parenting

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We’re Going To Monster Jam 2015 In Nashville! (January 3-4th)

Last January, our family travelled to Huntsville, AL to see Monster Jam for the 1st time. Now at age 4, my son Jack is still just has excited by monster trucks, so we’ll be attending Monster Jam 2015 in January; this time in Nashville, TN.

And… today I’m giving away a set of 4 tickets for the 1PM show on Sunday, January 4th, 2015!

We’re Going To Monster Jam 2015 In Nashville! (January 3-4th)

Just be the first person to post on the Facebook wall for Family Friendly Daddy Blog (not a private message), asking me, “Did I just win 4 tickets for my family to go see Monster Jam in Nashville for the 1PM show on Sunday, January 4th, 2015?”

If you’re the first person to do so, I will respond by saying yes… After that, I will follow up by getting your family’s name and address to get you all set up with the tickets!

Update: We have a winner!

Congrats and Merry Christmas to Charles Van Dyke:

Did I just win 4 tickets for my family to go see Monster Jam in Nashville for the 1PM show on Sunday, January 4th, 2015?

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Leave a comment Posted on funny, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: “How Do Babies Get Into Mommies’ Bellies? From Santa?”

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: “How Do Babies Get Into Mommies’ Bellies? From Santa?”

Dear Jack,

We are currently living with some friends, as the closing date on our new house is about 6 weeks away now.

Karen, the wife and Mommy of the family we are renting space from, is pregnant; her baby is due right about the same time as we are supposed to move out.

Last night at dinner, you asked Mommy and me:

“How do babies get into Mommies’ bellies? From Santa?”

We immediately burst out laughing, as did you.

Mommy explained that’s a conversation we’ll have with you when you’re a bit older.

Of course, it won’t be “we,” it will be me that has that talk with you. I’m not afraid. I’m as prepared now as I’ll ever be.

After I gained my composure, I think I responded with something like, “Yeah, I guess Santa does help with that.”

Granted, my answer was technically right; in the same way the song “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus” makes sense.

Of course, I know the real reason you assumed Santa has something to do with babies getting into Mommies’ bellies.

This past weekend, we watched Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! To my surprise, I actually really loved that movie! I wouldn’t mind seeing it every Christmas. You’re at the perfect age to really appreciate a movie like that.

Dear Jack: “How Do Babies Get Into Mommies’ Bellies? From Santa?”

However, you’ll always troubled when they say “roast beast” because you always explain: “No, Daddy, it’s supposed to be ‘roast beef’!”

One of our favorite parts was when it showed the Grinch arriving at his parents’ house, riding in a basket floating down from the sky, slowed down by an umbrella which helped guide it down safely.

I think that imagery led you to believe Santa has something to do babies getting into Mommies’ bellies.

You followed up your first question by asking me if Santa is real. I cleverly replied, “Is Batman real?”

You confirmed he is.

I continued: “Well, then Batman is as real as Santa.”

And we’ll just keep it at that for now.

Love,

Daddy

1 Comment Posted on infographic, Nostalgia, parenting, Uncategorized

The Ninja Turtle Pinball Machine: Impulse Buying Infographic

Even though Christmas shopping for my son was pretty much complete a couple of months ago, he recently became fascinated by the concept of owning a pinball machine.

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In fact, it was the only thing he asked Santa for at Bass Pro Shop.

So in an order to help Santa out, I checked out Target. I’d already found a cheap, tiny made-in-China type of thing at a party store earlier that day; the kind you’d find in the bottom of a box of Rice Krispies.

But it was at Target that I found the perfect pinball machine for him:

A Ninja Turtles pinball machine, on sale for about $22 (from $25); which is more money than my wife and I agreed to spend to help Santa out on this.

My wife and I are strict Dave Ramsey followers. Therefore, every dollar is specifically accounted for. But in addition to our shared income budget, she and I also each have an annual stipend consisting of birthday and Christmas money from family to last us all year.

I texted my wife: “I am tempted just to spend my own money to buy this for him!”

It was the perfect opportunity for an impulse buy. He would be so happy and so surprised on Christmas morning to unwrap that!

But I thought about the gifts we had already bought him, and considered the other mysterious gifts he’ll get from others, and decided against buying the pinball machine.

If he really is disappointed with the “cereal prize pinball machine” he’s getting, he can spend his own money on the Ninja Turtle one at Target; though he probably won’t. He’ll probably spend it on Legos instead.

So I did it: I resisted the urge to make an impulse purchase. I’m almost surprised at myself.

I will close with an infographic that explains the psychology behind an impulse buy:

Generation Z Marketings Next Big Audience

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Leave a comment Posted on Health, parenting, Uncategorized

As For Me And My House, We Will Refuse Flu Shots

You Gotta Fight For Your Right To Refuse A Flu Shot!

I’m bored by the conversations about whether it’s a good or bad thing to get vaccinations. I flat out don’t care what other people choose for themselves. Let them argue online about that without me.

But what I am passionate about instead is standing my grounds on my right to refuse a flu shot. I have my reasons for having refused flu shots my entire life, and I’m sure they’re nothing new or interesting to anyone reading this.

