Straight Dope Dad | A Father's View on Parenting » Conversations With My Daughter http://www.straightdopedad.com Fatherhood Advice From a Self Employed Stay at Home Dad. Tricks and Tips for Raising Children. Sat, 08 Oct 2011 12:06:43 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Uno for Dose – Playing Cards With My Daughter http://www.straightdopedad.com/uno-for-dose-playing-cards-with-my-daughter/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/uno-for-dose-playing-cards-with-my-daughter/#comments Sun, 24 Jul 2011 01:49:22 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=2432
So my daughter and I have been playing Uno in the evenings. It’s a fun, easy game to wind down the day with, and with two people it goes rather brisk. Skip cards now skips the next hand directly back to yourself. Reverse does the same thing. To make it less painful we allow you [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/uno-for-dose-playing-cards-with-my-daughter/feed/ 0 Tomboys, Gender Training, and The Trouble With Stereotypes http://www.straightdopedad.com/tomboys-gender-training-and-the-trouble-with-stereo-types/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/tomboys-gender-training-and-the-trouble-with-stereo-types/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:44:35 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=2405
I’m doing some gardening when my daughter walks up. “Am I a tomboy?” “Well some may consider you a tomboy because you’re strong and athletic and like things like dinosaurs, skulls, and boys underwear and swim trunks. But I don’t like the term tomboy because it implies that a girl should only behave a certain [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/tomboys-gender-training-and-the-trouble-with-stereo-types/feed/ 3 Are You Hot Mama? Love and Life According to Foreigner’s Hot Blooded http://www.straightdopedad.com/are-you-hot-mamma-love-and-life-according-to-foreigners-hot-blooded/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/are-you-hot-mamma-love-and-life-according-to-foreigners-hot-blooded/#comments Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:25:06 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=2401
Summary: Tens seconds of classic rock leads to ten minutes of relationship talk. I’m on the way to the boardwalk with my daughter and her good friend when I click on the classic rock station to clear my head. Wouldn’t you know it, it’s old favorite by Foreigner. But you’ve got to give me a [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/are-you-hot-mamma-love-and-life-according-to-foreigners-hot-blooded/feed/ 0 Th’s Versus F’s – A Child Learns Her “TH” Sounds http://www.straightdopedad.com/ths-versus-fs-a-child-learns-her-th-sounds/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/ths-versus-fs-a-child-learns-her-th-sounds/#comments Thu, 06 Jan 2011 05:36:11 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=2261
My daughter has a bit of a problem hitting her “thuuu” sounds. Many times they come out as an “fuuu” sound. Now this is really common and it’s not a speech problem because she can hit the “thuuu” if she concentrates. Me, my partner and my daughter are in the car on the way to [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/ths-versus-fs-a-child-learns-her-th-sounds/feed/ 0 You Can’t Control the World… http://www.straightdopedad.com/you-cant-control-the-world/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/you-cant-control-the-world/#comments Sun, 31 Oct 2010 18:29:47 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1772
Summary: My daughter figures out one of life’s most important lessons at age seven. So we’re driving around, which for some reason is when our most interesting conversations take place, when she has a most profound moment. “You can’t make time. You can make cookies. You can make brownies. But you can’t make time. At [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/you-cant-control-the-world/feed/ 3 Work Makes One Free and Cheetos Are Food http://www.straightdopedad.com/work-makes-one-free-and-cheetos-are-food/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/work-makes-one-free-and-cheetos-are-food/#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 04:05:21 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1695
So my daughter and I are driving around. “We may just stay close to home on Labor day weekend instead of going over the hill. Everyone goes to the beach that day and the traffic could be really bad getting back to Santa Cruz. Last holiday there was an accident and it took us two [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/work-makes-one-free-and-cheetos-are-food/feed/ 3 Squirrels Don’t Get Sad http://www.straightdopedad.com/squirrels-dont-get-sad/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/squirrels-dont-get-sad/#comments Sun, 01 Aug 2010 11:43:03 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1684
