I try to stay true to the theme of fatherhood on this site but let’s face it…Mother’s Day is just around the corner and it seems only appropriate to hear motherly insight on their special day.

With that in mind, why not celebrate the contribution of mom’s everywhere by pondering those special moments…you know, the ones that make them cringe.

To get us in the spirit, I’ve gotten permission from author Dallas Louis, to post her top cringe-worthy moments with her kids.

So moms, sit back, relax and take a couple of moments for yourself.

And for you dads, don’t forget the special “mom’s” in your life this weekend. It would be nearly impossible to do it without them!

“My Top Cringe-Worthy Mom Moments” by Dallas Louis

“#10. A couple of years ago, Silly Bandz were all the rage. My children were not immune to this phenomenon, but my husband and I did limit the number of Bandz the kids could wear at one time, especially on certain occasions–church, for instance. One Sunday, we were sitting in the second pew, directly behind the preaching pastor. My oldest son, evidently bored, took off one of his Silly Bandz and began playing with it, quickly losing control. We found out that they shoot almost as far as real rubber bands when the escaped Silly Band zinged the pastor in the ear, making him jump, which made us jump, and set off an erie wave-like epidemic through the entire Sanctuary.

#9. Not to be outdone by his brother, my other son (on a different week, thankfully) realized that the new lighting in our Sanctuary cast a brilliant light on the back of the pastor’s white robe when we stood up for prayer. He soon figured out how many different shadow puppets he could create on the back of our Senior Pastor. The people behind us were laughing so hard, the praying pastor had to stop and collect himself before continuing. I now have to sit my little puppet master on the outside of the pew.

#8. A few years ago on a cross-country drive to California to visit my parents, the kids and I stopped for the night at a hotel in New Mexico. It had been a long day and I was in the bathroom getting my oldest ready for his shower. When I walked out, I noticed that the hotel room was filled with smoke! The two little ones, while left unattended for all of a minute and a half, had managed to set the air conditioner on fire! They pushed all of the buttons on the A/C and heater causing the machine to over-heat. The hotel had to be evacuated.

#7. Since we are talking about fires, may as well mention this one, too. While attending an academic competition we were all waiting for the next round to begin. Schools from all over our district descend upon one school to compete at various levels of math, science, music and art. The students and their families that are in between events usually wait in the cafeteria. That’s where we were…until the fire alarm was pulled. Brilliant. Five hundred people evacuated the area, while I rained questions down such as, “What were you thinking?!” and “Why in the world….” I was met with, “I just wanted to see what it would do.”

#6. Vivid dreams and sleep walking happen frequently in my house, and this has not been a big deal until one of my boys began to sleep walk in the middle of the night on his way to the bathroom. It took me several weeks (apparently super-sleuth is not on my resume) to pin-point the exact source of the unmistakable aroma of stale urine permeating my entire house. My son, during his nighttime wanderings, consistently mistook his closet for the restroom, dousing the floor and the wall. Fantastic. We had to replace the carpet and repaint.

#5. Brothers are notorious for fighting and my boys are no different. Last Spring, they were up in arms over a Nintendo DS. My older son got the game and threw it at his brother’s head. Bullseye. He nailed him right in the eyebrow and sent us to the ER for stitches. That wouldn’t have been such a big deal if we had not just been to the ER twice in the last two months for both boys already!

#4. We are trying to teach our kids the importance of reverence, or at least that there is a time and a place of be loud, and a time and a place to be quiet. Church is a time to be quiet. I thought we had communicated that to them fairly well, but I was wrong. During Communion one Sunday, my oldest son took the bulletin, wadded it into a ball, and launched it across the Sanctuary. I came unhinged. When I finally calmed down enough to ask, “What in the world were you thinking??”, his reply was, “Mom. It’s church. I couldn’t yell, and there’s a note on it for Jody.”

#3. We all know that siblings don’t always get along. Once, during the final moments of a photo shoot for our family, our oldest son who was three at the time gave his little sister a really good shove right between the shoulder blades. She was completely unprepared for this surprise attack and landed face down, letting out a blood-curdling scream that echoed through the entire building. Both of her eyes immediately started to turn black and blue. My husband and I were in complete shock. When asked why he had done this, my son said, “Well, I was trying to kill her.” Terrific.