Ultimately, I just don’t appreciate the fact that there is pressure from society, businesses, the medical field, and the government to tell me I need a flu shot. I’m too clever of a guy not to question that.

Maybe I’m indeed a conspiracy theorist who believes that the real reason the media bombarded us with the Ebola scare might have been that the government wanted us all to be vaccinated for their own agenda.

(I also question the fact we were never shown footage of an actual plan crashing into the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. Most people I know are okay with that… I’m not. And that makes me the crazy one, labeled as the wacky conspiracy theorist.)

“No thanks to vaccinations” is what I have to say.

I also made sure that at my son’s recent check-up, that he did not get a flu shot. My son was pretty happy that his Daddy got him out of that!

By the way, I’m 33 years old and I’ve never had the flu… nor have I had a flu shot. And that information is validated from my mom. She would know.

I find it pretty interesting that walk-in clinics these days are all spending plenty of advertising dollars on “selling flu shots.” I guess there must be a lot of profit to be made off of selling vaccinations that may or may not even work…

What really got me riled up about this recently is when a close family member (who will remain nameless for my fear of outing them with their employer) was heavily (!) pressured by their employer to get a flu shot.

This family member had to put in writing exactly why they were refusing the flu shot; they were told by the deciding committee that the only acceptable exceptions had to be either for personal or religious reasons.

The first two times, this person was denied the right to refuse the flu shot, after having given personal reasons; like explaining to the employer that a flu shot is an unnatural, invasive procedure.

This family member was, in essense, told that their personal reasons were not legitimate enough to merit a flu shot refusal.

It took the 3rd time before this family member’s reason for refusal was accepted; after saying their body is a temple of God.

For whatever reason, the employer accepted that answer.

This article was also helpful:

Mandatory Vaccines for Healthcare Workers: How to Refuse Mandatory Vaccines and Not Get Fired

I’m not telling anyone whether or not they should or should not get a vaccination, because again, that’s a personal decision and I should have no say when it comes to other people.

Flu shots are right for a lot of people. I’m just not one of them.

3 Comments Posted on parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A Preschool Near Our New House

4 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Dear Jack,

There are certain assumptions that might arise, with our upcoming move into our new house on January 29th. (That’s the official close date, still Lord willin’.)

One common assumption that people have been asking me is if there will finally be a possibilty of open-mindedness on your parents’ part for our family expanding. To be clear, I’m not hinting any sort of announcement; I am simply saying it wasn’t an option before now.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Who knows? Maybe with a new house in a new city with a new lifestyle for our family, there may be room for… that possibility.

Or maybe I’ll never mention it again.

Another assumption is that we’ll be sending you to a new school, just around the corner from our new house. That would save you from having to be in the car with me a total of 2 hours every day.

Instead, it would be more like 2 minutes.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Not only is that better for your safety, but it’s better for quality time with Mommy.

Here’s why: Where you go to school right now is right next to where I work. But with us moving at least 15 miles south of where I work now (and about 35 miles south of where Mommy works) it’s not really a benefit anymore that your current school is near where I work.

Not to mention, with the move, Mommy’s schedule will be altered to where she can go in to work early and leave work early, meaning that you and Mommy will be able to spend a decent amount of extra quality time together soon, on a regulary basis.

And that’s so important! For that reason alone, it’s worth it to find you a new preschool. Again, there’s nothing at all wrong with your current school, but moving you to one closer to our new home so you can be in the car less and with Mommy more…. those aspects are more important to our family.

There are 3 really nice schools near our new home. We liked Spring Hill Academy, a Christian place, but they don’t have any openings for you right now.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

So now with that one easily eliminated, that leaves us with two main contenders: Primrose Schools and Rainbow Child Care Center.

We drove up to the parking lots of both of them this weekend while reviewing the 2015 Hyundai Sonata; just to get an idea of the drive time from our new home.

Mommy is taking you to visit them both this week, during open business hours. I wonder where you’ll end up. They’re both wonderful schools, from everything Mommy and I have researched.

Of course, whichever school wins your tuition also wins reoccuring free publicity here on Family Friendly Daddy Blog, as the new school will serve as part of the setting for our family’s narrative.

Just this week, I wrote both Dear Jack: The Glory Of Classic American Holiday Sweaters and Dear Jack: The Lego Hospital You Built At Your School; both of which took place at your current school.

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A School Near Our New House

Where we send you to school is a big deal to us. In fact, much of the incentive to move out of our townhouse was to get into a better county where we could get you into a better school.

When you live in Nashville, it matters to your education and future based on where you go to school; unlike where the small town where I grew up; where there was just one school.

Love,

Daddy

Catch up on the entire series of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend. A lot of exiciting things happened!

2015 Hyundai Sonata Sport 2.0T: Family Friendly Review

Dear Jack: Our New House Now Has Electricity & Tile (2015 Hyundai Sonata Weekend)

Dear Jack: Primrose Vs. Rainbow- Finding A Preschool Near Our New House

Dear Jack: Listening to Radio Hanukkah (SiriusXM Channel 68)