Author: Family Friendly Daddy Blog

Leave a comment Posted on reviews

Dear Jack: Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children To Watch

3 years, 7 months.

Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children

Dear Jack,

This past July 4th, you were finally old enough to truly appreciate the observation of fireworks. I was just as happy as you were to go to the Tennessee/Alabama state line to pick up our stash of fireworks that I felt would be appropriate for you to witness; not to actual ignite yourself. (Obviously.)

Well, except for the super snaps…

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With great pride, I chose the finest array of made in China fireworks I could find for our family:

Snakes, color smoke balls (smoke bombs), moon travellers (bottle rockets), attack vehicles (tanks), cocks crowing (chickens), party poppers, super snaps (snap & pops), turbo flashes, and “new small bees.”

I wanted to make sure you would be able to see some tamer, more cartoonish versions of what might be exciting at a big fireworks show.

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To my surprise, your absolute favorite were what I called the smoke bombs, but labelled as “color smoke balls,” which sounds less violent, I suppose.

I think next year, I’ll just buy like 6 packs of those and a box of super snaps, and you will be just fine. Those were the things that excited you the most.

Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children

If the smoke balls won 1st place, and the super snaps won 2nd, then I’d say that coming in at 3rd place would be the snakes. You weren’t too impressed when I lit them up alone. The real show was lighting a pack at a time, which is 6.

Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children

From there, the lesser fireworks to you seemed to be the louder ones. You did like the sparks flying out of the turbo flash; it was like a mini, festive explosion… but you only appreciated it from across the lawn.

Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children

While I personally have always loved the hilarious chickens and tanks, they were a bit to unnerving for you; as they suddenly screeched into a fiery demise.

Review Of Suitable Fireworks For Small Children

As for the “new small bees,” they hardly cost anything, but basically just vanished into the air and were gone.

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After your Uncle Andrew and I shot off all the good stuff, we helped out Nonna and Papa by blowing up some ant hills, in classic Alabama style.

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I know you had as much fun as I did seeing your first backyard fireworks show. But like I said, if all I would have bought were smoke bombs and super snaps, you would have been just as happy.

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling

The Surprise Twist In The Robinsons “Pals” Ad

May 4, 2013 at 12:04 am , by 

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

I hope you just watched that 60 second ad before reading this.

(Here’s a chance to, if you haven’t. Go ahead, please. I’ll wait.)

As you just watched, the boy in the green shirt puts his arm around the boy in the striped shirt while he was holding the ball, dusts him off when they fall down, compliments him on his throw, lifts him up to the bar he can’t reach, pretends like he’s about to push him into the water, patiently looks over his shoulder as he plays his video game, recognizes the boy’s crush and encourages him to talk to her and insists she likes him too, takes the “fatal hit” while using sticks to play sword fight, serves him juice, stays awake after he falls asleep watching T.V, takes his shoes off for him, carries him upstairs and lays a blanket over him.

They’re clearly friends, right?

The ad closes with the boy in the striped shirt saying, “Good night, Dad.” Then the dad tells his son good night too.

Brilliant.

In those 60 seconds, through play, encouragement, and affection, the dad serves the son.

Just a few weeks ago I wrote, “To Love And To Lead Is To Serve: No Thank You’s Required.” Though it’s a simple concept, I felt it was important enough to write to you about:

“It probably comes down to this anyway: The most important things I do in life, and that I am best at doing, are the things for which I’m not regularly thanked. Serving is loving and leading. I get that now… no thank you’s required.”

In a history of commercials making the dad out to be an idiot, finally, somebody really (!) gets it right.

Only a week ago I wrote “How To Market To An ‘Unmarketable’ Generation Y Dad.” I explained what it would take for an ad to reach me, because I’m so good at ignoring ads:

“So, in review, a stubborn, penny pinching, Dave Ramsey following, Generation Y dad like me will magically buy a product for his son if he believes that… the product will reinforce the traditional ideas and principles that remind him of his own 1987 version of childhood and/or… the company makes it clear that dads are helpful and important, not idiots.”

A+, Robinsons “Pals.” You are the official dad ad to beat.

Here’s a secret, Son. A dad can never hear enough, from anyone, that he is a good dad.

To outsiders it may appear to be a sensitive male ego thing, but as a dad, I can confirm that routine, positive affirmation is one of the most effective ways to reach and connect with a dad.

So now, I need to go wipe my nose. I could blame it on the Maple trees blooming here in Nashville, triggering my allergies.

Instead, I’ll just admit it. After watching this ad a few times, I’m pretty tore up, in a good way.

I just love you so much.

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, Storytelling

So I’m Pretty Much Obsessed With The I-Screamer…

May 3, 2013 at 10:37 pm , by 

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

For the past two weeks on the way home from school, the two of us have been swinging by Walmart each day. Why?

Not because you, a nearly 2 and a half year-old boy, are zeroed in on finding a certain elusive toy, but because your 32 year-old dad is.

The exact toy I am referring to is none other than a $8.97 monster truck, exclusive to Walmart: The I-Screamer, which is an ice cream monster truck.