#2. When my brother-in-law got married, he and his bride-to-be sweetly asked if our kids could be in their black-tie wedding. I had no idea that before the evening was over, my daughter would provide the photographer with the shot of a lifetime. Thankfully the kids did great during the ceremony – it was the reception that did us in. There was a small crowd gathered at the foot of a beautiful curved staircase, so I wandered over to check things out. Just as I reached the edge of the crowd, the photographer turned around with a huge smile and said, “I got it that time!” Everyone was giggling. What were they giggling at? A miniature vision in white, laying in a laughing, crumpled heap on the floor. My daughter, the sweetest flower girl ever had done an impressive swan dive from the fifth step up. Everyone turned to look at me. I hitched up my floor-length gown, stepped over my laughing child, said, “Someone should go find her father” and walked away.

#1. The Top Dog of Cringe-Worthy Mom Moments is as follows: several years ago we took the kids to Disney World and stood in line forever to see the Disney princesses. Our youngest son was two at the time – a round, little, blonde, blue-eyed sweet angel (or so he appeared). He did well with two out of the three princesses, but it was that third one that got us. Cinderella happened to be the final princess of our royal encounter, and also my two-year-old’s favorite. When she bent down to hug him, he ran forward to grab her. In short, there was a massive collision that ended with Cinderella on her back, my child wrapped around her neck, her dress up almost over her head, and her princess secret-service detail screaming into their head-sets, “PRINCESS DOWN! WE HAVE A PRINCESS DOWN!” My husband and I just stood there. There was nothing we could do. No one could untangle our little one from her, so they picked them both up at once. That quickly ended our session with the princesses.”

Got Something to Add?

Do you have some cringe-worthy moments worth sharing?

Just add your comments below…and we’ll all share in your pain!

Happy Mother’s Day!!

About The Author

Dallas Louis is the author of The Mommy Diaries: How I’m Surviving Parenting without Killing Anyone. An author and public speaker, Dallas lives in Houston with her husband and 3 young children. You can follow her on her site at www.DallasLouis.com, or you can get her insights on Twitter and take part in her community on Facebook.

Fathers have a special responsibility to their daughters. The relationship that daddies have with their daughters becomes a model for relationships they will have with men when they are older. Not to mention what kind of treatment they should expect. Setting a good example when they are young is critical to helping them seek out healthy relationships later.

One way that fathers can set this example is by “dating” their daughters. Fathers can make it a priority to spend special one-on-one time with their daughters, modeling appropriate behavior for a male companion and deepening the father-daughter bond at the same time.

Here are some tips for making the most of these special daddy-daughter “dates:”

Choose Opportunities for Quality Time

A trip to the movies is often fun, but special daddy-daughter dates should offer opportunities for quality one-on-one time. Look for activities that allow you to talk, to get to know one another better, and to bond. Do creative activities together like crafts or art, go for walks together, or enjoy a dinner out together. Whatever activity you choose, there should be opportunities for you to talk and to share your thoughts.

Make it Special

When you ask your daughter for a “date,” make sure your time together is special. Dress in nice clothes. Arrange for a specific time to “pick her up.” Tell her how much you are looking forward to spending time with just her. You want to let your daughter know that spending time with her is important, and that you value your relationship with her individually.

Model Behavior for Her

On your daddy-daughter date, you should be setting an example for the type of behavior she can expect from a male companion. Make sure the example you set is a good one. Open the door for her. Focus on what she has to say. Offer her choices. Offer to get her a drink refill or a snack. Show your daughter that courtesy and chivalry are not dead, and that she should expect to be treated with kindness and respect.

Focus the Attention on Her

When you are spending time with your daughter, make sure the focus is on her. Don’t allow yourself to be distracted by thoughts about what you have to do at work that day, or the fight you had with your wife before you left. Make sure you are fully engaged and present.

