parenting Archives - SocialDad.ca

8 Tips to Encourage Independent Play

January 11, 2020

Since our daughter is an only child, I always just thought that either my wife and I should be playing with her the whole time. I worried that she might feel lonely or feel rejected if I said ‘no’ to a request of hers. It turns out that wasn’t exactly true. By saying ‘yes’ to her every request to play, to get toys out for her, or to otherwise occupy her, we were denying her of the confidence to do things by or for herself. Also, it’s exhausting and we ...

Dad-ing

I Figured Out the Root of All Arguments – for Grown-Ups and Kids

September 23, 2019

As I was just putting my daughter to bed and sitting silently in the dark as she drifted off, I was thinking about why she always asks for one more story or for me to just sit there until well after she’s asleep. She wants to know I’m still there, looking after her. But then, as my ...

Dad-ing, opinion

The Consistent Imbalance of Parenting

July 18, 2019

Children need to know that they don’t have the power over the decision-making and that they don’t need to worry about what’s for dinner, when to bathe, when to play. All they need to do is rely on his/her parent to take care of the hard stuff. Trouble comes if they’re ...

Dad-ing

Do Horses Have Bones? 11 Bizarre Bedtime Questions from My Daughter

March 28, 2019

My daughter’s bedtime is always a great time to settle down, process the day, and answer any lingering questions she’s thought about while playing in the park or chatting with her pre-school friends. They don’t always make a lot of sense, but I guess she has to figure ...

Dad-ing

The REAL Man’s Guide to Being a Father

February 15, 2019

There’s been a lot of talk about manliness, what’s expected of us and brands telling me how I should behave. As a man (I checked) and a dad, I wanted to share a quick guide to make sure my fellow manly men don’t get confused. 1. You are in charge of how your kids see you. Make ...

Dad-ing

Why New Dads Make the Best Employees

July 30, 2018

Becoming a father has been an incredible experience so far. It’s truly amazing to create a person that finds you simultaneously fascinating, infuriating, hilarious, and nurturing. In addition to my new home-life challenges and constant rewards, my work-life has improved. I’m more focused on my ...

Dad-ing

Building Your Kid’s Best Day with ParticipACTION

January 19, 2018

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of ParticipACTION . All opinions are 100% mine. I’m going to keep this post nice and short. Mainly so that you’ve got less reason to stay sitting and more to get up. This year, I’m making a conscious effort to move more, eat a ...

Dad-ing

Should Mum Always Be Bad Cop?

December 10, 2017

A theme has developed as part of our ever-changing family dynamic. My wife is the one who administers the medicine while our daughter squirms like an otter. She also seems to be the one blowing baby’s nose, cutting nails, and wrestling to get her curly hair into bunches, which look ...

Dad-ing

10 Things They Never Teach You About Toddlers

October 12, 2017

Every parent-to-be buys all the books, attends the classes, and gets many lengthy life lessons from all manner or relatives, coworkers and passers-by. However, there’s nothing in What to Expect When You’re Expecting about how to style an angry toddler’s hair in the way ...