Author: Family Friendly Daddy Blog

Leave a comment Posted on infographic, parenting

Infographic: What You Need To Know About Dads And Happiness

June 10, 2014 at 11:52 pm , by

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

For me, this was a weird day. I had to leave early this morning for a business trip in Kentucky.

So instead of taking you to and from school, I was across the state line. By the time I got home, you were already asleep.

My only interaction with you was saying goodbye to you at the front door.

While that may not seem like such a big deal, it is for me.

Today just felt wrong without you.

I feel kind of sad. I feel kind of wrong. I mean, I had to go for work- so I did what I was supposed to.

And I know I’ll see you in a few hours when we both wake up. But seriously, not seeing you for a day is just plain odd.

My day went great. It was very productive. I got a whole lot done. But I was aware the whole time that something was missing- it was you.

Since you’re only 3 and a half and are obviously way too young for a cell phone, it’s not like I could text you to say I miss you or even call you to a donkey noise to make you laugh.

So I settled for Mommy promising me that she would tell you good night from me as she put you to bed.

It only makes sense that if research shows that kids make men happy, as the infographic below explains, that I would be less happy when I’m not around you for a day.

I believe it. I have been psychologically conditioned to associate feeling happy and fulfilled with having interaction with you.

Without that, I’m like an actor on stage who suddenly forgot his lines. I’m staring into the blinding spotlight, trying to find you in the audience.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

Infographic courtesy of Happify:

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling

Raising Jumpin’ Jack Flash, The BASE Jumper

June 10, 2014 at 10:34 pm , by

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

Ever since you took that gymnastics class a few months ago, you’ve made a habit of looking for things to jump off of, like a BASE jumper.

That’s right- you learned to jump, as funny has that sounds. And now, it’s something you take very seriously.

When we stayed at the hotel for the Wizard World Atlanta Comic Con recently, you were very excited to see there was an ottoman in front of the sofa.

Needless to say, you knew just what to do…

When you weren’t using Hungry Hungry Hippos as a toy, you were being Jumpin’ Jack Flash!

A recent new tradition you and I started is that every night when it’s time for you to go upstairs with Mommy to take your bath, I take a break from doing the dishes and give you a piggy back ride to your room.

Then, I throw you onto your bed.

For the next couple of minutes after that, you jump off the bed onto the carpet, only to have me throw you back on the bed.

Your face slams into the bedspread and pillows. You love it.

Convenient for the sake of you continuing this roughhousing with me, is the fact you have never gotten hurt doing any of this.

This whole time, I’ve never had to put up a baby gate on our stairway. You have always had a reverent fear of the stairs- which is part of why you like to ride on my shoulders while going up them.

But despite your new love of BASE jumping, you have no desire to try jumping down the stairs.

You know that if you get hurt jumping, or while I throw you on the bed, that you probably wouldn’t get to have this much fun.

Smart kid, you are.

 

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, vegan

How Does Your Organic, Non-GMO Garden Grow?

June 8, 2014 at 2:26 pm , by

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

While it’s no secret that our family of three has been serving as advocates of the plant-based lifestyle for a couple of years now, what I haven’t mentioned is that for the past several months, my side of the family has been fiercely transitioning to plant-based life as well.

Your Papa (my dad) and your Auntie Dana (my sister) have basically been vegans since last Fall.

By default, the other family members have ended up finding themselves in this peculiar alternative lifestyle as well.

Even since Christmas when we spent several days there in Alabama with them visiting, there was no meat or eggs served in any of the food.

Two weeks ago when we visited everyone for your cousin’s birthday, Nonna (my mom) proudly showed us her new garden. Yes, the seeds are organic and non-GMO. And the fertilizer is simple, classic horse manure.

You even got to help plant some cucumbers. Nonna texted me a picture yesterday of them sprouting of the dirt. How cool is it going to be when we visit the family later and eat those cucumbers, knowing you were the one who planted them?

One of the ongoing themes you’ve probably noticed, when I write about food, is the importance of questioning where your food comes from.

As for the vegetables and fruits we will eat when we visit family, we’ll know for sure where our food came from.