Keep your cell phone out of sight. Don’t text or check your e-mails, and don’t answer calls. If you happen to run into people that you know while you are out, say hello but minimize your conversation. Treat your daughter as you would a female companion on whom you were trying to make a good impression, and show her that spending time with her is your priority and your pleasure.

Make It a Regular Occasion

Daddy-daughter dates shouldn’t be reserved for her birthday or for holidays like Valentine’s Day. They should be a regular occasion. Decide what works best for your schedule — once a week? Once a month? — And stick to it. Your daughter will start to look forward to this special time you get to spend together, and you will be able to strengthen your relationship as a result.

Being a father to a daughter means that you have special responsibilities. One of them is to model healthy relationships with men so that she is better positioned to choose a partner who treats her with dignity and respect. Regularly taking your daughter on “dates” will give you the opportunity to model that behavior and to strengthen your bond with your daughter.

Do you take your daughter on daddy-daughter dates? What are some of your ideas for date activities? Share your ideas in the comments!

About the Author

Sarah Rexman is the main researcher and writer for BedBugs.org. Her most recent accomplishment includes graduating from Florida State, with a master’s degree in environmental science. Her main focuses for the site involves teaching people how to file bed bug lawsuits as well as showing them how to kill bed bugs.

We are always teaching our kids.

We teach them how to eat, how to dress, how to brush their teeth.

We teach them manners, and how throw a ball, and how to fend for themselves.

We teach them how to appreciate art…through painting and music and literature.

We teach them to pursue their goals and that passion counts for something.

We are always teaching our kids.

But what are we learning from them?

Are we learning the value of being genuine?

Are we reminded that child-like faith actually has significance?

Are we learning that complicated words and complicated phrases often…complicate things?

Are we learning that simple joy’s give us greater perspective?

Slowly but surely, I’m learning these things from my kids…and my life is becoming richer because of it.

The Innocence of a Child

This short little prayer by my middle daughter reminded me…”Keep it simple stupid”.

About the Author

Keagan Pearson is the father of three, the husband of one, and the founder of FatherhoodFactor.com. He aspires to live a life that reflects the priorities of God, family, and writing, but Starbucks would have to take a close fourth. You can follow him on Twitter at @FatherFactor, or you can join him on Facebook’s Fatherhood Factor community.

There are specific reasons why a man longs to have a son.

There’s football in the backyard and fishing on the weekends, and undoubtedly a few trips to the movie theater for the latest action flick. You also get to look forward to that special moment when you get to teach your son the tactical advantage of peeing standing up.

There are the intrinsic things that a dad is especially wired to pass along to a boy as well. Things like imparting your wisdom about the opposite sex and teaching them what it means to be a gentlemen.

The landscape between a father and his son is deep and wide, and fraught with success and failure. But, it is still uniquely theirs.

Estrogen Overload

Conversely, consider the guy who finds himself in a house full of women…to no fault of his own. The guy whose little swimmers couldn’t quite grow a set. The guy who, after an unexpected blow to the groin, will only ever hear, “Ouch, I hurt my bagina!”

That man has a long road ahead of him. He is often faced with “girly nights” and “dance parades,” and the occasional request to paint his fingers and toes. A man such as this must take special care of his “maleness.” Because at any moment, if he’s not careful, he could find himself tearing up after an especially moving performance on “So You Think You Can Dance?”

I must admit…I am such a man. With a wife and three daughters, I know a little something about carrying the man-flag…solo. It doesn’t signify a lack of love, because most dads I know would do anything for their little girls. It is more a matter of sanity really.

You see men are never fully equipped to handle a constant onslaught of female interaction…in all its complexity and emotion. We are capable of small, varied doses, but that’s only after periods of solitude and/or a time of male bonding. Only then are we prepared for another round.

Take Care and Prepare

So if you find yourself in a position where guy-time is only a figment of your imagination, then take note of a few things that will help you recharge.

