GratefulDad

Master Coach Training, Denver, April 24th & 25th

2009-05-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

I was blessed to attend Daddy Boot Camp Master Coach Training with other boot camp coaches from all over America at St. Joseph Hospital in Denver, CO this April.

This intensive two day immersion in Boot Camp principles included a live Boot Camp on the second day, where I and other coaches got a rare chance to step back and simply watch some of the most experienced boot camp coaches at work, and it was an eye-opener.

What I'm learning is the MORE time I spend coaching boot camp, the LESS I should be doing as a coach. In the classroom, at least. Nothing is more important than getting veteran fathers together with expectant fathers, and simply letting it happen. I've talked with teachers both in boot camps and in other fields and hear this over and over: 'The more time I 'teach', the more its about creating a learning space, not about me." Once these skilled coaches got these groups together, they did the unthinkable: nothing. They stepped back, and let the process happen.

Now back in Boulder County training new coaches and coaching Daddy Boot Camp classes, I'm spending more time on email and the phone making sure we have not just one or two, but three, four, or more veteran dads with their babies coming to Boot Camp Classes. Why more? Just having a 3 week baby and a 3 month baby together with their dads, for new fathers to see the amazing change and how to handle these two ages; what is going to happen to their newborn so quickly, brings a new perspective on handling these tough but special early days soon gone forever. If we can bring these men together to share their experiences and ask their questions, I will also do the unthinkable: Nothing.

2009-05-20T08:01:00.000-07:00

FIRST LONGMONT DADDY BOOT CAMP in a LONG TIME!

MAY 3, 2009

I was thrilled to work with Daddy Boot Camp facilitator John McLean (centered above me) earlier this May as we fired up a new year of working with expectant dad's on ... what to expect!

This was a first for both John and I. It was his first class as a coach, and my first as a Master Coach, and we both learned a lot, as usual, from these great soon to be fathers. As a start up class in this area, we had only John's son, and are looking for our now 'veteran' dads to come back with their newborns and share experience with the next round of expectant fathers.

We will repost this with the remaining dates for Longmont Daddy Boot Camp 2009 soon. Thanks to the St.Vrain Family Center and Longmont Hospital for making this critical class available.

Daddy Boot Camp THIS SATURDAY 9-1pm! February 9th

2008-02-07T11:37:00.000-08:00

Foothills Hospital, Boulder, CO. This class just this date is on the THIRD FLOOR OB ED room.

9am. Thanks!, Barney

Remaining 2008 Boulder Daddy Boot Camp Dates are:

Mar 8
Apr 12
May 10
Jun 14
July12
Aug 9
Sep 13
Oct 11
Nov 8
Dec 13

Note we skip July, so just don't have a baby then!

If the first class you request is full, please check on our Monthly (Except July) 2008 Class openings and register (Required), contact:

Coreen Schmidt

Executive Director

St. Vrain Family Center
P.O. Box 2174
Longmont, CO 80502-2174
Phone: (303) 776-5348

www.stvrainfamilycenter.org

If you are a Veteran Dad with a baby under 1 year old, PLEASE COME ANYTIME DURING THE CLASS For Free Coffee, Pastries, and a NICE CIGAR. If you know a dad with a child under 1 year old and bring him with his child to the class, your class fee will be REFUNDED.

Use Lijit Search to find info on Daddy Boot Camp and other Parenting Issues!

My Breath Stinks

2008-02-07T11:33:00.000-08:00

I'm in a strange place with my 9 year old and math homework.

I get all excited about it, she just wants to get it done. I run around grabbing 'scrap' paper and showing her how fun to figure out the close multiples of 5 or 10 to work backwards towards the real answer, which is a multiple of 8, and she just says, "Your breath stinks."

This is one of the blessings of having children, this pronouncement. I know my breath stinks of course. I walk around and have long stretches of stinky breath. I mean I brush after meals, but this old cracker is not going to suck sugar all day to have fresh on the spot breath. Hey, I prep when needed, thats enough. For homework with the kids, I skip the Altoid.

Still its refreshing to be told. Its not like I can tell my boss, while they are asking me how a project is going, "Yes, they are very interested Bob, but your breath stinks." And they don't tell me. Adults just leisurely back head first away and try to keep their eyeballs from rolling. Kids shoot from the ~~hip~~ mouth .

2 Blue

2008-02-04T10:07:00.000-08:00

I got to play the Game of Life last night with my 7 year old. As we started out, and I got to the STOP: GET MARRIED space, I went for the pink peg to add to my car, and STOPPED.

