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General News
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Written by NathanG
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Friday, 24 July 2009 07:45 |
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 Roger Federer and girlfriend Mirka Vavrinec announced the birth of twin daughters last night in Switzerland. In Roger's own words, they are "excited" and "proud parents".
Our best wishes to the all members of the new family! http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/07/24/tennis.federer.twins.wimbledon/index.html
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Dad > Career
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Written by NathanG
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Thursday, 23 July 2009 04:56 |
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 According to a recent CareerBuilder.com survey, 31% of working Dads would give up their jobs to stay home with the kids. That's a drop of 18% from the 2005 response. While I still think nearly one-third is a very large number for this demographic, I have to wonder if the survey is entirely valid, since it was administered by a company that is dedicated to working people. A Dad on CareerBuilder.com is clearly someone who prefers, or is at least inquisitive about, working
As I read this article, it reminded me of what some may have as a first impression of ProActiveDads. We're not trying to reverse history. We're not promoting all Dads to stay home while the Moms of the world convert to Rosie the Riveter. We're solely about positive parenting for Dads (working outside the home or staying with the kids) and encouraging society (especially the media) to respect Fatherhood again and realize that we have discredited and done harm to that role for far too often.
The ranks of stay-at-home Dads are undoubtedly growing and its incredible that we live in a time where such changes can occur and be accepted by so many. But there is a lot of work to be done so that Dads don't get strange looks when they arrive at a PTA meeting or shunned at the park when taking their kids for a stroll.
Parenting should incorporate a sense of balance along with well-defined gender roles. Moms and Dads are, in a sense, separate but equal. Kids should ideally have two role models with strengths that compliment each other and show what a well-rounded adult can do. Whether we're staying at home, working in an office, or working in an office and wanting to stay home, we need to make the right choices for our children.
The remainder of the CareerBuilder.com/CNN.com article can be found here.
http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/worklife/06/22/cb.stay.at.home.dads/index.html
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General News
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Written by NathanG
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Tuesday, 21 July 2009 05:42 |
This is a new commercial from Jif peanut butter. For those needing a bit of background, Jif's slogan "Choosy Moms Choose Jif" was one of the principle reasons ProActiveDads was founded. We were tired of being considered second-class parents by companies like Jif. You can see our Review here. Its great to see that they've done an entire commercial to recognize Dads. Unfortunately, the voiceover and text don't match. While the voice (a woman's) says "Choosy Moms, and Dads, choose Jif", the text on the screen only says Moms. That tells us this is a temporary change. And none of the concerns in our first Review have been addressed. But we'll keep watching. (Our thanks to Matt Williamson of DaddyRevolution.com for finding this video and sending it to us!)
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Family
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Written by NathanG
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Saturday, 18 July 2009 10:25 |
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 One of our Mom supporters recently posted a message on Facebook about Krikorian Theatres "Mommy Monday Movies" program. Naturally, the name got our attention. After visiting their website, we learned that Dads are also welcomed ("This program is geared towards the mom, or dad, that wants to be able to see films without having their child interrupt the presentation for other guests.") It was mentioned as an afterthought in the description. While we applaud Krikorian for creating a program that caters to stay-at-home parents, we naturally feel that the name and program could be better geared towards ALL stay-at-home parents instead of just Moms.