1. Create your own space. If room permits, carve out a place that you can call your own. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, but it must be a place where you can retreat.
2. You need to schedule time. You fill your calendar with all kinds of things, but some of that time needs to be carved out for guy stuff. If it’s not on the calendar it probably won’t happen.
3. Find guys that know your plight. This means finding other guys with the same kinds of obligations. Grownups with families…not single friends that will most assuredly lead you down a dark path.
4. Battle the bulge. I have found that one of the fastest ways for me to recharge is to work out. It could be a full-on P90X kind of thing or it could be a walk around the neighborhood. Just remember the man-tunes.
5. Exercise a hobby. We all have something we’re passionate about. It may be tempting to abandon our pursuits when our lives get hectic, but that would be a mistake. Small or large, they are important.
6. Get your girls involved. Test out something you love with one of your daughters. Things are usually pretty soothing when it’s one-on-one. Plus, you never know which one might actually like something that you like!
7. Don’t feel bad. Every dad needs some guy time. This isn’t a license to become self-obsessed, but you needn’t feel neglectful just because you spend some time away.

Face the Music

The first step is admitting that you have a problem. You’re a dad with an estrogen-filled home and you need to do something about it. Running away is not an option, nor is trading in one of your daughters for a son…at least not in this country.

You just need to create some space and get your mojo back. Then, once you’re in the mix again, love those little girls with everything you have. You’ll be a better dad because of it!

About the Author

Keagan Pearson is the father of three, the husband of one, and the founder of FatherhoodFactor.com. He aspires to live a life that reflects the priorities of God, family, and writing, but Starbucks would have to take a close fourth. You can follow him on Twitter at @FatherFactor, or you can join him on Facebook’s Fatherhood Factor community.

The dating scene isn’t easy for anyone, especially single fathers.

As a single father you have to think about your children and how they will interact with your new significant other and vice versa. If you have made that choice to commit to someone, you are most likely ready to introduce your child to your new partner.

The best ways to do this is to make it a fun and memorable experience for all parties.

Here are four ‘dates’ to consider for the first meeting.

Ice skate or Roller Skate: This is a great way for everyone to have a great time and laugh. Ice and roller skating rinks are designed for children and adults, the environment is very laid back and fun! It gives your child physical room to move around and emotional space. If you have this meeting in a small restaurant or room the child can feel a lot of pressure.

Fruit Picking:  Check your city for the nearest farms for fruit picking. There are orange and apple orchids and berry fields all over the place. The great thing about fruit picking is that the farms will most likely provide all the supplies you need for a minimal cost. This is a great option for weekend meetings; it is very relaxed and something different that everyone can do together.

Picnic in the Park: Make some tasty treats and grab a blanket. Head to your local park and relax on the grass. Bring some bread to feed the ducks; also most parks have fun things to participate in like small farmer markets, swings or paddle boats. Being outdoors is great for everyone…less pressure and more options.

Go Karts: This is something to awaken the kid inside of us all. Most go kart places have other games like bumper boats, miniature golf or arcade games. This is an exciting and easy meeting date and it can be paired with a trip to a yummy pizza parlor and a visit to the ice cream shop.

Remember to keep it fun and light hearted. If you make it a serious event, your child will feel uncomfortable.

No matter how you became a single father, your child most likely has/had a mother already in their life and it is important that they understand that their mother is not being replaced. And fathers of daughters, you need to tread extra lightly; girls are girls no matter what age. Jealousy is very common in daughters.

The best thing to do is to make this meeting easy and fun, keep it short and everything will be fine. Keep in mind that first meetings don’t always go so well, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work out. Give it some time and have fun with it!

About This Author

Jenny Ellis is a freelance writer, and a regular contributor for aupair jobs. Aupair.org is an online destination for those looking for, or looking to offer, nanny services. She welcomes your comments at: ellisjenny728@gmail.com, or you can begin a conversation in the comments section below.

Being a great dad is all about balance. You have to provide for your family, take care of your kids, and make time for yourself to relax and recharge. And, even if your partner makes it look easy, doing all that while keeping up with cleaning, cooking and your daily to-do list can be a major challenge.

Things like cooking and cleaning can be the last thing you have time for when you’re home alone with kids, and it can be really stressful to try to do everything at once. But next time you are in charge of getting dinner on the table, try out one tried-and-true trick that all the moms know about: the slow cooker!

Read on for a list of slow cooker recipes that are good enough to serve on football Sunday, but require no fuss and even fewer ingredients.