Why not use this little space in this Game of Life to bridge a discussion on homosexual lifestyle? "Can I be two men?" I asked her. "Sure" she replied, "My friend at school has two moms. One is 'Mom'. and one is 'Momma.'

It seems I was bridging to myself, my seven year old had been down this life course. "What will you pick?" I asked her. "Hmmm", she said, initially going for another pink for her car, but then considering. "I will close my eyes and pick", she said, and got a blue peg to join her pink one, totally at random. "I like that", she said, "You know I have Nedda." Nedda is a boy from the Netherlands she is friends with.

That was it for this topic that game. We had lots of other Life issues to deal with, car accidents, insurance, buying a home. 'How', I wondered as our two cars inched farther down the game of life, 'Do other parents, if they do, bridge the issue of sexuality to their kids?' Some I fear may with disdain for same sex couples, and how sad for the next generation if they are exposed to old hatred and fears. Not discussing does not seem a healthy alternative either, its here, as it ever has been, as long as we have been human. Unless your pegged in Iran, where they have no Homosexuals.

Watching the Superbowl? Will your daughter be around?

2008-01-24T11:34:00.000-08:00

I'm a Jet/Met fan, but now living in the middle of America lean to any NY team, even the Yankees if just for their classy coach Joe Torre. Doh! The NY Giants are doing a Met's underdog run, on a tear like the Rockies finale winning all away games, and maybe, just maybe the 'David' Giants can beat 'Goliath' Patriots this Superbowl. Sure it would take a miracle, but why are you watching it then? Because it COULD happen. Patriots have won their last games by a single score. Lady Luck may have moved on.

Center On Media and Child Health's Brandy King knows from their November post about my family and the media I have 'issues' when great sports are on vs. our kids and media exposure. Knowing this, she tipped me off about dad's and daughters.org's SuperBowl Tips for Dads and Daughters watching the SuperBowl together.. Here are their first 3 of their 9 tips, please check this out, its easy, makes the game more fun for everyone, and makes your daughter lucky to have you for a father!:

Excerpt of Tips for Dads and Daughters Watching the Super Bowl Together

Read them all at:[ http://www.dadsanddaughters.org/PDFs/SuperBowlTips.pdf ]

Dads & Daughters watching TV sports together—one of life’s pleasures. But what about those

moments (like during some commercials) when you want to cover her eyes with your hands?

Here are a few simple tips from the national nonprofit Dads & Daughters for fathers and

stepfathers watching the Super Bowl (and other TV sporting events) with their daughters:

1. First, spend part of the pre-game afternoon tossing a football around with her! A Dad who plays sports with

his Daughter increases the odds that she’ll grow up healthy and strong!

2. If she doesn't like to play catch, take a walk or bike ride together. Let her know that you enjoy being with her.

The time together may give her an opportunity to share what is going on in her life. Daughters may see our

enthusiasm for sports and think we’re more interested in our favorite team than in her. Making time for her on

Super Bowl Sunday (and every other day) can counter that perception.

3. When watching the game, be aware that what your daughter or stepdaughter sees and what you see may

be entirely different. She may be struck by the cheerleaders, whose partially clothed bodies look so “perfect.”

Instead of enjoying the game, your daughter may be comparing her body to theirs and feeling inadequate.

Read ALL 9 Superbowl tips at Dads and Daughters.org

2008 Boulder Daddy Boot Camp Dates

2008-01-23T14:21:00.001-08:00

The remaining 2008 Boulder Daddy Boot Camp Dates are:

Jan 12
Feb 9
Mar 8
Apr 12
May 10
Jun 14
July12
Aug 9
Sep 13
Oct 11
Nov 8
Dec 13

Note we skip July, so just don't have a baby then!

If the first class you request is full, please check on our Monthly (Except July) 2008 Class openings and register (Required), contact:

Coreen Schmidt

Executive Director

St. Vrain Family Center
P.O. Box 2174
Longmont, CO 80502-2174
Phone: (303) 776-5348

www.stvrainfamilycenter.org

Use Lijit Search to find info on Daddy Boot Camp and other Parenting Issues!

I will change your life

2008-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

Peter, publisher of I Will Change Your Life, mixes both striking images and personal experience to confront what may be the most important issue facing us our entire lives: How we live it.

Peter uses his direct personal experience moving from depression to happiness and staying in a happiness groove with the most basic yet available tools right in front of us, from eating right, to watching our media intake, to going for early morning walks when the world is our own. Peter shares other's ideas he finds along his way that also point us in this direction.

