tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:12:27 +0000Meet Ed. Everyone always thinks Ed has the day off. Why else would he be out and about with three small children? But Ed has a wife with a paying job and a belief that parents should screw up their own children rather than leaving it to strangers. Most importantly, he also has a penpal...http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/Dave_Home.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)Blogger294125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4046128318784143862Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:10:00 +00002010-03-12T09:12:27.864ZchildrenDear Dave,When, despite the busy schedule of clubs, baths, school and homework, one of the children does somehow manage to have a friend round, life is often easier for me. Rather than being extra work, having another child in the house is enough to keep all the others occupied. Older children find a quiet corner to hide from young visitors; younger children sit and gaze in awe at bigger guests. http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/03/leaving-them-alone-to-be-together.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-633532996496743000Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:20:00 +00002010-03-10T12:28:25.972ZhousedadDear Dave,I need to start carrying a diary.It's not that I have any social engagements of my own to record, it's just that coordinating all the kids' clubs and activities is becoming more than my brain can handle. One of the children asks if they can have a friend round after school and I end up running through the following mental checklist: What day is it? By this, I mean which day of the week http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/03/making-date-with-diary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-7964102265810904814Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +00002010-03-05T09:14:07.835ZhousedadDear Dave,Several years ago, at one of the first parent and toddler sessions I went to, I found myself sitting around discussing housework with a group of mums. Once they were past the usual shock and awe at being in the presence of a man who knew one end of a hoover from another, we had a comradely chat about how none of us was being quite as thorough with the household cleaning as we had been http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/03/dirty-housedad-confessions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-3854383441538571518Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +00002010-03-01T11:12:38.108ZchildrenDear Dave,We've all been there:"Don't play on the rocks - you'll get hurt.""Don't throw your toys - they'll break.""Don't pat the dog - you don't know where it's been.""Don't write there - we'll get arrested.""Don't get sauce on your shirt - it'll never come off.""Don't eat that - you'll get sick.""Don't touch that - it'll explode!""Don't do that - your legs will fall off.""Don't throw rocks at http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/03/shock-tactics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5194660581660343462Wed, 24 Feb 2010 09:20:00 +00002010-02-24T09:25:43.790ZhousedadDear Dave,The US Ski Team appear to have taken a guy with them to the Olympics whose sole purpose is to stand behind athletes at the start, encouraging them in the seconds before they launch themselves down a stupidly steep, icy slope. He's a big bloke called Huey with dubious facial hair but, boy, can he sound enthusiastic while freezing his extremities off at the top of a snowy mountain. He http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/olympic-cheerleading.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-1216865512775478118Mon, 22 Feb 2010 10:15:00 +00002010-02-22T10:19:49.107ZsicknesschildrenDear Dave,So much for a life of freedom and leisure now the kids are all at school. They're taking it in turns to have a mysterious illness which involves a day of dizziness, three days of feeling not too bad and then another week of stinking cold, sore throat and coughing. The result is that as soon as one feels better, the next is lying on the sofa, huddled under a blanket and coughing over thehttp://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/slippery-slope.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-6867044849705493147Wed, 17 Feb 2010 09:45:00 +00002010-02-17T09:57:38.283Zcomputer gameschildrenDear Dave,I miss owning a cage.I suppose that technically it was a play-pen but that's just marketing spin. It was a cage. When the kids were small, I could simply banish them to the cage whenever they were acting up. A few minutes of sulking or yelling in there and they soon calmed down. As a bonus, while incarcerated, they were much less of a danger to themselves, me or each other.If they http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/crime-and-punishment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5226297425167083740Mon, 15 Feb 2010 10:20:00 +00002010-02-15T10:29:38.478ZDear Dave,You know you're getting old when you look through your notebook of things to write about and see something interesting but can't remember if you've written about it already......and then you think that that, in itself, is worth writing about.Yours in a woman's world,Ed.PS Looking at our wedding photos the other day, Sarah pointed out that her mum was only eight years older than I am nowhttp://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/creeping-middle-age.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-2512862734044487388Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:30:00 +00002010-02-12T09:42:09.331ZchildrenDear Dave,Here's one to ponder: When's a good age to have children and what's the best gap to have between them?I've never really understood parents who wait until one child starts school before having the next one. It all sounds too long and drawn out. That said, I do recall getting rather a lot of horrified looks back in the day when I told people I had three kids under the age of five. They http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/family-planning.