1.     Awesome Slow Cooker Pot Roast

This will make a basic pot roast meat in a snap, with absolutely no effort. If you want to add some chopped carrots or potatoes, they will cook along with the meat. Or just serve it with a bagged salad and some baked (or microwaved) potatoes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
• 1 1/4 cups water
• 5 1/2 pounds pot roast

Just throw the canned soup, soup mix and water into the slow cooker and stir. Add the meat and coat it with the liquid. Leave it on high for 3-4 hours or low for 8-9 hours.

2.     Slow Cooker Barbecue

This is the perfect barbeque recipe if you want some no-fuss barbeque meat. You can get some buns and use it for barbeque sandwiches. Serve it for lunch with a pickle and some chips. Or use it as a topping for a baked potato dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1 (3 pound) boneless chuck roast
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (18 ounce) bottle barbeque sauce

Put the meat into the slow cooker first. Sprinkle it with the garlic and onion powders and salt and pepper. Next, pout the barbeque sauce over everything. Let it cook on low for 6-8 hours. Before it’s done, shred it and cook for one more hour.

3.     Slow Cooker Cilantro Lime Chicken

This sounds fancy, but it’s super easy to make and absolutely delicious for tacos, nachos or any other Mexican-style dish. To make tacos, just buy some tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese or sour cream.

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package dry taco seasoning mix
• 1 lime, juiced
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

Rinse and chop the cilantro. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just get it in pieces. Put the salsa, lime juice, taco seasoning and cilantro into the slow cooker and stir. Put in the chicken and sitr it all to get the juice covered. Cook 4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. Shred the chicken when it’s done and serve.

4.     Slow Cooker Taco Soup

This taco soup has a long ingredient list, but most of it is canned so you only need to throw it into the slow cooker. This soup is so good. The kids will love it, and it’s grown up enough to serve to friends.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

Cook the beef in a skillet until it’s brown. Drain it and put it in the slow cooker. Add the onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and taco seasoning mix. Stir. Cook on low for 8 hours.

5.     Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

If you don’t already have the ingredients at home, this recipe might rack you up a few dollars at the store. But, after that, you can make these wings over and over. Simply add everything to the slow cooker and you have wings for the kids’ lunch and tomorrow’s game all in one!

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 pounds chicken wings, split and tips discarded
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle chile sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 drops hot pepper sauce
• 1 tablespoon salsa
• 2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons salt

Put the chicken in the slow cooker. In a separate bowl mix together the chile sauce, lemon juice, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, salsa, chili powder, garlic powder and salt. Pour the mixture over the chicken and cook on low for 5 hours.

About This Author

Jemima Lopez is a freelance blogger and writer who writes for Zen College Life, the directory of higher education, distance learning, and best online schools. She welcomes your comments at her email: lopezjemima562 @ gmail.com. You can also follow her site’s Twitter feed at @ZCollegeLife for more information on the going’s on at Zen College Life.

I think dads would be better off if everything came with a guidebook.

I don’t mean a set of verbal instructions to follow…but more like the playbook your high-school football coach carried everywhere.

A nice multi-colored, tabbed binder that would accommodate quick access to the situation of the day. Something with a lot of illustrations and diagrams.

Life would be so much easier if this were the case.

Think about it, the next time your son came to you with a marble stuck up his nose you could immediately turn to the section labeled “Quick Marble Extraction Methods to Clear Airways.”

Come to think of it…that may be a creative work for me to tackle in the near future.

In the meantime however, there are a few tools that may assist you in your quest.

A Boy’s Guide to Girls

There are very few things in the life of a man that are more daunting than understanding women. And although you’ve grown more capable as you’ve gotten older, they are still perplexing.

Now think of it from a young boy’s perspective. You take away the years that have developed maturity and emotional control, and you are left with a pretty horrifying dilemma.

Couple this with hormonal changes, and as a dad, you might begin to consider investing in restraints.

However, I can assure you that there are better ways to approach this.

For instance, you could consider reading the latest book from Campbell and Hawkins titled “A Boy’s Guide to Girls.”