Peters first example of how his life has moved into happiness is becoming a Dad. This option is not available to all men in our time on this planet. But when it is and the lucky ones can have and raise a life from inception, there is no greater peace or joy from the gift of having a child and being father to them. I Will Change Your Life is about much more then the gift of fatherhood. I post Peter's wonderful blog for my expectant dads at daddy boot camp to see how one man's adventure here changed so much when he took the step into fatherhood. To Excerpt Peter:

"Basically I am just a regular guy who over the past 5 years has changed his life from one filled with sadness and depression to one filled with happiness and joy. The following are just a few of the ways in which my life changed for the better:

I became a Dad: when I saw my newborn son for the first time it was the single greatest moment of my life. It really has made me view the world in a different way.
I made peace with myself: I have laid to rest the insecurities and depression of my teenage years and am happy with the person I am.
I traveled the world: the city in which I was born and raised, Perth, is the most isolated city in the world. Traveling overseas for a year opened my eyes to the big wide world in which we live.
I began to wake early: for me waking at 5am each day has come to signify my personal development journey. When you wake each day excited about the day ahead its a sure sign that you are a happy person.
I found my soulmate: if you’re reading this, hi Kathryn .

Despite these wonderful things, my life is still very much a work-in-progress. I don’t have all the answers, and there are still many things I struggle with.

If you would like to get to know me even better, you can read an interview I did here.

About This Site

The core message of this site is this:

You can change your life.

If you are unhappy, you can be happy. If you are in debt, you can find financial freedom. If you are lazy, you can get motivated. If you are inactive, you can become fit. If you are lost, you can find purpose.

How do I know these things? Over the past few years, and in particular the last year, I have positively changed my life in countless ways. I have come to see that anything is possible in life."

CMCH Tackles Internet Safety for Facebook and MySpace

2008-01-16T09:40:00.000-08:00

The Center On Media and Children's Health tackles the issue of Kids and Social Networks MySpace and FaceBook. Critical reading for any parent raising kids today. Here is an excerpt from their January email they sent me:

You've heard of MySpace and Facebook from your teens, but what exactly are they? What can they do on these websites and how can you make sure they're safe? We have some tips for you and we'd like to hear how you keep your family safe online.

Internet Safety for Facebook and MySpace

In light of the announcement that MySpace is committing to keep kids safe online , we have some Internet safety tips to pass on. If kids are using social networking websites like Facebook or MySpace, parents should take an active interest in learning more about their online worlds. These sites allow people to create profiles of themselves including pictures as well as information such as their names, ages, favorite music and TV shows, and favorite activities.

Each person can then connect themselves to others by finding friends who are also online or by searching for people with similar interests. If this ability to display personal information and connect to others concerns you, here are some tips on how to help your family practice Internet safety:

Keep computers in common areas of the house and out of bedrooms
Suggest that your teens make their profiles private so that only people they approves can connect with them.
Sign up for your own account and connect with your teen online.

More info:

Video tutorial about social networking sites
Privacy settings
MySpace safety tips

CMCH is a great resource, and its free.

http://www.cmch.net/

Oh just be a kid again and bulldoze the world.

2008-01-14T13:38:00.000-08:00

Cooking Gadgets turned me on to Construction Utensils, a 3 piece dinnerware set consisting of Bulldozer pusher, forklift fork, and front loader spoon. I emailed Cooking Gadgets Arieanna:

As a father, husband and teamplayer at home-making, I was referred to Cooking Gadgets and wanted say I have not found a SINGLE recommendation I don’t like, and many I did not know existed. A gadget is all alone until it finds that special someone who, when finding the gadget thinks, 'That’s what I always wanted not knowing it existed!'

For me it’s the Constructive Eating Utensil Set. Sure for my kids, but really for me. If only I had a Constructive Eating Utensil Set growing up, I would have truly pushed my green peas into a pile against the mashed potatoes, forklifted them onto my front loader spoon, and yes Eaten them! "

One downfall of living long enough is they make neater stuff for the next generation’s childhood. I think I will have a short breakdown and just get them for myself anyway J

Barney Moran, Grateful Dad.

Testosterone: What Every Man Should Know

2008-01-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

ASK A MAN his cholesterol level, and you’re going to get an answer. That’s a good thing. The incidence of heart disease has fallen sharply in recent years precisely because so many of us, especially men over 40, have become hyperaware of hypercholesterolemia and the danger it poses.

It’s different with testosterone. Ask a man his testosterone level, and he’s apt to give you a funny look. You know the fish-eyed expression guys on the TV news have upon hearing that the nice chap down the block was caught with kiddie porn on his laptop? That kind of look. Most guys, even smart guys, are in the dark about their hormone levels—and a bit uncomfortable talking about the matter. Ditto for doctors. When was the last time your internist said anything about testosterone?