I should point out that you and I, along with Spiderman, helped water the soil around the garden.

Your “Uncle Owl” (my Uncle Al) had bought you a Spiderman sprinkler last summer that you decided you wanted to play with.

So basically, you assigned me to be brave enough to jump over it and run around it.

Then when you saw how cool it was for me to do it, you did the same. Nothing like getting wet by the Spiderman-themed garden hose sprinkler while wearing your pajamas.

We are now a part of our family’s organic, non-GMO garden. But how does it grow?

With love, water, and horse manure.

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on Nostalgia, parenting

Standing On The Shoulders Of “Baby Giants”

June 8, 2014 at 1:41 pm , by

1 Comment Posted on Health, infographic, parenting, vegan

Ask A Vegan Anything: Is Dairy Related To Allergies & Sinus Problems?

June 8, 2014 at 12:32 am , by

3 years, 6 months.

Dear Jack,

You probably don’t remember the version of me that weighed about 35 pounds more.

That would be the version that also had chronic sinus pressure and allergy issues, as well as a rare, “uncurable” skin condition known as dyshidrosis.

The version of your Daddy that you know is the healthy version- the one that no longer has allergies or sinus issues, or that awful version of eczema.

Of course, the unpopular (and annoying) thing about my improved version of my life is that it had nothing to do with prescription medicine.

It had to do with me “going plant-based.” In other words, like Bill Clinton, I became a vegan. Here’s a relevant, recent conversation about it on Facebook:

Like ·  · Promote · Share
  • Crystal Brisendine Was it you that posted about changing your diet helped your allergies?
  • Nick Shell Yes, I’m no longer allergic to animals, nor do I get sinus infections, or really even produce mucus anymore, nor do I get sinus pressure, nor does my skin break out; not to mention, I had to get a weaker prescription for my glasses because my eyes improved. Most of these changes for the better occurred after only 48 hours after nixing dairy and eggs.
    9 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Nick Shell Ben Wilder, tell her about your experience, after I corrupted you with my crazy 48 hour vegan challenge…
  • Crystal Brisendine Ok great! Thanks! My allergies and asthma are so bad, I will try anything. I think all the medications I am getting are making it worse.
  • Nick Shell I will be glad to be your guide. Ask me anything. Also, just go to The Dadabase and search “vegan”. I’ve written a library of tips for you already.
    9 hours ago · Like · 1
  • Ben Wilder Thanks Nick. Hi everyone my name is Ben. If you told me a year ago I wouldn’t be drinking dairy milk and eating cheese, I would’ve said you’re the next big comedian. But it’s true. Going on 3 months now, I’ve eliminated dairy from my diet and my allergies are gone… so far. I was taking a Zyrtec pill every day. Not a few times a week or here and there… it was every single day. I can’t speak to the long term benefits of this change… yet. But you can sure as heck bet that I’m a firm believer already.

As you can see from this Facebook discussion, I am passionate about casually making it common knowledge that sinus and allergy issues are related to consuming dairy and eggs.

I want it to become common knowledge in the way, that finally, mainstream America is beginning to accept the connection between sugar and meat consumption with (preventable) Type 2 Diabetes.

Thanks to my many mentions here on The Dababase about my victorious battle with dyshidrosis and sinus & allergy problems, random sufferers of the same issues I once had are now taking me up on my offer to “Ask A Vegan Anything.”

Maybe one day, it will be considered ridiculous that junior high and high school sporting events are sponsored by soda companies.

Or that McDonald’s is a huge sponsor of the Olympics.

Ultimately, it all comes down to getting people to question what’s actually in their food. You wouldn’t normally eat weird chemicals that are linked to cancer.

But with processed foods, that’s unavoidable.

Some of the guys at work like to joke that the 2011 version of me looked “a lot heathier.”

I guess that depends on a person’s definition of healthy.

All I can say is that life without processed sugar, artificial sweeteners, meat, eggs, or dairy is a life without eczema, sinus pressure, or allergies.

This is the version of me you will always know. I have no motivation to ever go back.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

Note: This is an opinion piece of the author and does not reflect Parents magazine or the medical establishment.

Poison Food
Source: TopMastersInHealthcare.com