No, it is not a book of pictures and diagrams, but it is written with the intent of guiding young men through the turbulent “boy meets girl” phase of life.

First let me preface my recommendation with a little intentional parenting sidebar. I would suggest, as a reasonable father, reading this book yourself before handing it off to your son.

That may seem like a no-brainer but it will help to have a grasp on what is being suggested in the text so that you know how to coach your son along the way. Plus, if you haven’t already set an age for dating, this may help you begin to decipher whether or not your son is even ready for a deeper relationship.

Topics for Teaching

Keep in mind that this book is intended for a core audience that begins around age 12…so don’t be overly critical with your stylistic expectations.

But, I would also warn against dismissing this book as completely adolescent. There are some great little reminders in this book that husbands will benefit from as well.

As a dad or as a boy, you can expect to cover topics like:

• Are You Ready? - This section is actually a pretty thoughtful set of situational questions, which attempt to help a young man determine whether or not he is even really interested in girls yet. There is no reason for a boy to follow the crowd if their cares center more on tackle football in the back yard.
• Getting to Know a Girl - Show genuine interest in them. This means that you actually care about their likes and dislikes, their dreams, their hobbies. Plus, this is a valid pursuit for us married guys as well.
• Talking to Your Parents - Boy’s are coached on how to approach their parents when faced with things like dating and parties. Again, there are some really good tips here. The book urges honesty and respect and a willingness to see things from the parent’s perspective. Likewise, we dads could use these reminders when we are on the receiving end of a request like this.
• Girls and Social Media - This is probably a conversation that you will have with your kids prior to dating age, but it lists some valid do’s and don’ts for a boy in the digital age. Specifically, it coaches boys to be careful about what they share online and how to conduct themselves respectfully.
• Dating Activity “Do’s and Don’ts” - Going for a walk in a scenic place or getting a bite to eat…good. Making her play rugby with you and your buddies…not good. The authors also make a valid point here…it’s less about the activity and more about the time spent together. Once again dads, you should put this away in your memory bank as well.

Some Takeaways

Besides the five pointers that I listed above, the book offers 25 more that vary in scope and purpose. Some are light-hearted and some are heavy and meaningful.

Personally, I took four important lessons away from this book that lead me to my recommendation.

1. It really encourages boys to work on focusing on someone other than themselves. Yes there are areas of inward focus, but the book does a great job of pointing out that it’s not always about them.
2. The book actually teaches things that will help you parent your boy(s). It encourages respect, honesty and open communication. All traits that dads would long for their sons to know better.
3. There is an abundance of practical tips and advice. It’s not just a theoretical parsing of words.
4. It is easily adaptable. If your parenting style would lead you to change certain things, then you can talk through the reason for your disagreement.

As fathers you certainly remember how treacherous your adolescence was at times. From my humble perspective, this book will help you navigate it with a little less heartburn.

Have you raised boys…or are you currently raising them?

Do you have advice that you would like to add?

We would be thrilled for you to dialog with us in the comments section below.

More on the Books Publisher

For more information on this publisher and to view their other published works, check out their website at Boy’s and Girl’s Guide Books, and their blog at Growing Up Smart. You can also connect with them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter for additional information and to be kept up to date on future projects that they plan to release.

About this Posts Author

Keagan Pearson is the father of three, the husband of one, and the founder of FatherhoodFactor.com. He aspires to live a life that reflects the priorities of God, family, and writing, but Starbucks would have to take a close fourth. You can follow him on Twitter at @FatherFactor, or you can join him on Facebook’s Fatherhood Factor community.

I have a friend, in his mid-30′s, who just recently revealed to me that he didn’t have his first cell phone until a few years ago.

If you had seen my expression, you would have probably thought that he had confessed to secretly being a woman.

If he needed to make an urgent call, and he wasn’t at work or at home…he did the unthinkable…he stopped at a payphone.

Now, I’m not traditionally foul-mouthed, but a profanity laced diatribe nearly slipped passed my lips.

A PAYPHONE?!

I haven’t used a payphone since the mid-90′s!

I honestly couldn’t think of functioning without the ability to send a quick text, or make a quick call.