Some in the medical profession believe that this situation may soon change. In part, this is due to recent studies, including one from Cambridge University that is the largest-ever study of testosterone. The study, which involved more than 11,600 men between the ages of 40 and 79, found that guys with testosterone levels on the low side die younger than men with higher levels.

Intrigued, I got in touch with one of the country’s leading authorities on testosterone, Houston-based endocrinologist Steven M. Petak, M.D., who is the immediate past president of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. I was full of questions: How is a guy to know if his testosterone level is low? What are the symptoms? Should he be tested? If the level is low, what then?

Read David Freeman's full Article at Smart Man Daily

Daddy Boot Camp THIS January 12th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO.

2008-01-03T12:04:00.001-08:00

Start Time: 9am

Foothills Hospital
Boulder Community Foothills Hospital
4747 Arapahoe
Boulder, Colorado 80303
(720) 854-7000 The hospital is located at the northwest corner of Arapahoe and 48th Street, near Foothills Parkway in east Boulder. Click here for a map and directions.

Boulder's Daddy Boot Camp Saturday, THIS January 12th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO!

Expectant Dads do their part to prep for the asteroid headed for their home, including the basics of changing a baby’s diaper.

As facilitator, I get to help dads prep for the final weeks of a pregnant partner, birth, and the first three months of life with a baby (and Mom!).

I never had this class for myself when my first kid was born, and I had no idea what Dr. Austin meant when he showed me the umbilical cord. Cut what? Then the placenta came out and I got dizzy. Just a little prep, people, would have saved me a lot. That's why there's Daddy Boot Camp!

If January 12th class is full, please check on our Monthly (Except July) 2008 Class openings and register (Required), contact:

Coreen Schmidt

Executive Director

St. Vrain Family Center
P.O. Box 2174
Longmont, CO 80502-2174
Phone: (303) 776-5348

www.stvrainfamilycenter.org

Use Lijit Search to find info on Daddy Boot Camp and other Parenting Issues!

The Enforcer: A Dad fighting the good fight.

2008-01-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

I don't believe in taking sides except one: The kids. I don't fancy parents who allow personal feelings to seep into affecting how kids are raised. I am a big fan of any single parent, dad or mom, who fights for and gets custody with the sole intent of doing the best job raising kids. The Enforcer, on "The Roll Call Notebook" blog uses blogging to vent both his frustrations and joys being a single dad. I asked for and got permission to repost this excerpt concerning his personal custody battle. I repost this for single dad's who find themselves fighting for their kids, to know they are not alone. Enforcer's straight talk and openness about the strain make it a bit easier for us when we consider our own issues. We can all remain silent, but the Enforcer does not want to. Thanks for this, Enforcer.

"I have been gearing up for my hopefully last battle on the issue of custody with my ex wife, she walked out of the marrige the year I became a cop, leaving me to care for our two small kids while trying to fit into and excell at my new career. I was awarded full physical custody of the children by the court. After a handfull of years she decided it was time to stop partying and actually buckle down and try her hand at motherhood. I eventually got remarried and both me and Enforcerwife dedicated ourselves to raising the kids. Everything was in place and running smoothly and then the ex started dragging me into court each year for every little modification It has pretty much been hell. Each time she brought me into court we capitulated and she would chip away little by little, death by a thousand cuts basically. This last time she attempted to try for a change in custody, we had to go through several sets of hoops, including a guardian ad litum, a concillitator and possibly tomorrow a trial. But this last one was the final straw, we decided no capitulation, we set forth our 3 possible agreements and she refused each one out of hand.....

Until today. Today was D-day, we were set for trial prep and had to be in my lawyers office this afternoon, we went there and as we were prepping her lawyer called mine and accepted our original offer. We still have to go to court tomorrow and there always is the possibility she will assume one of her many other personalities and withdraw her acceptance. However it seems as if there is an agreement in principal on paper and signed as of late this afternoon.

This custody battle has been consuming me throuought the holiday season and I haven't been my regular joyfull self lately. Just ask the cops I work with, the criminals I deal with and the Enforcerwife, they'll all agree.

That being said I believe that the ex has accepted our last agreement proposal and all there is to do now is wait and see how it shakes out.

Below is my online tarot card reading. I began having my cards done by a friend way back when the divorce was just happening, my friend would do them for me to ease my mind and redirect my thoughts away from what I was dealing with."

--- To Read the Enforcer's Tarot reading and learn more, visit The Roll Call Notebook

Barney, a Grateful Dad

Thanks.

