Fatherhood Factor

For all the "dealings" of dads...

Hobbies

Simple Ways To Help Your Child Find a Hobby They Love

By Leave a Comment

As a father, you always want to be there for your child and help guide them as they grow older. Part of that guidance means showing them what’s right and wrong, but it also means helping them explore themselves and discover what they want to pursue in life. There are many ways you can help your child find a hobby they love, which they’ll hold with them for the rest of their lives. Help them find those hobbies, and maybe even find a hobby you can enjoy together!

Let Them Dip Their Toes

One of the best ways to help your child find a hobby they’ll love is by helping them feel free to dip their toes in as many hobbies as they want. The world is full of exciting pursuits, and you need to let your child explore all of them, including hobbies like:

  • Creative writing
  • Movies
  • Video games
  • Baking
  • Gardening
  • Music
  • Sports

It’s challenging to know what your child may resonate with right away, so give them the time and space to find a hobby that clicks with them.

Personal Satisfaction Is All That Matters

In today’s culture of grinding and hustling, people are starting to move away from simple hobbies that bring them joy and onto ones that make money. Collecting sports cards used to always be about having fun and building your collection, but the media has framed this hobby as one where the only way to truly enjoy it is if you’re making money. In reality, debunking this sports trading card myth is easy. They can do something as simple as trading cards, art, or any form of collecting for the love of the hobby, not to make money.

Don’t Overcompensate

If you love movies or some sport, it’s so easy to accidentally make your child like them too, ignoring the reality that they may just like pleasing you. It’s easy to subtly do this over the years, but you can also do this while exploring new hobbies for your child. If you invest in a lot of art supplies for them or get them a musical instrument, you can become passionate about the hobby, even if your child isn’t.

When helping your child find their hobby, be sure not to overcompensate—learn to step back and let them find what they enjoy. Additionally, be sure to let them know early on that they don’t feel the need to fake liking something. Kids are smart, and if they see you’ve spent a lot of money on something, they may be more inclined to lie about whether something is making them happy.

With these simple ways to help your child find a hobby they love, you and your child can find hobbies that help keep them active and happy. Something as simple as gardening or cooking can be a hobby your child will love, but they’ll likely never discover it on their own. It’s up to you as their parent to help introduce them to all the world has to offer, including these hobbies.

Essential Tools for Model Train Hobbyists

By Leave a Comment

Building model trains is a great way for dads to bond with their kids. School-age kids, and even some younger kiddos, will love helping you build the perfect layout. Check out these essential tools for model train hobbyists you’ll want to have on hand when you start.

Lots of Pliers

There are dozens of pliers, and you’ll need a couple of different types as you get started in model railroading. Needle nose pliers are very helpful for holding tiny train pieces and bending wires. You can usually find them in the jewelry section of the craft store.

You’ll also want some pliers specifically for model trains, like coupler trip-pin pliers that help you adjust your train’s magnetic couplers.

Hobby Knives

Another essential tool for model train hobbyists is a hobby knife. These knives have very tiny blades designed for cutting small, exact pieces of crafting material. Because the blades on these are removable, you’ll want to be careful about letting your kids use them. Having a stock of spare blades is also helpful, so you’re never stuck trying to cut with a dull one.

Small Screwdrivers

Unless you’re working on an extremely large scale, your regular screwdriver is probably too big for model trains. You’ll need at least one set of precision screwdrivers that can handle tiny screws.

Serrated Tweezers

Tweezers are another tool you’ll want to help pick up small model train pieces. We recommend getting ones with angled tips and serrated jaws. They’ll make things much more manageable.

Rulers and Gauges

The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) makes a series of tools for measuring the correct width and length of pieces based on scale and gauge. You’ll want to have some of these around to double-check the wheel gauge and the accuracy of track pieces.

While there are many tools you can use for building model trains, these are the ones we think are absolute must-haves. If you have younger kiddos, keep anything small or sharp out of reach unless you’re there to provide direction.

We also recommend working with HO scale if you’re sharing this hobby with your children since smaller train sizes require fine motor skills to handle properly. Many hobbyists prefer HO scale because the parts are readily available, and it’s easy to find tools that fit. You don’t need to be a model train expert to ensure you and your kids have fun together!

Is Tying Your Own Fly-Fishing Flies Worth It?