So my daughter and I are heading to Watsonville to see the Friday 3:00 showing of Cats and Dogs – The Revenge of Kitty Galore – when she asks a most unusual question. “Do squirrels have feelings?” “What do you mean by do they have feelings?” “I mean, do they get sad.” “Well squirrels don’t [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/squirrels-dont-get-sad/feed/ 3 My Seven Year Old Daughter’s Burial Instructions http://www.straightdopedad.com/my-seven-year-old-daughters-burial-instructions/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/my-seven-year-old-daughters-burial-instructions/#comments Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:46:39 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1572
Summary: Death is final…or is it? My daughter and I just left Betty’s Burgers and we’re headed to Capitola Mall to play in the kids area. “When I die I want to be put in a coffin and I want you to put my T-Rex inside with me.” “Really? So why do you want T-Rex [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/my-seven-year-old-daughters-burial-instructions/feed/ 0 I Just Want Darth Vader, No Princess Leia http://www.straightdopedad.com/i-just-want-darth-vader-no-princess-leia/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/i-just-want-darth-vader-no-princess-leia/#comments Sun, 13 Jun 2010 11:24:14 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1413
On my daughter’s 7th  birthday we got her some Star Wars action figures. We (meaning that my partner took all the time to find, purchase and wrap the gift but I get to share in the credit) got her a nice set of the classic ones but we couldn’t find Darth Vader and Princess Leia. [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/i-just-want-darth-vader-no-princess-leia/feed/ 0 What? The Karate Kid is Not a Girl? http://www.straightdopedad.com/what-the-karate-kid-is-not-a-girl/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/what-the-karate-kid-is-not-a-girl/#comments Sun, 13 Jun 2010 11:15:55 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1487
Summary: Sometimes identifying gender can be tough for kids My daughter’s been looking forward to seeing the new Karate Kid with Jaden Smith ever since she saw the first preview. We go too see it on Saturday and after some previews the movie finally starts. Five minutes into it my daughter asks a most interesting [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/what-the-karate-kid-is-not-a-girl/feed/ 1 Kidnappers Have Better Food Options http://www.straightdopedad.com/kidnappers-have-better-food-options/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/kidnappers-have-better-food-options/#comments Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:57:24 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1432
Summary: A Child’s naivety leads her to develop some unusual priorities. I’m in the car with my daughter on our way to the 41st Avenue Taqueria when she drops the usual loaded question. “How do kidnappers come alive?” “What do you mean come alive?” “How do kidnappers come alive?” “You mean how do they become [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/kidnappers-have-better-food-options/feed/ 0 The Secret Word of The Day Is Bofia http://www.straightdopedad.com/the-secret-word-of-the-day-is-bofia/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/the-secret-word-of-the-day-is-bofia/#comments Tue, 25 May 2010 00:29:35 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1408
Summary:  A Child Tries to Interpret Gloria’s Speech Patterns from the Movie Madagascar My daughter and I are driving back from our adventure in San Jose when she asks me a question. “What does bofia mean?” “Bofia?” “Yes, bofia.” “Like boa-fee-yahh?”‘ “Yes, What does it mean?” “Well I don’t think it means anything. It sounds [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/the-secret-word-of-the-day-is-bofia/feed/ 2 Fear of Growning Up – What It’s Like to Be A Grown-Up According To A Six Year Old http://www.straightdopedad.com/fear-of-growning-up-what-its-like-to-be-a-grown-up-according-to-a-six-year-old/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/fear-of-growning-up-what-its-like-to-be-a-grown-up-according-to-a-six-year-old/#comments Sat, 24 Apr 2010 23:35:32 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=1334
Summary: You never know what’s on a child’s mind unless they tell you. They have fears and concerns that are often  much different than you’d expect. So my daughter and I are driving to Watsonville to see the new Disney Nature movie “Oceans”. We’re not even to the Highway 1 on ramp before she drops [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/fear-of-growning-up-what-its-like-to-be-a-grown-up-according-to-a-six-year-old/feed/ 0