2007-12-21T14:24:00.000-08:00

I work supporting Lijit with a range of blog publishers, many who's topic includes or is specifically on the subject of faith. This a huge range from the deeply religious, through agnostic, to atheist.

I found out this year agnostic means you believe in something, but may not be sure what that something is. I am agnostic. I believe in "Thanks." And I find "Thanks" sprinkled in among many publishers, whatever their opinion or place in life. Thanks for this, publishers. I'm starting to think people who are thankful are also writers. Those grumpy negative publishers? It's an act. They are thankful, but they wont tell.

I give thanks to people and my dogs. Sometimes I say "Thanks" to no one, but I mean it. I am saying 'Thank You' to something. It's snowing outside our Lijit offices as I write this and I'm really thankful our often arid Colorado is being kissed right now by beautful, perfect, unique crystals of water today. Even if I slip in it. Thanks.

Someone I'm related to, complained they are too short, and another person I am legally related to, said "Be thankful you have legs." I watch the dad from the little people show scoot around on crutches running his family and life and being positive and I give thanks to him and his wife and the smart people who thought the world could learn something seeing them live life. Thanks.

If you have not given thanks, try it. No one needs to know even. Thanks.

Barney Moran Grateful Word

Worthless crap vs. Marriage

2007-12-14T13:40:00.000-08:00

My wife has a rule. "If you don't use it within 12 months, throw it away."

I have a rule. "Keep every piece of crap you can acquire, and create a reason for keeping it."

The conflict occurs because besides being married, my wife and I live together. In our home are the trailing remains of my rule. Apple ImageWriter’s are an example, I have 2 waiting patiently for the time I have foreseen, when I will need to print on a triplicate form. Newfangled printers don’t have the steroids to punch past a single page. These ImageWriter print heads are groups of hammers, last century straight forward approaches to hammering the friggin ink against the page. You understand me? Punch the ink. None of this fancy spray/thermal sissy printing. Smash the ink on the page, ok?

You think I'm going to throw this away?

You think my wife is going to keep me?

Oh, yes, Fatherhood

2007-12-09T16:52:00.000-08:00

I teach "Daddy Boot Camp" at Foothills Hospital, in Boulder, CO. I have 3-4 hours to cover a mandatory curriculum on: living with a pregnant spouse; the delivery day(s) of the baby; the first three (3) months of life with baby(ies) and post delivery spouse for the new, expectant father, to expect.

Near the end of the class, the expectant father's eyes glazed over, if I am lucky, I remember the most important item. I tell them. Being a father is heaven on earth. The love of your child, time together, is priceless. To repose on the sofa with your child sleeping on you is among the greatest joy's available to us on this earth. When we raise our own children, we may, when necessary, if necessary, unwrinkle kinks from our childhood, 'right' some wrongs.

We may, ENJOY our children. We may, be dad.

Parent Perspectives on Center On Media and Child Health

2007-11-20T13:06:00.000-08:00

Monthly-ish the Center On Media and Child Health (CMCH) Website posts teachers, researchers, and personal parent perspectives on their unique approach, experience, and concerns on the role of Media in children's development.

These perspective's supplement the 'cut through the crap' content I love about the CMCH's site, with real stories from, well, parents; like us. The front line. My families perspective is posted for this November:

Our Family Perspective on Media and our Children on CMCH
( http://www.cmch.tv/mentors_parents/pp_barney.asp )

Ok, its mostly my perspective as a dad and sometimes not so great monitor of media and our two girls. But my wife did edit it and try to make me come off a bit better. I mean, do they look media saturated? What? Your kids aren't wearing white gloves? Hey! Della! You said " 'everyone' had them"!

From CMCH reading, I am paying more attention to both our kids saturated fats AND media saturation, thank you very much.

The Center is open to both Mom and Dad's perspective (s), so DADS (and Moms!) if you have a perspective for your family and the Media, contact CMCH. They are open and interested in sharing Parent's views.

Center On Media and Child Health (CMCH) Contact:

300 Longwood Avenue | Boston, MA 02115 | (617) 355-2000 | cmch@childrens.harvard.edu

Daddy Boot Camp THIS November 10th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO.

2007-11-07T15:48:00.000-08:00

Start Time: 9am

Foothills Hospital
Boulder Community Foothills Hospital
4747 Arapahoe
Boulder, Colorado 80303
(720) 854-7000 The hospital is located at the northwest corner of Arapahoe and 48th Street, near Foothills Parkway in east Boulder. Click here for a map and directions.

Boulder's Daddy Boot Camp Saturday, THIS NOVEMBER 10th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO!