By Leave a Comment

There’s a lot to love about fly fishing, but for many anglers, their favorite part comes before they even get to the fishing hole—fly tying. Plenty of anglers tie their own fly-fishing flies, but is it worth it?

If you ask us, of course! We’ll go over the benefits of tying your own flies and what you’ll need to get started.

Benefits of Tying Your Own Flies

There are many benefits of tying your own flies—both practical and emotional. Let us explain why so many anglers craft their own flies!

Greater Satisfaction

Ask any angler who takes the time and energy to tie their own flies, and they’ll tell you that the reward at the end is simply sweeter. You get the satisfaction of crafting something with your own two hands, and then you get to see it put to use and help you catch your next trophy fish.

Do you know what’s more satisfying than hooking a great, big trophy fish? Catching a trophy fish courtesy of a fly you tied yourself! It adds another level of satisfaction to fishing that makes tying your fly-fishing flies worth it!

Unleash Your Creative Side

We all have our creative, artistic side, and tying your flies introduces that side of ourselves to fly fishing. When tying flies, there’s no limit to the flies you can come up with of all different shapes, patterns, sizes, etc.

If you only buy your flies from a store, you’re constrained by what they have in stock and by what they recommend instead of what you want. Get creative and experiment to find the ideal fly for you and your fishing hole!

Competitive Advantage

A practical benefit to crafting flies is that it gives anglers a competitive advantage. Instead of using the same fly from the store everyone uses and that the fish have seen 100 times, you can create something new and different. That fly will have a better chance of piquing their interest.

Fish aren’t that different from us—they get tired of eating the same thing repeatedly, so offer them something new!

Fly-Tying: Getting Started

Are you ready to start tying flies? Great! You’ll need some basic fly-tying supplies to get started first. Some tools that every fly crafter needs include:

  • Vise (stationary or rotary)
  • Whip finisher
  • Bobbin
  • Hackle pliers
  • Bodkin needle
  • Scissors

You can get all these separately, or many fly-fishing shops sell beginners kits with all the essential tools you’ll need to get started. Get your supplies, get tying, and begin enjoying fly fishing even more!

3 Tips for Modifying a Classic Muscle Car

By Leave a Comment

Restoring a classic car is a commitment and beginners can sometimes underestimate the time and money required. Even though it might be a labor of love, you’ll need space, an understanding of the techniques, and the right tools to properly restore the car.

Check out these tips for modifying a classic muscle car.

Time and Money

First, you’ll have to ask yourself if you have enough time and money to tackle this project. A classic car restoration done properly can cost thousands of dollars. One of the worst mistakes you can make with a car restoration is to cut corners. And even if you do have the funds, it’ll be a struggle between work and spending time with the family if you can’t commit completely to the project. But if you’re excited about it and it doesn’t unhinge your budget or family time, it’s a great way to spend a weekend.

Essential Equipment

You’ll need a proper space and equipment to modify any classic car, which means another car might need to live on the driveway for a few months. The usual suspects found in your tool chest will be needed, as well as other items like a floor jack, air compressor, welder, and voltage checker, just to name a few. Some of these tools will need specialist skills so you might need to enlist the help of a mechanic friend or a training course for yourself.

Learning Bodywork

Almost older cars will need their body restored, and the best way to handle it is to dive headfirst into it. Learning how to hammer out dents and build body panels from scratch takes practice. Again, you can enroll in a course to learn how to master the art of body work. Otherwise, you can outsource the vehicle to a body shop, but tackling the bodywork yourself can be satisfying.

Understanding car restoration techniques is one of the most helpful tips for modifying a classic muscle car, because it’ll not only look great, but you will also have accomplished it all by yourself.

Safety Tips for Beginner Woodworkers

By Leave a Comment

Whether you are making custom sculptures, charcuterie boards, or hand-made furniture, creating a piece from scratch is an immensely rewarding activity. While woodworking is a gratifying hobby, it can be dangerous if you don’t take the proper precautions to ensure that you stay safe and out of harm’s way. Below are some safety tips for beginner woodworkers.

Wear Safety Gear

Because woodworking involves the use of power tools and saws, it is crucial to wear safety gear while you’re working on a project to avoid injury. Wearing safety goggles will protect your eyes from sawdust and flying splinters. Always wear latex gloves when applying finishes or stains to your projects to protect your skin from chemical burns. Lastly, wear earplugs to avoid ear damage from noisy saws and power tools.