We've sent the following letter to Krikorian Theatres' Vice President of Operations, Mr. Todd Cummings. We look forward to hearing back from Mr. Cummings about a newly titled stay-at-home parent program where Dads are welcomed and their status as a role model for their children is not forgotten! Todd Cummings, Vice President of Operations Krikorian Premiere Theatres, LLC
2275 W. 190th Street Suite 201
Torrance, CA 90504 Re: Mommy Monday Movies Hello Mr. Cummings, First, I would like to thank you for having a program that offers stay-at-home parents an opportunity to enjoy the movie theater experience with the very smallest of customers. If you are a parent, you have no doubt endured the difficulty in finding child-friendly entertainment. One of our supporting Moms posted a note about your “Mommy Monday Movies” on Facebook. The name of the program attracted our attention and we read the description on your website. While we appreciate the inclusion of Dads in the follow-up explanation, the name of the program gives the distinct impression that Dads are less involved, less important, or merely an afterthought in the creation of this program and the lives of their kids. Even before this economic depression, Dads comprised nearly 10% of all stay-at-home parents. Recently, that number has approached a doubling as men are drastically more affected in layoffs than women. The aged stereotype of Dad as nothing more than a provider is quickly fading. It is my hope that you will see the moral and economic benefits of renaming your program to something more appropriate that does not slight the hundreds of thousands of involved Fathers in Southern California. Let them know you value their patronage, and you may be surprised at the positive response. Some suggestions are: “Kidz Theatre Experience”, “Little Tot Theatre”, “Red Carpet for Kids”, or “Children’s Movie Magic Monday”. We would be happy to work with you or answer any questions you may have about how your program can be more equal in its marketing to both parents while growing your audience. Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions. Best Wishes, (signed)
Nathan Greenberg
Founder
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Family
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Written by NathanG
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Wednesday, 15 July 2009 21:52 |
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She has a glow. She has a belly bump. She has new pillows. She has a party. She has new gifts. He has the solitude of his garage. He has food runs at 2am for the special kind of chocolate chip cookies. (Right, honey?) He has hormone swings...hers. He has less sleep. He has less sex.  While all of the above may be absolutely true and each of you will find something to relate to, they are far from the complete picture and they leave out some of the most imporant and enjoyable parts of becoming a Father. Whether its your first child or you're trying to be the next Jon & Kate (minus the drama, egos, and divorce), there is plenty to take pleasure in. The following is an unconventional list of a few of the ways you can enjoy and take pride the pregnancy process:
1. Gadgets - In case you've missed the last 20 years, gadgets have been invented for damn near every conceivable purpose. If you're jealous of the doctor's ability to listen to the baby's heartbeat, go buy your own at home heart monitor. Or start researching some of the new 3D/4D ultrasound places*. Show Mom that you want to be a part of the pregnancy and not just an observer. These new ultrasounds provide some interesting "first photos" of your kid and most do video. Lots of fun tech stuff!
2. Pride - This is usually one of the lesser-spoken-of aspects of impending Fatherhood. Sure, there's the usual machismo about how baby was conceived or that you've done something masculine like planting your seed and continuing the family. All good. All fun. All manly. But you better take a lot of pride in the task you are about to start. Whether or not you're the biological Father doesn't really matter. You're about to embark upon the path of raising a child. You will teach and learn, discipline and reward, play and embarrass, love and love. The future of this little baby is in your hands, and that is literal more times than you plan. Be a ProActiveDad - be involved in their life, be a positive role model, and take a huge amount of pride in your success. People will see that Mom isn't the only one putting forth effort.
3. Put on the tool belt - I'm not exactly an engineer. My wife and I are lucky the house hasn't blown up yet. But when she got pregnant, I knew there were going to be more than a few opportunities for me to remodel/rebuild/create projects around the house. Need more storage? Time to build a shed. Need a new nursery? Head to Lowe's for paint, floor moulding, nails, screws, shelving systems, and trash bags. Don't forget the crib. That could be the most complicated part of all. And start praying now if you had all the troubles I did. Almost had to send mine back - AFTER I WAS DONE!
4. Bloody biology - This one won't be for everyone. But if you're into science, biology, and tech, you're going to LOVE birth! Never have I been so amazed by the human female body (and that says a lot) than when I saw the birth of my son. I still remember it vividly. More than once I had the following reaction: "What the hell?!" The things I saw happen still leave me in awe. I'll leave the details out, but rest assured, there is no shortage of cool stuff going on. Shiny monitors, beeping devices, electrical gauges, etc. And once you see the arrival of your child(ren), you'll understand EXACTLY why I called this "bloody biology".
5. Adult bonding - No other experience in your life will allow you and the Mom to bond in such ways. Conversations will be different, even if its not your first child. A new baby always ushers in changes and those need to be talked about. You will find yourselves sharing in your fears and dreams, talking about where you were before and how you got to where you are now, and enjoying more moments together as they will never be the same. Revel in such times and commit them to memory. Take pride in forging or maintaining a great relationship with Mom because it is critical as you raise this new child together.
You're becoming a Dad. Maybe not for the first time. Take pride in it and share that with everyone else. If you look and act like a passive observer, you have no right to expect to be treated any better. She will deserve all the attention because you are failing to earn yours. Most importantly, you're failing to exemplify what a good Father can be. What he should be.
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The ProActiveDads blog is a source of knowledge and entertainment for Dads or anyone else looking to learn and have a positive parenting experience. Posts may be submitted by anyone to feedback@ProActiveDads.com or shared via our Twitter, Facebook, or MySpace sites. All contributors will receive a link to their site and the original article.
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