Expectant Dads do their part to prep for the asteroid headed for their home, including the basics of changing a babies diaper.

As facilitator, I get to help dads prep for the final weeks of a pregnant partner, birth, and the first three months of life with a baby (and Mom!).

I never had this class for myself when my first kid was born, and I had no idea what Dr. Austin meant when he showed me the umbilical cord. Cut what? Then the placenta came out and I got dizzy. Just a little prep, people, would have saved me a lot. That's why there's Daddy Boot Camp!

November 10th class is full. To check on our 2008 Class openings and register (Required), contact:

Coreen Schmidt

Executive Director

St. Vrain Family Center
P.O. Box 2174
Longmont, CO 80502-2174
Phone: (303) 776-5348

www.stvrainfamilycenter.org

If you are a Veteran Dad with a baby under 1 year old, PLEASE COME ANYTIME DURING THE CLASS For Free Coffee, Pastries, and a NICE CIGAR. If you know a dad with a child under 1 year old and bring him with his child to the class, your class fee will be REFUNDED.

Thanks,

Barney Moran
Boot Camp Facilitator

Center on Media and Child Health

2007-10-17T12:15:00.000-07:00

My day Job is working for Lijit, we provide a network search tool (called a Wijit) for Blog Publishers. Sometimes, as I support Publishers using Lijit, I come across sites helpful for parents.

Center on Media and Child Health is certainly one parents should visit, and get on their email list or just subscribe to their feed so you know when they post. They have a monthly e-newsletter for parents, please use and pass on this link to other dads or moms: www.cmch.tv/newsletter.asp

As a father of two girls, I am very, very concerned with how they view themselves and others, and how the idea of beauty should encompass the entire person, and not be based on perceived looks.

Yes, this is my personal parent propaganda here, but I think perception of beauty, especially for young women, is a critical component of how their evolving minds perceive the world and themselves now and when they are adults.

Center on Media and Child Health covers research and news about the effects of media on the health of children and adolescents. But don't let the 'research' or fantastic credentials of the site's hosts ( Children's Hospital Boston, Harvard Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health) scare you away. The posts are street savvy and take Marketer and Advertisers HEAD ON.

You simply will learn more about the media's workings on your child's brain at Center on Media and Child Health's website than any other site I've come across. And TV, Internet, magazines at home begin at birth for many families, so this information is relevant even for our new dads and moms.

http://cmch.typepad.com/cmch/

Video airing of Boot Camp for New Dads at Northside Hospital in Atlanta

2007-09-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

Here is the link to The Today Show airing of Boot Camp for New Dads at Northside Hospital in Atlanta.

If you haven’t been to a class, this is the next best way to get an idea of what we do:

You can see the story here: http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=3679d5ab-796f-43e4-990b-9277c13e088d&f=00&fg=

"Our mission is to help assure every child a father they can count on, no matter what."

Daddy Boot Camp September 8th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO.

2007-09-06T10:44:00.000-07:00

Boulder's Daddy Boot Camp Saturday, September 8th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO!

Expectant Dads did their part to prep for the asteroid headed for their home, including the basics of changing a babies diaper.

As facilitator, I get to help dads prep for the final weeks of a pregnant partner, birth, and the first three months of life with a baby (and Mom!).

I never had this class for myself when my first kid was born, and I had no idea what Dr. Austin meant when he showed me the umbilical cord. Cut what? Then the placenta came out and I got dizzy. Just a little prep, people, would have saved me a lot. That's why there's Daddy Boot Camp!

Start Time: 9am

Foothills Hospital
Boulder Community Foothills Hospital
4747 Arapahoe
Boulder, Colorado 80303
(720) 854-7000 The hospital is located at the northwest corner of Arapahoe and 48th Street, near Foothills Parkway in east Boulder. Click here for a map and directions.

November 10th class may have an opening. To check and register (Required), contact:

Coreen Schmidt

Executive Director

St. Vrain Family Center
P.O. Box 2174
Longmont, CO 80502-2174
Phone: (303) 776-5348

Thanks,

Barney & Andy & Bill
Boot Camp Facilitators

Dad does not know everything

2007-09-06T10:29:00.000-07:00

My day job is for Lijit Networks, we provide a neat customizable search wijit for your blog. It's right over there on the left, see?

Here is an email I wrote today to Dr. Carlos N. Velez, Ph. D. thanking him for using our Wijit on his The Life Sciences in New York State Blog. His recent post concerns the Chinese beginning to understand the importance of FAILURE, and I am a personal fan of Failure as it relates to raising children. Here is my email sent today:

Hey there Carlos. I noticed that you signed up for an account with us recently and wanted to thank you for putting our Search Wijit on The Life Sciences in New York State.