In the context of today’s technology, most would find it difficult being unable to send a quick tweet or an update to their Facebook page…let alone making a phone call.

It is instant gratification on steroids.

A Dose of the Old

As the story goes…when you cling tightly to something, you inevitably get the opportunity to do without it.

A couple of weeks ago I found myself without a day-job, and as often happens, the cell phone went with it.

So, for the last couple of weeks I have been limping by with a home phone and an occasional use of my wife’s iPhone.

I’m not looking for pity here…but it has been a trial, and painfully so.

For the first few days I actually kept feeling my pant pocket, thinking that I had left my phone somewhere. Nope…I simply didn’t have one!

Add that to my daughters’ probing questions of, “Dad, why are you always taking mommy’s phone when you leave the house”?

At least I’ve been taking the pink cover off before I leave.

Assessing Our Dependency

My life unplugged, as I’ve been calling it these days, has got me thinking.

People survived for generations without the modern conveniences of today.

In reality, the smartphone has only been in existence for the last few years, but somehow we can barely function without it.

Yes, it’s less convenient.

And no, I have not decided to regress back to a cellphone-free existence.

However, there are a few things that I am trying to enjoy in its absence.

1. The Pavlov-esk response to the ding of a text message or email.
2. The semi-comfort of knowing that I am “off the grid”.
3. The fact that paying for a home phone actually makes sense now.
4. The knowledge that I can live through heroin-style withdraws.
5. The presence of mind to know when something has become too important.

Try Some Life Unplugged

Now, I wouldn’t recommend becoming unemployed for the sake of taking a hiatus from your cell phone.

But, if you find yourself without one, embrace it.

Just take one sage piece of advice from me. Please take the pink cover off before you leave the house.

About the Author

Keagan Pearson is the father of three, the husband of one, and the founder of FatherhoodFactor.com. He aspires to live a life that reflects the priorities of God, family, and writing, but Starbucks would have to take a close fourth. You can follow him on Twitter at @FatherFactor, or you can join him on Facebook’s Fatherhood Factor community.

My idea of a well spent father’s day would be watching the movie “Father of the bride” with my father on his old TV. I was lucky as I did it last year. More than once we would look at each other with that knowing look in our eyes – we both loved this movie – it’s been ages since we saw it for the first time, but we still love watching it together, more than the movie we love what it reminds us of – our own memories get intertwined with the movie’s theme – the sweet and heartwarming story of the beautiful father-daughter relationship.

Gone are the days when the father-son and mother-daughter relationships used to be the order of the day. Today’s fathers are very much involved emotionally in bringing up their daughters. Looking at this relationship from both points of view, it’s not very difficult to analyze the grounds for it. For a girl, this is very special as with this relationship she frames her first idea of a man. A beautiful father daughter bond paves the way for successful male relationships in her life in the future. Similarly, for a father the love of a daughter is special because girls are more caring and emotional and are more expressive of their love. More often it’s the daughter who makes that extra effort to reach out to old parents. They are more attached to the parents on emotional levels.

The childhood days are often beautiful. The little girl looks up to her father and it’s so easy to picture daddy’s little princess. As time passes by and the little girl grows up, she starts living in her own world.  We live in a rapidly changing world. Strengthening a beautiful bond is easy if the initial trust is already there. However if we have to talk about some ways of improving this bond, the points below could go a long way.

Like every other relationship, communication could be the most important factor in this relationship. In difficult times just being there for your daughter goes a long way. The same works the other way around, though the level of expectation of parents tends to be less compared to the expectation of children.

Accepting the real father/daughter – We all have a perfect father/daughter image in our minds. Quite often, the real image does not fit with the ideal and causes frustration. The faults, could be treated as a good affirmation. Perfection is rare and it’s fine to be imperfect. The most important thing is being comfortable in your own space and accepting faults in your father/daughter. Develop understanding in your relationship.

Let it go slowly at the right time. In every father’s life a time will come when he needs to let the girl go out and make her own decisions. It’s hard to let go – she still is your little girl, but at such times it’s best to hold on to the memories and accept the fact gracefully. The growing up phase is quite complicated and you should understand that the girl needs some space. Give her that space without any hesitation. Don’t forget that no one can take your place in your daughter’s life.

