Dads Question of the Week

Springtime in the Midwest seems to rapidly fluctuate between cold and hot with some beautiful days sprinkled in here and there. What are some of your favorite memories from this eccentric season?

My sister posted this link. She and I are Fruity Pebble fanatics but we rarely eat them because of the sugar content. Keep in mind, our mother was (and still is) a dietitian, so we were fairly restricted on the types of foods we ate. Sugar cereals were rare treats.

Here's the link that prompted this post: http://blog.superhealthykids.com/2012/01/breakfast-cereal-2/

What's your take? What types of breakfast cereal do you serve and how often do you serve it?

I can go an entire day and realize toward the end of the day that I spent most of my time hanging out with my son or doing things that he wanted to do. Then I feel bad that I didn't spend enough time with my daughter or do more of the things she wanted. I'm curious how everyone else balances their time between children so they each get some deserved one-on-one. What are your secrets?
 

Think back over the last several Christmas seasons you've shared with your family. What is your favorite story from family gatherings, outings, etc? 
 

Here's a quick survey for the Dads Inc research library. Answer each question or statement by selecting the best answer. No, you're not allowed to look over the shoulder of your classmates for answers. Good luck.

I think children's participation in sports is

*

   Not Important

   Somewhat Important

   Very Important

My children participate in sports

*

   Rarely

   Occasionally

   Frequently

Children should start sports between the ages of

*

   1-2

   3-4

   5-6

   7-8

   9-10

   11-12

My oldest child is

*

Select...123456789101112

Winning is

*

   For Jocks (Not Important)

   Fun When It Happens (Somewhat Important)

   Everything! (Very Important)

Have you coached on of your child's teams?

*

   No

   Yes

Optional:

Please tell us your email address if you would like to be included in our email newsletters and announcements. We will never sell, distribute, or provide your information to any other organization.

E-mail Address

Name

First Name

Last Name

I would like to subscribe to your email newsletter

   No

   Yes

Please type the alpha-numeric code above (case sensitive):

Submit

When my son was three or four he said, "Dad, I want to clean bath tubs every day when I grow up!" I'm sure there was a little disappointment in my response when I came to the realization that I will have no say in what he wants to do as an adult. I thought I'd given him useful tools in making his career choice but alas, I've deceived myself.

My daughter, on the other hand, simply wants to have cats. She knows that I'm allergic to cats and says that I won't be able to visit but she really wants cats. She's four (for another couple of weeks).

So, I have a burgeoning custodial tub engineer and a future cat lady. Sweet.

You've probably had this conversation at some point with your own kids. What have they told you they want to do when they grow up?

There are few things that may impact a child as much as divorce. This is a time when a child's two strongest building blocks are shifted and displaced.  Regardless of whether it is  considered best for the family it can severely impact children. What is the best way to approach this topic with children and to help them adjust in a positive way?

We've all heard the ages old reproach from parents, "No, we don't hit." I've said it countless times myself as my children entered the toddler stage. I've also said "I don't care if your little sister hit you first, you don't hit her back." And vice versa.

It's one thing if it's sibling rivalry but there is a time when your child may ask, "Dad, what if someone starts hitting me on the playground?" This is when your natural convictions and parental abilities are tested. How do you handle this question? Should kids fight back? Or do we tell them "No, we don't hit"?

We've all heard the comment "that _________ is the best thing since sliced bread." In your opinion, and excluding sliced bread, what invention do you feel has contributed the most to man's arsenal of tools? Is it the Garden Weasel? The flathead screwdriver? The  hammer drill?

And since this is a dads website, feel free to throw in any experiences you've had teaching your kids how to use different tools.

We all know our children's favorite bedtime story changes from year to year. But think back to those you enjoyed the most as a parent and those your children demanded you read over and over again.

Leave your answers as comments below.