In the interest of insuring a positive Lijit experience, I was wondering if you had any feedback for us concerning the sign-up process and the installation of the wijit. We are a growing company and the development team counts on your comments to improve what we’re doing.

My job is to help Lijit Blog users with any questions about using Lijit. Let me know if there is anyone of your blog peers you think would also benefit from using our network search tool as well. I grew up in Suffern, NY, and my mom taught elementary in Spring Valley, NY for over 30 years. I see so many blogs that all try to tackle some big issue, and it’s rare and welcome when a blog takes a unique and helpful niche, such as Life Sciences. (Whispers: It’s the true power of the blog platform).

I am lucky enough at Lijit to be given as much time as I need to read our Lijit Blogs, and I like to dig around, and avoid just commenting on recent posts. However FAILURE! I love failure. I love the Chinese are understanding failure. It is a sign of maturity, both for an individual, and a state, to embrace and ponder failure and all it communicates. As a father of two daughters, I am often a “Failure Cheerleader.” An in Boulder, where we moved from the east coast over a decade ago, and back in NYC, there are many parents who run from failure, are frightened by it, protect against it. One of my favorite questions asked by my first daughter was “Daddy, do you know everything?” She was 6 or 7 then, and I was taken totally off guard. I did not answer immediately, though one voice in my head said, “Say ‘YES’ Dads are supposed to know everything.” But I pondered for what seemed a forever pause, her looking at me with big eyes, me picturing some other kid at school declaring her dad “Knew Everything.”

“Well”, I finally answered, “I learn things from YOU. So I don’t know everything.”

Also, I wanted to make sure you’ve checked out your Lijit stats page. We offer information about how your readers came to your blog and what they searched for while on your blog, both of which can be used to get a better sense of your audience. Along with the weekly stats email that we send you, we’ll also include tips on how to better utilize your wijit, news of recent upgrades and the addition of new features. Thanks for taking the time to check us out, for Life Sciences in New York State, and have a great day!
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My Kingdom for an IKEA! [In Denver]

2007-08-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

Dietche was adamant. “What is it about you American’s and Furniture? It is SOOOOOO EXPENNNSIVVVVE”

Dietche and her Family were in Boulder for over three years from the Netherlands on a Work Visa, an opportunity for my kids to learn about Dutch customs (and make some forever friends), and for them to learn about America.

One thing we learned is the Dutch like to change their living environment often, at least once a year, and they depend on a single, primary source to do this well but affordably: IKEA.

My wife loves IKEA so much, when we went to visit Grammy this summer in Northern New Jersey, she penciled a day to visit the IKEA built by the infamous clover leave highway juncture of Rte.17 and Rte.4 in Bergen County, New Jersey.

ALEXANDER’s department store commanded the North West corner of this heavily travelled CloverLeaf for years, but in the 1980’s fell into disrepair and finally was boarded up. My last visit last century to Alexander’s found if transformed into rows of folding tables piled high with discount clothes, and people wearing discount clothes were rummaging through them.

Donald Trump, riding high on a sparse quarter of profits from his sporadic casino business, engaged the city of Paramus about developing the lucrative acreage into a mall, but came away from the experience (with the Mayor of Paramus and his Brother who owned the Bergen Mall directly across the highway) announcing in the papers ‘Paramus is the most corrupt town I have ever seen.’

Yet corruption has an enemy, it is capitalism, and the tax base Paramus’s boarded up Alexander’s was losing over the years was more than a Mayor and his Brother could defend, but they needed to fill the lot with an alternative to a Mall, and the wily Dutch made the move.

Spend the day at a Furniture Store? I thought, but as a smart husband I don’t question itinerary. Write that down dads: Don’t question Itinerary.

And she was right. Plenty of easy parking. Escalator takes us up to the entrance, and right there is …. Is… MY GOD….. they take the kids????!!!!! For a whole HOUR, you can leave your kids with nice older women who supervise them in a play area. SOLD.

Then there is the actual STUFF IKEA stock. Sofa’s and shelves and things to make your house look and feel cool, all cheaper than anything hawked on Craig’s List. And smart stuff, stuff like the Japanese figured out for Automobiles back in early 1980’s, like cup holders, but at IKEA it’s for your HOME. The shrinkable hanging closet caddy made of netting and a single open holes for holding shoes, socks, toys, shirts. The Table that bolts to a wall for folding up (Perfect for tight NYC studio living or the kids room in a house). Oh, heck you go find out the rest. Plus there are inexpensive adornments, artwork, hangings, all the stuff Dietche wanted to make a change every spring, you know, change the darn place we are in with the kids all the time, CHANGE. With an IKEA in town it’s easy. With American Furniture stores, it’s a second mortgage.