Last but not the least, keeping the memories alive – This could be done by celebrating small things together e.g. important days that matters to both. Often we fall back on the good old days to be able to look ahead and face tomorrow. An occasional phone call, little surprises, looking at the old family album together- all these could make both the father and daughter connect on a deeper level and make this beautiful bond even more fulfilling.

About the Author

Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology, health and autos. Beside this she is fond of cars and watches. Recently an article on Teen books attracted her attention. These days she is busy in writing an article on Exercise-induced asthma. You can follow her on Twitter at @AliaHaley.

All you need to develop a close-knit family…is the right technology.

Simply determine your family’s access to the holy trinity of computer, tablet, and smartphone and you’re on your way!

The sun will shine brighter, your kids will be better adjusted, and the wife will marvel at your brilliance.

At least this is the impression that you get when you watch most technology ads today.

Of course most of us are savvy enough to wade through the nonsense that advertisers persuade us to believe.

Yes, the iPad is cool (I own one), and a smartphone is very handy (again…I own one), and a computer is almost a necessity these days (once again…I own several).

But bringing a family together?

The New Way to Communicate

There are certainly instances when technology enables families a closeness that they wouldn’t otherwise have.

If you have kids in college or in the military then you know what I mean.

But apparently distances are becoming less of a predictor.

I recently ran across a piece from eMarketer that discusses some recent data on family technology use.

Spawned from Microsoft’s “Family Technology Survey” and a  survey done by CTIA, The Wireless Association, the family is using technology more than ever…even when they reside in the same household.

When asked what technology devices family members used most to connect with immediate family, 43% of the respondents in the Microsoft survey said that the computer or tablet drew them closer together.

This was 50% larger than the average of those that said they used television as a way to conduct family time…which was second in the grouping.

Rounding out the top four was smartphone’s (at 16%) and game consoles (at 3%).

The CTIA survey offered the same support, saying that 45% of those responding thought that wireless devices actually brought their family closer together.

In fact, AVG Technologies polled parents on their children’s digital device use and found that 63% of US 10-to-13-year-olds have their own computer, while 28% owned a smartphone.

The Digital Divide…Bridge

As a parent with kids that are too young for a smartphone, and not spoiled enough for a computer or tablet, I am a little astounded by the perceived benefits in these surveys.

Although I can’t speak for everyone, I find myself in more conversations about technology creating family division rather than family bonding.

You know the scene…a family of four sitting at the table eating dinner…asking for another helping of Tofurkey via text message instead of uttering actual words.

Truth be told, I’m of the generation that longs for digital connectivity. And even I don’t hear many positive things being said about technology bringing the family together.

But, maybe there’s a balance to strike here.

I mean, technology is only going to become more integrated in to our lives as time passes. I say this as I sit in front of my computer with four other devices around me that can get me on the Internet in a split second.

I think it’s safe to say that it’s not just a fad.

Plus, you can’t avoid the benefits that technology offers a family. Through things like location tracking, text messaging and video chat, you have more immediate access than ever before.

But, for the sake of good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation, put some limits on technology use in your home.

It may mean no devices at the dinner table or a mandatory blackout by a certain time.

It also means that we dads need to be become educated on how to teach our kids to be connected and safe.

For instance, an educational site like Digital Shepherds can do a lot to help you raise safe, digitally savvy kids.

While you may not be able to prepare for everything, your involvement in their digital lives will have a huge impact.

What is Your Advice?

Are you a savvy dad or mom that has experienced success in this area?

Maybe you’re a parent that has experienced the pitfalls of a digitally connected family?

In either case, I encourage you to share your wisdom with the rest of us in the comments section below.

Happy digital parenting!

About the Author

Keagan Pearson is the father of three, the husband of one, and the founder of FatherhoodFactor.com. He aspires to live a life that reflects the priorities of God, family, and writing, but Starbucks would have to take a close fourth. You can follow him on Twitter at @FatherFactor, or you can join him on Facebook’s Fatherhood Factor community.