Fatherhood Factor

For all the "dealings" of dads...

Fatherhood Factor Team

Skills Your Kids Will Need To Learn in High School

By Leave a Comment

High school is a time to prepare and learn what you need to before taking on more responsibilities. That’s why you should take the time to teach your children the skills they’ll need before entering adulthood. Here’s a look at some of the skills they should learn to help them tackle the problems they’ll face outside of high school.

Self-Motivation

One of the most difficult things adults have to do is motivate ourselves to get up and do what we need to do every day. It’s not a natural skill everyone has, and teaching your kids self-motivation is something they’ll need throughout high school and beyond. The self-discipline to stay on task and set reasonable goals will help them navigate future problems.

Independent Care

Every person needs to learn how to best take care of themselves if they want to be independent. This should be a lesson you teach your children while in high school so that when the time comes, they can live successfully on their own. Skills such as cooking, cleaning, personal finance, and time management are some of the basics they’ll need to take care of themselves.

Personal Safety

Safety is one of the most important skills to learn when it comes to being an adult. Learning what they should and shouldn’t do in social situations will help them avoid a lot of problems and dangers. A great example would be teaching your child the dangers of drunk driving.

How To Learn

There’s only so much you can teach your child, which is why one of the best skills your child should learn in high school is how to learn. From online research to speaking with experts, most skills and knowledge is available for anyone if they know how to access it. Teach your children how to learn so they can solve any issue they come across.

These skills will help your child confront the difficulties of adult life outside the information they learn from their school education. These skills will help them stay safe and rely on themselves to get things done.

Different Reasons Your Foundation May Crack

By Leave a Comment

The foundation of any building is extremely important because it supports the whole structure on top of it. That’s why the foundation needs periodic inspections to help catch any issues or damage before it becomes too big an issue. When it comes to foundations, there are a few different ways it may crack over time. Here’s what you should look out for.

Extreme Weather or Weather Changes

Even if you cannot visibly see it, the temperature influences the foundation of every building. This isn’t normally a big deal, but it can lead to damage over time as the weather changes. Additionally, extreme weather can speed up the process.

Bad Soil Compacting and Soil Creep

The soil that the foundation sits on is extremely important. Soil supports the foundation. Bad soil can lead to a lot of damage and can easily crack the foundation. Poor soil compacting during construction can lead to this damage. Soil creep, which is when the soil underneath moves slowly, can damage the foundation as well

Poor Drainage

Water is very destructive and can cause a lot of damage to even the strongest materials. Normally, the foundation of a building uses good drainage systems to prevent water buildup and prevent as much damage as possible. But sometimes something goes wrong, and the water builds up and slowly damages the foundation until it starts to crack. But you can repair the cracks you find in the foundation with the right tools.

Natural Disasters

Sadly, there’s no great way to prevent this issue, as no one can stop a natural disaster from damaging your home. From earthquakes to hurricanes, there are many ways Mother Nature can damage the foundation of a building. It’s just one of the many ways that can cause your foundation to crack.

While foundational damage isn’t common in buildings, it’s something you need to keep your eye on. Try creating an inspection schedule you can follow to watch your foundation for cracks. This way you can catch and repair them early so that they don’t become a bigger issue in the future.

How To Get Your Kids Interested in Science

By Leave a Comment

It seems like there’s a common theme in each generation wherein many students groan at the thought of any subject involving science, or all STEM for that matter. More often than not, the apprehension to engage in these subjects due to the perceived difficulty is an entirely untrue assumption. The main problem is that students view the challenge as insurmountable rather than exciting. It’s important to introduce these subjects early to your kids so that they can see the fun first, which is how you can get them interested in science.

Start Early

Many parents tend to believe that their children are too young to understand complicated concepts, but you can successfully introduce these subjects to them as young as one year old. The earlier you begin exploring these subjects with your children, the more receptive they’ll become and the better they can expand their STEM skills.

Get Crafty

One of the best ways to get your kids interested in science is to provide them with a stimulus that engages them and prompts them to think critically. Due to a lack of educational stimulation, children don’t develop enough critical thinking skills that allow them to grasp these concepts.