But the wily Dutch don’t stop there. The hours is up, we have more stuff in our cart then can fit on the return plane flight, and we have to get the kids. At the exit is IKEA’s Swedish cafeteria! For the price of a Big Crap, IKEA provides a plate of 15 Swedish meatballs steamed, with 2 red potatoes, string beans and a refillable drink. We fed Mom, Dad, our 2 kids a filling wholesome meal for $15.

So back in Boulder, CO, we are working to get an IKEA here, ASAP. IKEA did answer our email, they WANT a store in the DENVER area, but finding a lot big enough for the IKEA footprint is tough, and I’m sure, like Paramus, NJ, there is vested interest in keeping IKEA away from Denver consumers. So be it, I am currently looking for a lot near DIA big enough for IKEA, and will keep them posted.

Barney Moran

Grateful Dad

Chocolate Egg Choking Advisory

2007-08-01T11:06:00.000-07:00

If your child is of eating hard food age, please review this advisory from DADTALK about kids choking on Chocolate Eggs:

http://dadtalk.typepad.com/dadtalk/2007/07/is-this-candy-a.html

Dead Goldfish

2007-08-01T10:52:00.000-07:00

DEAD GOLDFISH

We want to assist the kids in learning. We want them to have fish. We wait until the day they come home from a play date, having seen a peers pet turtle, and ask for the turtle [or if your living in Boulder, a Red Necked Leaping Lizard who eats live Grasshoppers from Mongolia, sold only by the 4 ear-ringed proprietor of the alley pet shack open at random hours and smelling of Patchouli, sea salt & algae].

“Fish” of course, you answer. “A Goldfish.” Thus the balances, between helping our kids learn, and reducing the steady supply of feces this whole parenting scheme generates.

Caring for Fish is good for a 9 year old. She learns about creating an environment. Controlling it with adjusting chemicals and testing PH and ammonia. “What’s ammonia?” the 9 year old asks. “Pee., the fishes Pee” I answer. This is my passive aggression for all the years the kids left their feces in the toilet bowl for my unasked review of their excrement. ‘See! The price must be paid for Pee.!’

There is slow dulling of our personal cultural senses as we are forced, over the years, to view the human experience as hosts to these youngin’s, running around chewing carrots and oblivious to the mess we pick up in a never ending stupor.

“Just like my childhood” I joke to my Neighbor Andy, as he fishes through a box of Knee Protectors because our 6 year olds are complaining about the ‘fit’ as they roller blade. “Dad bending over, spending hours trying to find just the right sports gear for us.” “Right” Andy answers, “My dad would pull up to the 7-11 with our car full of 4 boys. We would ask, “Can we get something? He would give us his one squint-eyed no of a look ‘are you nuts?’, and disappear, returning with his pack of Camels .” My dad left before I turned Two, I just remember one day the long hairy tattooed arm was no longer stretched across the front seat of the car, and mom was driving.

Meanwhile we wait a day for the $80 worth of tank, filter, rocks and bubbling dinosaur head to settle and the water to warm and de-chlorofy. Then the $4.00 Pop-eye Goldfish is purchased and named “Lou Lou” for a friend gone to Europe, and placed in the tank, where it happily swims, frolics, eats food and nibbles the gravel until day 10, when it floats, normal but not moving, its orange/black/white skin turning whiter by the minute. Its dead, but the Pop-Eye’s still stare, and the 9 year old wants to know if it’s her fault between the tears.

Learning time again…..

September 8th Daddy Boot Camp, Boulder CO

2007-07-31T10:13:00.001-07:00

Boulder's Next Daddy Boot Camp is September 8th at Foothills Hospital in Boulder, CO.
Start Time: 9am

Foothills Hospital
Boulder Community Foothills Hospital
4747 Arapahoe
Boulder, Colorado 80303
(720) 854-7000 The hospital is located at the northwest corner of Arapahoe and 48th Street, near Foothills Parkway in east Boulder. Click here for a map and directions.

There is ONLY ONE SLOT LEFT for September. November 10th class has several Openings. To register (Required), contact:

Coreen Schmidt

Executive Director

St. Vrain Family Center
P.O. Box 2174
Longmont, CO 80502-2174
Phone: (303) 776-5348

Thanks,

Barney & Andy & Bill
Boot Camp Facilitators