Fitness Tips for Dads By Dave L Armstrong    Men's fitness does not naturally work itself out when single fathers have a lot on their plate. Between a stressful day job and keeping up with child support payments, some single dads often shuttle between towns making long-distance parenting a difficult yoke to bear. Oftentimes single fathers end up taking their own physical condition and emotional state for granted. Being available to their children is important to them, but without taking good care of their own well-being they run the risk of jeopardizing not only their health but the peace of mind of being active in their kids lives. A parent can not properly and fully nurture their children if they can't function as care providers to their own selves. Here are important reminders every single dad should know when it comes to their fitness and health. EXERCISING REGULARLY Busy dads are often hard pressed to find available time for exercise, but by taking 10,000...

15 Tips to Better Baby Sleep By John E Laing One of the most rewarding things as a new parent is to hear the sweet sounds of silence; that is, your baby peacefully sleeping! Every baby is unique in their sleeping habits, and it can be a tough rough for parents to navigate. To help you achieve better baby sleep, consider these 15 tips to improve your baby's snooze sessions. 1. Consistency is Key A bedtime routine can help a child to wind down before bed, and can also help them prepare mentally and physically for the end of the day. Pre-bedtime activities might include a bottle, a bedtime story, and pajamas. When these things appear, children will know what is expected of them, and that playtime is over. Try to keep the room a little quieter when this routine begins. 2. Make Sleep Time Enjoyable Sleep should never be seen as a bad thing in the eyes of a child. Make bedtime a soothing, relaxing experience for them by incorporating a soothing nightlight, some natur...

Talking with children about Coronavirus Disease 2019: Messages for parents, school staff, and others working with children As public conversations around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety or fear. CDC has created guidance to help adults have conversations with children about COVID-19 and ways they can avoid getting and spreading the disease. General principles for talking to children Remain calm and reassuring. Remember that children will react to both what you say and how you say it. They will pick up cues from the conversations you have with them and with others. Make yourself available to listen and to talk. Make time to talk. Be sure children know they can come to...

8 Tips to Working From Home During the Pandemic By Julie Riber, CPO    The Pandemic is causing stress, anxiety, depression, panic behavior, and many other assorted reactions. Remain calm, we will not run out of food, water, or other supplies. On top of all this, many are asked to work at home with their children being home from canceled schools for weeks. Now is the time to take a deep breath and follow a few tips to make it go quickly and stress free or at least less stress. 1. Get your exercise. Many states have closed the gyms and fitness centers, so take a walk or do an in home exercise. Whether you are a morning or evening person, plan your schedule accordingly. You probably still have some DVD's sitting around that are useful. There are plenty of YouTube, apps and on demand shows that will get you a good work out. Many allow a 30 day free trial, which is perfect for this time period. 2. Take a shower in the morning. Bring refreshed and clean will give y...

Tips For Young Fathers By Dylan T Riley    Hopefully, if you are reading this, you are a man between the ages of 18 and 25 that is about to become a father. In this article, I will elaborate on three helpful tips for becoming a young father. Spend as much time as possible with the child, become financially independent, and constantly be focusing on your future. When you are a young man about to become a father, your family and friends get scared for you and they might say hurtful words. You need to block out all the negativity and take in all the positivity. Think about how you are about to have a mini you, how you can teach your child so many wonderful things, and how you get to watch them grow into their own person. Your number one goal is spending as much time as you can with your child. One of my favorite sayings is "you get out, what you put in." Well with a child, you get out a thousand times what you put in. Wake up with them in the morning, teach them h...

How to Adjust to Being a First Time Step-Parent By Marie K Bing   As a first time step-parent you should be open-minded about parenting responsibilities. Your partner obviously has more experience than you, and there may be particular things they expect that you are uncomfortable with. You should know beforehand where the lines are for you and for your partner. Sit down with him or her to discuss what is expected from you and from the child whose life you have entered. Depending on the age of your new step-child you may have more hands on parental responsibilities or you may function more as a friend and mentor. This expectation depends on both the parent and the child's needs. Secondly you should be prepared to handle the other birth parent. If the birth mother or father is in the picture then they may also have expectations of what are and aren't your responsibilities. If you are parenting a toddler then they may be uncomfortable with you being too hands on ...

 Classic Health vs. Wealth balance for Dads

4 Things You Learn About Your Life When Your Baby Starts Crawling Originally Posted on:  The Not-the-Mama Dad Blog The game has changed. This was a realization I had back in my very first fatherhood post.  Each day is an exercise in adaptability . Those words are more and more true with every passing day. While my daughter (who’s now seven-months-old) grows smarter and more capable each day, there are significant game-changing milestones. We hit a big one last weekend. She can crawl. Gone are the days of a stationary baby. My wife and I lit a candle to properly grieve the end of the era when our parenting activities didn’t involve the word “chase.” I was originally so excited to reach this new stage. It’s so awesome to see your child gain new abilities – I feel like I’m witness to a real-life superhero origin story. But now that she’s been crawling for a few days, it’s really started to sink in what this new stage of babydom means for us as parents. Yes, the game...

Twin Dads Guide to Diaper Bag Essentials Originally Posted by: Aaron Lunceford on  Families of Multiples A well stocked bag can make or break your day. I’m a guy that likes photography, so carrying around a “man bag” is no foreign term to me.  Diaper bags, like camera bags, are rather varied when it comes to size, shape, and weight. Diaper bags, for multiples, are almost always on the larger side than those for solo parents. Types Having the cycling background that I do, when the kids were younger, I really liked using my messenger bags.  The laptop compartment, (paired with a plastic shopping bag), makes for an amazing place to store soiled clothing.  Now that the kids are older, I “size up” my camera bag and use that extra space for clothes and snacks. A third popular option is the backpack, great for leaving both hands and sides free to keep track of not one, but two children. For the Photog, momtog, or myself (the male version of a mom-tog, withou...

5 Everyday Things I Do Differently To Not Wake The Baby Originally Posted on:  The Not-the-Mama Dad Blog   As discussed in  a previous post , the phrase “sleeping like a baby” means the opposite in our family. We play soothing music, set mood lighting and diffuse essential oils – it’s like a spa up in my daughter’s room – but despite our best efforts, even the slightest noise wakes her up. See, some babies, once woken up, will fuss a little bit, then go back to sleep. Not ours. Our baby immediately sits straight up and cries. And cries. And cries. For hours. I saw a trailer for the movie  A Quiet Place , in which a family has to avoid making any noise or else they’ll be hunted by a monster. In the trailer, we see the family shush each other, walk around on trails of sand and walk tippy-toes throughout their house.  A Quiet Place  is a documentary of what it’s like to live in our house right now. This is what my wife does to me as soon as the bab...