Kids Stilts

Here's a simple DIY project to build "stilts". You can do this for or with your child - pretty straight forward, check it out:

Materials Needed:
* two 2x2x8' timber beams (e.g. pine)
* one 2x4x 12" piece of wood (e.g. pine)
* two 3/8" x 4" Hex Head Bolts
* one 3/8" Dowel piece 4" long
* two small rubber cups (or table legs floor / carpet protectors)
* cordless drill with standard wood drill bits

Note: It would be nice to simply buy one 2x4x8' and rip it in half, but 2x4 timber will almost always bow after being cut.

Teaching your son how to be a man

Deciding on the ways you should teach your son how to be a man can inspire a great deal of soul searching for any father. Back in the olden days, when a man was seen as the head of the household, sole bread winner and a pillar of physical and emotional strength, this task may have been an easier one. The advice back might have been quite simple "get a good job, work hard, support your family and don’t cry". However things are bit more tricky for 21st century dads. Here are some more contemporary manly things to teach your son:

How to cook
Why is important? Because knowing how to cook is all about self-sufficiency and independence. Is there any skill more important than one that teaches self sufficiency? Cooking is also “still” a pretty easy way to impress girls – so two birds with one stone.

How to manage money

Moms and dads pre-birth worries compared

Many resources for new parents treat moms and dads in the same way - they speak of a generic "parent" which is essentially dealing with the same challenges of adjusting to a new life style once the baby is hear. Reality is very different of course - depending on the particular family arrangement the pre and post birth world is experienced very differently for moms and dads. Here's a list of key concerns and worries as reported back by moms and dads we work with:

And post birth:

Bully proof

What can you do to make sure your child doesn't get bullied at school? Find out about "bully proof courses" in your area! Bullying is a major issue for all school children and parents these days and it seems schools or government initiatives are relatively ineffective in dealing with this problem. So it's back to us parents to sort it out - fine. I've recently come across so called "bully proof" courses which a number of martial arts disciplines offer. The courses are based on standard entry level martial arts classes but offer a few elements of how to deal with being bullied specifically.

After attending a number of karate classes I think enrolling your child in a martial arts course will address various aspects at play when it comes to bullying at school.

A dad's point of view - is Glee gay?

There's no doubt that I'm really wading into it with the title of this column. I was reflecting on the end of this season of Glee and the only other television series that I watch regularly, Modern Family. I enjoy both show but do wonder if they have an agenda as to the message they want to put across.

Let me be clear on my stance on homosexuality to eliminate any pre-conceived prejudices you may assume I have or may project on me that are not true. I lost a VERY DEAR friend to Aids back in the day when it first appeared. I worked in showbiz for a quarter-century and loved and interacted with people of all stripes, with equal passion, respect, and collaboration. If they were talented and good people, I loved them. If they were not, I didn’t. Simple.

Long haul air travel with toddlers

Going on a long haul trip (as in 6h+ flight time) with a child aged 18 months to 3 years is probably one of the most challenging travel experience you can have as a parent. Obviously many of us do this but the difference between wanting to fling yourself off the plane and getting a few hours of sleep is all in the preparation. Check out some essential travel secrets for long haul trips with a toddler.

Here's our long-haul survival list (in order of keeping you sane)

#1 The most essential toy for air travel is a Doodle Pad. It's the most versatile, unmessy, imaginative and inexpensive toy you'll ever buy (you can get them for about $10). It's a true life saver as you can draw stuff, erase it and draw some more for quite a while. Most importantly you can use during take off / landing and when passing through turbulent weather (unlike some electronic gadgets).

Countdown calendars

Here's a useful tip to manage motivation and excitement for the little people in your house when you are working towards a particular goal or significant changes in their lives. You can use a "countdown calendar" to count down to the day when the change happens - for example starting school, moving house or an upcoming travel adventure. Countdown calendars work in the same way a Christmas calendar works except that you just count down the number of days (rather than using the days in the month). The easiest way to create a countdown calendar is by starting with a large piece of paper or card board and drawing something relevant on it (e.g. a house, building, plane or place, etc). Make the drawing as large as possible.

Massage - the perfect gift for the whole family on Mothers Day (or any day)

A good therapeutic massage is better than having sex ... seriously, you get touched in places that you cannot reach yourself (unless you're a contortionist). If you haven't had a massage - splash out and experience it for yourself. Tell yourself that you have earned it and that with all the demands on a modern dad (or mom) you deserve a little treat. Try out relaxation, deep tissue, Thai or Swedish massages to experience the bliss of therapeutic massages.

Once you have done that and you know what it feels like to have a massage you can give massages to your kids, babies or your partner. Even if when you're not professionally trained it's still likely to be highly enjoyable for the recipient in your family. What you lack in skill you can make up in enthusiasm and devotion to looking after your family.

Dressify Hall of Fame top contenders

Here are a few recent gems from the Dressify Hall of Fame:

Free life insurance for parents

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By DIYFather.com