That’s why it’s crucial to stimulate their minds in a fun way by getting crafty. Consider prompting your kids to build a gravity wall with pool noodles, as this will allow you to teach them about gravity and energy. The best part is that there are many more STEM activities you can do with pool noodles.

Answer Questions

You probably have noticed at this point that children are naturally curious about the way the world around them functions. They often ask interesting science questions that we sometimes can’t answer as we don’t know ourselves, like, “Why is the sky blue?”

When your children ask these questions, you have the perfect opportunity to open the door to such subjects. Next time your children’s curiosity strikes again, consider providing a useful and simple analysis that can further entice their interests.

How Often Should You Inspect Commercial Mower Blades?

By Leave a Comment

Commercial mowers are efficient, effective tools that many businesses use to care for professional landscapes, lawns, and farms. One of the keys to their effectiveness is their blades. Keeping your mower blades sharp and in good condition will help you continue to landscape and cut as needed. Keep reading to learn about how often you should inspect your commercial mower blades and how to care for them in general.

Inspection Frequency

The frequency of mower blade inspection partially depends on the quality of the blades you use and how frequently you use them. If you have medium- or low-quality blades that you use frequently, you’ll want to inspect them every 10-20 hours of use, as they could have dulled or been damaged in that amount of time. If you have higher-quality blades that you don’t frequently use, you can wait to inspect them after about 50-70 hours of work.

Replacement Frequency

If you notice your blades are dull or damaged during your inspection, then you need to either sharpen or replace them. Professional landscapers and those with plenty of lawn care experience should have the means and ability to sharpen and replace blades themselves. For those who’ve only recently invested in a commercial mower for their business, you may not know how to sharpen and replace blades yet, and that’s okay. Take your mower to a professional who can perform this service for you until you can learn how to handle the job and feel confident doing it yourself.

Additional Blade Care

Before someone reinstalls your sharpened blades or you do so yourself, make sure to check the balance. Failing to properly inspect, replace, and balance your blades are common mowing mistakes you need to avoid so you can focus on getting the job done instead of worrying about the equipment. You can easily check that a blade is balanced by placing a screwdriver through the center hole and letting the blade go. If the blade doesn’t stay level, you’ve accidentally sharpened one side more than the other. Shave off the heavier side, which is the one closest to the ground, and check the balance again before reinstalling.

Knowing how often you should inspect commercial mower blades, as well as how to replace and care for them, is an important part of owning a lawnmower. No one can know everything, though, so be willing to learn more about lawnmower maintenance and care from other professionals who can help you learn more about caring for your tools.

Tips for Teaching Your Teenager How To Drive

By Leave a Comment

Are you losing your sanity over the fact that you must teach your teenager how to drive a car? Don’t worry, dad! It might be a bumpy road in the beginning, but this can also be a great bonding experience between you and your child. If you’re stressed over the situation, you have come to the right place. Strap on your seatbelt and use our tips to help your teen become an excellent driver.

Don’t Hit the Road Immediately

Your teen is probably itching to get on the road, but you should avoid busy streets in the beginning. It’s always best to take them to an empty parking lot so they can feel what it’s like to be behind the wheel. Here, you can teach them the basics of driving, like using your blinker, turning, accelerating, braking, parking, and more, while keeping everyone else on the road safe for the time being.

Learn To Expect Many “Oops” Moments

Before your face turns red and steam blows out your ears, remember to be patient with your teenager. You will encounter many “oops” moments. If you were to scold your child immediately, they might not be comfortable driving, or it could make them fearful. Remain calm, explain what went wrong, and show them how to correct it. If you want your teen to show signs that they are a cautious driver, never put them in unprepared situations, and remain encouraging to help build their confidence.

Don’t Exclude Night Driving

While teaching your teenager how to drive is important in general, they are most likely getting all their practice in during daylight hours. However, drivers need to travel at night as well. Do not exclude night driving from your routine. How we drive and pay attention to the road changes drastically at night when we have less visibility. Ensure you’re practicing night driving as much as daytime driving.

Remember Constructive Criticism and Praise

You are your child’s role model during their practice driving. So, if you’re fishtailing through traffic on the highway or swearing at cars with your teen in the passenger seat, you’re showing them that this is OK. If you want your child to drive cautiously, so should you!

