Have you ever noticed that a sofa is big enough for two adults, but not two kids? When Choosymom and I sit on the sofa together, we have no problem staying in our own space. But when the kids are sitting together on the couch, they're always sitting on top of each other and fighting. We've tried to explain that the cushion line is the dividing line, but they don't get it. It guess that all of those pep talks about creativity and not worrying about staying within the lines is backfiring on us again.  read more »

Today, we decided to take a roadtrip to Pea Ridge National Military Park. We've been cooped up in the house for most of the week, thanks to the cold and a few school-declared snowdays. The kids had been getting on my nerves and I've been waiting for a good day to get us all out of the house for some outdoor activity. We'd passed this national park several times over the last few years, but never had the time to stop and check it out.  read more »

I've been inundated with spam lately, so I'm changing my email address for 2008. The old address (dadATchoosydad.com) is no longer receiving mail. To get in touch with me, please use the contact form and I'll respond with my new email address. Thanks, and sorry for the inconvenience.

I've never been big on gender roles. Although my wife was a stay-at-home mom for about six years while I worked for a large telecommunications firm, I never had a problem with the idea of trading places with her. And of course, I am now a stay-at-home and work-from-home dad who shares child-rearing responsibilities whenever Choosymom is at work.  read more »

...but the odds of getting more spam in your inbox are great!

Our local grocery store had a great deal on some frozen pizzas last week, so I picked up four or five of them. Each came with a special code inside the box that you plug into a contest URL for a chance to win digital photography products from Kodak. Seems pretty harmless, eh?  read more »

Over the years, I have run across lots of advice for parents of teens which I nonchalantly glossed over as being not applicable to us - at least not yet. I remember how difficult of a time I had as a teenager, and I see some of the neighborhood teens going through that same awkward phase. I feel sorry for them, and wish their parents the best.  read more »

When your child finally grasps the concept of potty-training, it is a joyous occasion. You might take him/her out for ice cream, or have a party at the local Chuck E Cheese's. You might even schedule a symbolic ceremony of diaper dismissal (although you'd be smart to hang on to a few of them...just in case). At the same time, you are also celebrating the great weight that seems to have suddenly lifted off of your shoulders.  read more »

If it's brown, let someone else flush it down?

Where do kids learn these things?

Although Choosygirl has been potty-trained for a good three years now, she still has this little irksome tendency to not flush her toilet deposits. She also sprinkles on the seat. We've all heard the old "if it's yellow" saying, but she leaves everything to be discovered by someone else. And let's face it - having to smell personal waste is intolerable, except for our own.  read more »

The other day Choosygirl decided to take her little guitar out of her closet and pluck a few strings. It's a cute little "Playmate" model from Dean, and it only set Santa back about $40 a few years ago. It's a gorgeous little axe and it sounds decent. Unfortunately, it only receives attention from my daughter two or three time a year, and her interest begins to wane after about twenty minutes. Most parents would probably be upset about this, but the sad fact is that when Choosygirl decides to sing along, it's sometimes painful.  read more »