Things I Hope My Kids Will Not Do(in the future)

1. Write a book about growing up with their whacked out therapist dad or quote me like this guy to the whole world

2. Backlash from the kids about being bi-racial

3. Have a sense of entitlement

4. Waste resources

5. Hate each other beyond normal sibling rivalries/relationships
  

Pain cont. . .

Babydaddy had previously written about the pain that he endures at night from Babygirl.

Lately the antics have continued to get Babygirl to brush her teeth.  Often times Babydaddy has had to "call" our one of our family's many dentist friends re: the conflict we were having at home, and how "Doctor Jeff" would be disappointed to hear that Babygirl isn't brushing her teeth, or something to that effect.

During a moment of genius, Babygirl was asked if she wanted to brush her teeth upside down, which of course she said yes(Dad's when all else fails, anything upside is sure to be a winner. Like going to bed upside down.  Haven't tried eating veggies upside down, but I'm sure it's possible, astronauts do it right?).  Babygirl's joy for upside down teeth brushing was short lived, but it's still one of the many options that get offered.

Sometime we just have to sing the brush your teeth song from daycare to get her to brush.  Sometimes Babygirl wants to be collaborative and asks that Babydaddy and her both hold the handle and brush her teeth together.  Sometime they just agree to independently brush their own teeth at the same time.

Yesterday, Babygirl got a new Dora toothbrush, which has turned into a novelty item in the house.  At least oral hygiene is on her mind, but it hasn't made that much of a difference.


Hangin' out poolside!

Generation X Dad?

Babydaddy falls into the category of not really being a true Generation X-er, but definitely missed that cut off.  Is he a child of the 80's or 90's.  Of course more of his formative years were a part of the 90's, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the appreciation of all things 80's, especially from '85 and beyond.

This article, Gen-X Parents "R" Us, is a comprehensive look at how marketers/ad companies have targeted the Gen X parents.  Some of it was definitely things Babydaddy could related to, and yes he thinks it's fairly normal that each generation tries to compensate for things that were unfulfilled or wrong that their parents did.  Of course the tendency is for the next generation to act in the extreme opposite of their own childhood, which creates it's own multi-generational issues.  So what do parents do?

Babydaddy believe in this informed society we live in and where we can analyze and document the changes of times, it's important to find the balance btwn the past and present.  Does babydaddy wish he had a Jordans while growing up, definitely.  Does that mean babyboy needs his Jordans for preschool? NO.  Babydaddy had a mix of handy me downs, and very few "cool" clothes, does that mean that every outfit that Babygirl wears needs to come from HM kids? NO.  As the article states, many in our generation have added simple luxuries into our lives that we believe are non-negotiables, such as premium organic coffee, furniture from Crate and Barrel, Coach purse, Ed Hardy t-shirts, smartphones w/data plans, etc., and the hope is that as parents various innocuous luxury items will be a part of the child rearing life.  Such as child and parent will always resort back to Nickelodeon as the goto channel for entertainment, or New Balance will be the default shoe of choice due to comfort, Sesame characters, or your child will be a member of Red Sox Nation.

Babydaddy and Babymama are equally guilty of our fair share of luxury items, basic cable w/HD+ DVR, granite counter tops, etc.  At the same time Babydaddy feels that btwn Babymama and him,  they can find the balance where Babygirl and Babyboy aren't totally enslaved to Madison Ave and corporate branding, and overly indulging in capitalism.

Have any parents noticed various consumer traps they've fallen into.  Has anyone decided to buy a Toyota Sienna cuz the hipster parents on the commercials make it look acceptable?

one of Babydaddy's fav images/toys of the 80's