excitement come out of him. His hands grasping the tray, pulling himself forward and legs flailing underneath, you continue happily shoveling spoon full after spoon full of yummy apple moosh into his cute little face.
Then comes inevitable distraction. All attention to food has now been diverted to the TV, Cat, Dog, Shutting of the front door, it could be anything. So you call his name...  gently pulling on his little finger...

 Nothing...

 Trying you move his attention back to you, you reach out with the slightest tug on his chin. Now, if your like me your more likely peeling his little hands off the back of the high chair as he has now turned completely around because you for some reason thought that this time would be different.

 So now he's really strapped in only this time he's looking at you with that "I'm determined not to eat look."  You know you've got a challenge in front of you. Mano y Mano!

So what do you do? You go for the powerful Jedi Mind control technique!

You know the one. Going in with that rubber coated spoon full of apple moosh you say "Mmmmm... Yum Yum!!" and with all your might You open your mouth as if somehow just by shear will power your mouth will open his mouth, letting you shovel in that ever lovin' spoonful. Yea... Not so much! No such luck! But you don't give in? No Way! Digging down deeper you open your mouth as wide as you possibly can get it... "Aaahhhh!" Surely he can't fend of the power of the force! You are a Jedi Dark Scythe Lord ThugDaddy. He will succumb!...  Then just at that moment he looks up at you and smiles with a big open mouthed grin and those little teeth poking through! Your heart melts and you shovel in that heaping spoonful of apple moosh right into his Cute little face. And so it goes, over and over.  Opening your mouth to control his until the bottle is empty.    You win!  He's fed and happy. Once again, all it right with the world!

Non-Conventional Feeding Habits?

There's no such thing. I get that we all want our children to sit quietly at the table, never say a word, and eat whatever is put in front of them; but if you have a child like that, it probably comes with batteries. Actual kids are often a lot tougher to handle when it comes to eating.

Here are three #thugdaddytips that might raise an eyebrow or two, but don't even try and tell me that you ain't gonna try one or all of them, the next time junior won't eat.

1) Scavenger Hunt - this isn't anything time consuming or difficult, just take a few pieces of what you are trying to feed junior, and put them in places that he usually walks - in front of the television set, on the table in front of the couch. Leave the bowl of whatever you were trying to feed him in plain view as well, but just make sure that you have 3-4 pieces strewn all over the place for him to pick up and eat.

My theory on this one is that often times... kids just want to feel like it was 'on their terms.' If they get to feel liek they 'found it' and had the choice to pick it up and eat it, my experience is that often they will. And then they will eat the bowl sitting there for them too. Yes, even if it was the food that they just refused to take from you at the dinner table.

Obviously this tip won't work for Chicken Soup, but it's a great way to piece a grilled cheese sandwich into a finnicky eater.

2) Feed them dessert first. "What?!?!?!?" you're saying. I don't mean give them a bowl of cake and ice cream or anything, but if you're having trouble getting the ball rolling - try giving the youngster a little bit of his FAVORITE food first and see if that doesn't make him eat some of the other stuff too. I usually use a piece of banana or apple, but have used things like a couple of potato chips too. Remember, you're just trying to spurn them to eat SOMETHING at that point, so once they start, don't hesitate to go back to trying to feed them their dinner again.

3) Let them see you feed YOURSELF the same thing and/or one of his favorite toys. Don't be afraid to grab junior's favorite dinosaur and simulate feeding them. Your child may just eventually follow suit... feed the toy, and then sneak a piece into his mouth himself. Often times it's all just about getting the ball rolling and getting your child to dip their toes in the water.


Don't be afraid to be creative and don't be over-principled when your child is being fussy - get them fed - nothing makes a kid scream harder than being hungry...

... even when they won't eat.

#thugdaddynation

Coolness

What in the aqua blue H-E-double hockey sticks does the kid "not understanding cool" have to do with him being cool?

Ummm... OTHER people know what cool looks like.

Don't ever underestimate the value of taking your kid out looking cool #thugdaddynation. One day he'll have to know how to do it by himself.

Stupid things like pleather jackets and $50 hightop Jordans may not be all that sensible when he will grow out of it in a week, but dang, he's gonna look gooood while he's growing ain't he?

Testicular Fortitude

From the ages of 20 to 40, I would approximate that I took 8-10 shots to the groin through the course of life - sports etc.

Since Tommy turned one, that is the exact same number that I would attach to what I now take per day.

It takes real testicular fortitude to have an active son #thugdaddynation... make sure you're ready.