This basic $8.97 version is so elusive that I couldn’t even find a picture or video of him on the Internet. Oy vey!

As you know, Mater wrestles and defeats the I-Screamer in Mater’s Tall Tales.

I don’t want the big, fancy, action-packed version that costs 20 bucks or more. I just want the cheap one that is comparable in size to your favorite black one, that you carry my old Micro Machines in.

Working in the logistics side of the transportation industry, I know that most dry goods are moved out of the warehouses by the end of the month, to prepare for the new month.

So that means… the I-Screamer is waiting there in the back of the store right now; it’s just a matter of the new shipment being stocked on the shelves.

Therefore, you and I show up every single day, hoping that today is the day. In fact, today we wentbefore and after I took you to school. No luck.

Not to mention, I’ve got your Nana, back in Alabama, as well as your friend Sophie’s mom, looking for the I-Screamer for us.

I’m trying to figure out why I’m so obsessed with getting myself, I mean, you, a monster ice cream truck that sort of resembles a crazy clown.

All I can think of is this: Back in high school, one of my favorite bands was The Smashing Pumpkins. The video for their song, “Today,” features the band driving around in an ice cream truck.

I even considered buying an old ice cream truck from one of my uncles, as my first car when I was 16. It didn’t end up actually happening, but I suppose I’ve never really let go of my love for ice cream trucks, and that was half my life ago.

Yeah, I’ve got issues.

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on Nostalgia, parenting

Trying On Daddy’s Shoes (And Mommy’s Too!)

May 1, 2013 at 10:29 pm , by 

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

I suppose it’s just universal that, as a little boy, you naturally like to try on your daddy’s shoes. I mean, it wasn’t that difficult for me to dig up a picture of myself in 1983, as a 2 year-old, wearing my dad’s boots. (Pictured above.)

You know it’s funny when you’re doing it, yet I can see you really like to imagine what it would be like to be my size.

Last week you turned to me randomly and said, “Daddy, you’re big? You’re big.”

I’m 5′ 9″, but hey, I’ll take the compliment.

This morning as we were all getting ready in Mommy and Daddy’s bedroom, you snuck into the closet.

I wasn’t really paying attention; not to mention, I was barely awake, but then I heard you laughing… like you knew you were being a rascal.

Turns out, I was right.

You proudly walked out to Mommy and me in your Sacramento State football player t-shirt, a diaper, and a pair of mommy’s heels.

Oh, and to top it off, you were holding your monster truck.

You were quite the walking contradiction, literally.

There are plenty of times when you are hilarious and don’t know why. Today was not one of those times.

So you are now looking at the new wallpaper on my cell phone. Well done, Son.

 

Love,

Daddy

 

 

Leave a comment Posted on parenting, vegan

Why I Don’t Want Everyone To Go Vegan Like Me

April 30, 2013 at 9:13 pm , by 

2 years, 5 months.

Dear Jack,

You were born in an interesting age, to interesting parents, who happened to be part of the rapidly growing minority of Americans who choose to live a lifestyle in which animal products are shunned for the sake of strict veganism (like me) or strict vegetarianism (like Mommy.)

As for you, you’re the kid caught in the middle of it, not realizing that we are making an important decision for you; at least for now. (What an appropriate shirt for you to be wearing today: Pizza vs. Broccoli.)

It used to be that vegans and vegetarians were perceived as predictable stereotypes; hippies who didn’t bathe. Not to mention, they looked down on anyone who didn’t share the same lifestyle and beliefs as they did.

I think of those animal rights ads that use shock value to get the attention of carnivores, often using images of nearly nude women or the slaughter of animals.

That’s not me or what I stand for.

The truth is, I don’t want everyone to go vegan, like me. Just as important, I don’t think everyoneshould be vegan. It’s not for everybody.

I don’t believe in forcing or pressuring my beliefs upon anyone for any reason. If someone is influenced by a conversation of mine, then so be it- that happens everyday to everybody.

Part of the process of becoming an individual is by (ironically?) collecting the ideas of other people you respect. That process, which included several pivotal documentaries on Netflix, led me to my extreme (yet not-that-weird-anymore) lifestyle.

Really, though, the main reason I don’t want everyone to become a vegan is because it seems like that would drive up the demand for organic foods, causing a shortage in supply, causing a hike in the prices of our groceries.

I’m not convinced there’s enough organic kale and chia seeds for even half of America to live this way.

So I best stop talking about how happy I am to have found this lifestyle and the positive health benefits (as well as, peace of mind) it brings our family.

It’s funny to think how 5 years ago, no one could have paid me enough money to go vegan for the rest of my life. Now, I’m trying to think how much money would be enough for me to go back to my former lifestyle, permanently.

I best stop trying to make our family seem relatively normal and decent.

However, to not share helpful and relevant information to curious people; well, that just seems selfish.

Hmm… the classic vegan dilemma.

I’m stressing out a little bit now. I need some vegan chocolate cookies…

 

Love,

Daddy