Straight Dope Dad | A Father's View on Parenting » The Improv Parent – Parenting Tips and Tricks 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 Cornstarch Packing Peanuts – The Guilt Free Art Project for Kids http://www.straightdopedad.com/cornstarch-packing-peanuts-the-guilt-free-art-project-for-kids/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/cornstarch-packing-peanuts-the-guilt-free-art-project-for-kids/#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 15:09:17 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=885
Summary: Art projects often mean just creating more junk to throw away. Not the same day of course, but eventually. Here’s something you can feel good about tossing. Though my partner had experimented with them while she was a preschool teacher, my first introduction the art project potential of the cornstarch packaging peanut was at [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/cornstarch-packing-peanuts-the-guilt-free-art-project-for-kids/feed/ 0 Creative Toys – Forget Toys R Us, Go Toy Shopping at the Hardware Store http://www.straightdopedad.com/home-made-creative-toys/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/home-made-creative-toys/#comments Fri, 01 Jan 2010 14:40:38 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=119
Summary: Kids have no idea of what a “proper” toy is. That’s an adult concept. If it’s fun, that’s all that matters. From a very young age my daughter loved metal objects and gadgets. She would routinely ignore her fluffy stuffed animals and go for anything hard and shiny. So I figured, let’s go get [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/home-made-creative-toys/feed/ 2 The Girl’s Gotta Chew – Dealing With a Super Oral Kid http://www.straightdopedad.com/the-girls-gotta-chew-dealing-with-a-super-oral-kid/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/the-girls-gotta-chew-dealing-with-a-super-oral-kid/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 23:38:42 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=369
Summary: She chewed her dolls, the furniture and anything she could get her hands on. You can’t stop her from chewing but you can stop her from chewing the good stuff. How many water-filled toys have we tossed? All of them. Usually within a day or two of buying them. Balloons were popped by mouth [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/the-girls-gotta-chew-dealing-with-a-super-oral-kid/feed/ 0 Homemade Teething Rings http://www.straightdopedad.com/homemade-teething-rings/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/homemade-teething-rings/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 05:08:42 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=507
Summary: Unsatisfied with the teething rings on the market, I made my own with surgical tubing and exercise bands. WARNING: Be very careful when making your own teethers and always supervise your baby when using a homemade teether. If they can fit something in their mouth, it’s too small. If they can break it apart [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/homemade-teething-rings/feed/ 0 My Daughter Loves The Dead – When Your Child is Fascinated with the Macabre http://www.straightdopedad.com/my-daughter-loves-dead-things-haunted-house-macabre/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/my-daughter-loves-dead-things-haunted-house-macabre/#comments Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:16:26 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=134
Summary: My daughter loves blood, dead animals, scary movies and making homemade haunted houses. It’s in her blood, so to speak. So why not go with it? It’s no secret that raising my daughter has not been easy. Early on there were some tough challenges around potty training, social anxieties and violent tantrums. But some [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/my-daughter-loves-dead-things-haunted-house-macabre/feed/ 0 Teaching Your Kid to Read Sucks! Thank God for Public Schools or I’d Shoot Myself http://www.straightdopedad.com/teaching-your-kid-to-read-sucks/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/teaching-your-kid-to-read-sucks/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:47:46 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/?p=137
Summary: If your child is hella smart I suppose teaching him or her to read could theoretically be fun. For me, it’s straight up torture. I don’t rely on schools or anyone else to teach my child anything that is important. But to be honest, without the support of public schooling, I think I’d go [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/teaching-your-kid-to-read-sucks/feed/ 1 Feeding Picky Eaters – Try a Child’s Tasting Menu to Awaken Your Kid’s Taste Buds and Encourage Healthy Eating http://www.straightdopedad.com/feeding-picky-eaters/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/feeding-picky-eaters/#comments Wed, 09 Sep 2009 16:47:41 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/blog/?p=33
Summary: Cut out the sweetened drinks and turn your kids on to a healthy “small plate with a bunch of little things on it”. Most of us struggle with trying to get our kids to eat a well balanced, healthy diet. Unfortunately, we are genetically programmed to seek out salt and sugar.  In nature both [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/feeding-picky-eaters/feed/ 0 Get Thee to a Potty! An Unorthodox Solution to a Child’s Persistent Pooping Problem and Toilet Training Issues. http://www.straightdopedad.com/get-thee-to-a-potty-an-unorthodox-solution-to-a-childs-persistent-pooping-problem-and-toilet-training-issues/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/get-thee-to-a-potty-an-unorthodox-solution-to-a-childs-persistent-pooping-problem-and-toilet-training-issues/#comments Wed, 14 Nov 2007 02:43:51 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/blog/?p=8
Summary: The day I finally snapped and made my child beat years of constipation and overcome her anxiety around pooping. It’s funny how children can be simultaneously advanced and behind at the same time. My daughter had such a split around toilet training. She was a kung-fu master in peeing but a lowly apprentice in [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/get-thee-to-a-potty-an-unorthodox-solution-to-a-childs-persistent-pooping-problem-and-toilet-training-issues/feed/ 39 Fun Things To Do Around The House That Make Little Kids Feel Like Big Kids http://www.straightdopedad.com/fun-things-around-the-house/ http://www.straightdopedad.com/fun-things-around-the-house/#comments Sat, 27 Oct 2007 16:38:02 +0000 Straight Dope Dad http://www.straightdopedad.com/blog/?p=15
Summary: Mundane adult chores are really exciting for young children because it makes them feel like bigshots. These activities are really fun for children between the ages of 2 and 5, or even older. Plus they enhance their motor skills, cognitive skills, self esteem, and sense of personal responsibility. 1. Let Your Kid Cut Up [...]]]> http://www.straightdopedad.com/fun-things-around-the-house/feed/ 1