Additionally, when you’re criticizing their driving, make sure it’s constructive criticism and not “you did this wrong.” Show them exactly what you want them to do, and thoroughly explain how things work. Don’t forget to slip in a few praises, too, to keep their confidence and self-esteem up.

We know this is a stressful time for parents, but it doesn’t need to be! Remember to stay calm and be mindful of how you’re teaching your teen. If you’re not boosting their confidence or encouraging them, they might not get the experience or information they need to become an excellent driver. Don’t worry, dad; with our help, your teen will be the safest driver on the road!

Best Ways To Improve Your Golf Game in the Off-Season

By Leave a Comment

Just because the golf season is over doesn’t mean you can’t work on your game. The off-season is the perfect time to focus on improving your skills so that you can come back next season even better than before.

Not only will you be able to work on your swing without the pressure of playing in tournaments, but you’ll also have more time to focus on the mental and physical aspects of the game. These are some of the best ways to improve your golf game during the off-season.

Practice Your Swing

One of the best ways to improve your golf game is to practice your swing. This practice can be done indoors or outdoors, depending on the weather. If you have access to a golf simulator with a quality hitting mat, that’s great. But if not, you can still practice your swing by hitting balls into a net or even just swinging at an imaginary ball. The key is to focus on your form and make sure you’re making consistent contact with the ball.

Work on Your Short Game

Your short game includes everything from when your ball lands on the ground until it goes into the hole. This part of the game consists of chipping, pitching, and putting. While it’s important to have a good long game, being able to get up and down around the green is what will ultimately lower your scores.

Take some time during the off-season to work on chipping and putting. You can do this by using a practice green or rolling some balls across the carpet in your living room.

Get in Shape

Golf is a physical sport, so being in good shape will help your game. During the off-season, make sure you’re getting regular exercise and working on your flexibility. This exercise will not only help you play better golf when the season starts, but it will also help you avoid injuries out on the course.

Take Some Lessons

One of the best ways to improve your golf game is to take lessons from a professional. A good instructor can help you identify and correct any flaws in your swing. They can also teach you how to better manage your game and play smarter.

If you’re serious about taking your game to the next level, find a reputable golf instructor in your area and take a few lessons. You’ll be glad you did when the season starts up again.

The off-season is a great time for golfers to work on their game and improve their skills. By practicing their swing, working on their short game, getting in shape, and taking lessons, golfers can come back next season ready to take their game to the next level.

These are the best ways to improve your golf game during the off-season. Get out there and start practicing—your game will thank you for it!

3 Ways To Make Driving Easier in the Winter

By Leave a Comment

Driving in winter can be stressful, as the roads become more hazardous and increase the chances of something going wrong. On top of practicing general safe, aware driving, there are other tips to follow that ensure safety on winter roads. These are three ways to make driving easier in the winter.

Be Aware of Hazard Areas

You probably already know to slow down on turns and avoid using the cruise control in the winter. However, it’s important to be aware of dangerous areas on the road that have a higher risk of causing accidents. These areas include bridges, sharp turns, and dimly lit roads. These areas require the most focus when driving through them, so slow down and be aware when you come across one.

Check on Your Drive Shaft

Your vehicle’s drive shaft gives you a decent understanding of how your vehicle operates in rougher weather. Four-wheel drive shafts are always the best kind to have for the winter. Four-wheel drive doesn’t completely remove your chances of getting in an accident, but it makes it easier to avoid. Additionally, understanding the differences between aluminum and steel driveshafts is useful in knowing the strengths or weaknesses of your vehicle and how prepared it is for winter driving.

Wait To Drive After the Snow

This one may seem obvious, but sometimes you have planned to attend events before knowing the weather. In this case, though unfortunate, it’s worth waiting a little until after it snows. This allows the fresh snowfall to be plowed and salted before you hit the road, ensuring a safer journey.

Plus, for those who worry about maintaining their vehicle’s quality for as long as possible, the salt used to melt the snow corrodes any exposed metal. Waiting a while and allowing other vehicles to drive through the freshly placed salt minimizes the damage to your vehicle in the winter.

Winter driving is never something that people look forward to. To ease your mind, consider the above three ways to make driving easier in the winter.