Dress Appropriately

One of the simplest ways to stay safe while woodworking is to dress appropriately. Although this may seem like common sense, if you are working from a place that is particularly comfortable for you, like your home garage, it can be easy to forget what is appropriate. Long-sleeved t-shirts, denim, and closed-toed shoes work best as woodworking attire. The thick fabrics and extra coverage will protect your skin from being hit with debris or chunks of wood.

Do Not Reach Over Running Blades

Even more crucial than the clothing and gear that you wear is knowing what precautions to take when using tools and powering them on and off. When working with power saws, it is essential that you never reach over a running blade, ever. If you absolutely must reach over your blade, unplug it, and wait until it comes to a complete stop before proceeding. Being patient in this situation is quite literally a lifesaver.

Power Down Your Tools

Most woodworking tools have removable parts that need to be cleaned, replaced, or otherwise maintained. So, it’s important to always power down your tools before modifying them in any way. Even if the tool itself is only plugged into a power source and not actively running, it still needs to be powered down completely and switched off before you perform any maintenance. It’s also wise to double-check that no residual electricity runs through the tool, as switches can easily malfunction, and the remaining electricity might cause the tool to turn on unexpectedly.

Woodworking is one of the most rewarding hobbies out there. That said, it can be potentially hazardous, so it requires that you follow certain guidelines to keep yourself safe. With these safety tips for beginner woodworkers, you can enjoy your new hobby with a little more peace of mind.

5 Hobbies That Make You a Better Role Model

By Leave a Comment

Dads tend to get the rough end of the stick. They’re expected to bring in all or most of the income, pay for the bills and the fun, help out with household chores, fix whatever breaks and still make time to spend with their families.

So how can you have fun and become a better role model? It’s easy – pick up a hobby or two. Sharing a hobby with your kids not only brings you closer together, it shows them what a father (and husband) should be.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of our top 5 hobbies that help you become a better role model!

Cars & Automotive

Cars as a hobby? Sounds expensive, right? It doesn’t have to bite into your wallet, however. And it can offer some real-world learning that will help your kids as they get older.

Find an old clunker (with a title), and fix it up as you can. Teach your kids about how to fix and restore cars, what the parts do, and how to do basic repairs (like changing a tire). If you want to make it extra special and spark an interest in it, let your kids know that when they’re 16/18/21, the car will be theirs.

While it may seem like the sort of thing some kids wouldn’t be in to, a few “lessons” it will show them that it’s a good way to get to know you, save some cash on car repairs, and make an investment in their own futures.

Electronics & Tech

This is an easier sell to today’s kids, who are already pretty wrapped up in electronics. However, teaching them how to build super and gaming computers, fix broken phones, and upgrade other consumer electronics can be a very rewarding hobby.

Plus it shows off how useful a seemingly “boring” hobby can be. Since this is a very popular market, you can easily find cheap build-your-own options, like the Raspberry Pi.

DIY & Woodworking

True, handling dangerous power tools like circular saws may seem intimidating, but this DIY hobby is a great way to teach your kids both responsibility and the reward of hard work.

This DIY hobby can be something as small as whittling kits you pick up from hobby stores for $20, birdhouses and tool cases, or as extravagant as large art pieces and furniture.

If you’re a beginner yourself, stores like Harbor Freight sells tools at a fraction of the price of other stores – but don’t expect them to last forever. Home Depot and Lowes are great for intermediate – expert supplies.

Owning a Collection

This is probably the most versatile hobby on the list. Owning a collection may seem “iffy” when you have kids, but the truth is it can help your kids learn about the subjective value of items, respect for others’ items, and how to invest (if applicable to your collection).

If your collection happens to lean toward obscure books or comics, you can also make learning to read (or reading in general) fun.

Squarefoot Gardening

Square foot gardening is a wonderful way to teach self-sufficiency and responsibility. It also allows your children to see their foods’ life cycle from soil to plate. It also helps to emphasize the “a father provides” mentality. In addition to all of that, it can also help to save on your grocery bill.

While any gardening hobby would be awesome – square foot gardening can be done even in very small yards and apartments.

There are lots of ways to be a great role model to your kids, these are just our favorites for their practicality and usefulness. It’s a fun and unique way to bond with your kids while providing for them and helping them learn great lifelong endeavors.