I have to admit, the primary motivation behind writing this post was due to Google analytics. For months, one of the most popular search strings entered as a referral for our site has been “why is spanking functional?” So, I figured, what the hell, let’s write an article about that so we rank higher on the search results and gain more visitors. Shameless, I know. So, without further background, here...

Preparing for your wife’s delivery day is a big responsibility for Dads. There are obvious things to pack and prepare (like a birth announcement email), but I wanted to share something that proved to be a great keepsake – a white t-shirt with my newborn daughter’s footprints on it. This task does not really take much preparation – what I did was wear a white undershirt on the day we were headed...

“You haven’t experienced parenthood until you’ve had to cut a onesy off your baby,” explained a friend. I nodded, not thinking much of the comment – ok, so his kid has some abnormal bowel movements permeating through the diaper and soiling the baby’s outer garment. My wife and I did not have kids at the time and just thought it was some strange, mildly gross problem that our friend...

Jack’s Big Music Show is an often forgotten and underestimated show currently in syndication on Nick Jr. most weekdays and weekends. From the research I’ve found on various sites, the show was produced between 2005 to 2007 and is not currently in active production, which is upsetting because this happens to be one of my daughter’s favorite shows. The format of the show is relatively standard –...

Product Review: The Lascal Kiddy Guard Retractable Safety Gate Summary: The Kiddy Guard Retractable Safety Gate from Lascal is an extremely innovative and space-saving child gate, but the complexity of operating the locking mechanism and the noise made as the gate retracts may be a deal-breaker for some consumers. Baby or child-proofing the house is an exercise we all go through within the first few years of parenthood...

If you’re a Dad like me, then you knew you had a key responsibility when your child was first born – sending an email announcement to your friends and family.  Now, unlike me, you may not have prepared for the delivery-day communication in advance with an predefined email template and recipient list. Here are some tips for completing this ever-important new-Dad task. Prepare an email group in advance - Include...

To Treat Bed-Wetting, Healthy Doses of Patience New York Times, January 11, 2010 Found this article in the “18 and Under” section in the New York Times, which takes a deeper look at bed-wetting and some of the psychological and hormonal causes for prolonged issues. The article takes a look at steps parents can take to help with children who are perfectly fine with their potty-training during the day, but...

Dr. Gregory Levitin After writing a recent post about my daughter’s hemangioma and the approach my wife and I plan to take, an internationally recognized physician and specialist in hemangiomas and vascular malformations, Dr. Gregory Levitin, read the article and made a comment about laser treatment.  I asked Dr. Levitin if he would be willing to engage in an online Q&A session about hemangiomas and treatment...

Note: I’m not a pediatrician or dermatologist, but most of what I write here is information gathered from real doctors.  All situations are different, please always consult your physician when making decisions about your child’s health. My daughter was born with a hemangioma on the left cheek of her face and as of this posting it still appears somewhat prominently. Figured it would be helpful to post our...

Cancer From the Kitchen? New York Times, December 5, 2009 Recent op-ed piece in the NY Times by Nicholas D. Kristof positions some compelling evidence about everyday kitchen chemicals and usage within the national health care debate.  He begins by pushing for more exploration and research into the potential causes of cancer, which tend to be one of the most devastating diseases, both physically and financially. While...