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-7665576535835583441Mon, 08 Feb 2010 11:00:00 +00002010-02-08T20:17:16.378ZstuffDear Dave,We achieved a new record in my household yesterday. Fraser was playing Peggle on the Xbox, Sarah was playing on my iPod, Marie was using the old laptop to buy furniture for a virtual bear, Lewis was tending to the needs of his pet monster on the desktop machine and I was in the kitchen hiding from all the bleepy noises while surfing the web on the 'new' laptop. All five of us were http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/old-gadgets-never-die.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5492999855701043954Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:15:00 +00002010-02-03T10:24:29.476ZhousedadDear Dave,I was away at the weekend.This isn't that unusual. The odd part was that Sarah and the kids stayed home. I had two whole days where all the children I saw belonged to someone else.My own children were somewhat bemused by the experience. Normally when I'm absent, such as when they're staying with their grandparents or taking a trip with Sarah, they know I'm not likely to get into troublehttp://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/02/neither-here-nor-there.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-3311135848121381622Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:50:00 +00002010-01-29T07:59:53.008ZhousedadScary KarenschoolDear Dave,Have a good one. You're long overdue a night out. It can't have been easy the last year or two, dealing with Daisy's poor sleep. Thank goodness she's finally settled down and Sam's over the bout of stroppiness he was having before Christmas. Life should get easier every day from here. Another few months and nappies will be behind you; another year and Daisy will be at nursery. After http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/01/at-school-gate.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5148501863855394294Mon, 25 Jan 2010 09:15:00 +00002010-01-25T09:19:23.456ZchildrenDear Dave,Marie has some new gloves. You probably won't be surprised to learn that they're pink.Really pink.Even better than that, they're fluffy and sparkly. They also shed. We're not talking the odd ball of fluff and an occasional thread here. Whatever she goes near looks like it got caught in a fight between Fuchsia-Fun Barbie and a My Little Pony. I swear the things have already left more http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/01/if-midas-had-liked-pink.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4440281915958563397Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:15:00 +00002010-01-20T09:20:46.014ZsicknessDear Dave,Sorry you're under the weather. I'm not feeling too great myself. It's the usual blend of sore head, indigestion, lethargy and achiness. Could be a virus, could merely be parenthood - it's hard to tell.The last couple of years haven't been so bad for random illnesses. I thought leaving parent and toddler behind had cut down my exposure to fun and exciting diseases. This winter has been http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/01/making-school-seem-attractive.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4004306407362262254Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:30:00 +00002010-01-15T08:34:02.358ZtweenschildrenDear Dave,It sounds like your overwhelming memories of the Noughties are very similar to mine - nappies, banana porridge and Teletubbies. You at least recall a little more about the early years of the decade but I'm struggling. With my eldest born in May 2000 and my youngest turning five in September 2009, the whole thing is rather a blur. It's like I fell asleep with Clinton as President and http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/01/children-of-teenies.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-7146787827773034312Mon, 11 Jan 2010 09:30:00 +00002010-01-31T19:07:00.443Zchildrencorporate madnessDear Dave,I've been to plenty of seminars and discussion groups about understanding personality type. They're the kind of thing that are always used to pad out the slot before lunch on team-building courses. Many's the time I've been stuck with a whole load of Shapers as they've enthusiastically envisaged a future of cooperation while the Completer/Finisher in me has just wanted them all to agreehttp://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/01/what-kind-of-bear-are-you.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-501247015493633529Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:15:00 +00002010-01-06T14:17:16.406ZtravelhousedadsicknessschoolchildrenDear Dave,Happy New Year! I hope you had a good holiday. We're finally back from visiting my parents' house in deepest, darkest Norfolk - the land of turkeys, farmers and dial-up internet. Even dial-up didn't seem to be working very well this time, though. So much as checking my email became a torturous exercise in dropped calls and lengthy load times. Renting a carrier pigeon began to feel like http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2010/01/understanding-working-parents.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-942564148417931693Tue, 29 Dec 2009 22:30:00 +00002009-12-29T22:32:44.461ZmoneyhousedadDear Dave,Today's letter isn't here. It's over at OurMilkMoney.com trying to act nonchalant and blend in.If you want to know what really makes me afraid, you should head over there now...Yours in a woman's world,Ed.http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/housedad-interrogation.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-1347570080296962242Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:30:00 +00002009-12-24T09:30:01.695ZchristmaschildrenDear Dave,The decorations are up, the mince pies are warmed, carols are playing and the weather outside is truly horrible. I guess it must be Christmas.Remember I mentioned in my last letter that after all these years, the kids might not have any tricks left up their sleeves? Turns out I was right.Well... about the sleeves anyway:Christmas seems to have got here in a panicked rush of cards and http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/christmas-crackers.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4130858672610324643Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:30:00 +00002009-12-21T09:41:05.790ZhousedadDear Dave,Well, that's another year almost over - another year of parental peril, another year of housedad adventures and another year of unsolicited parenting advice from me. Only Christmas and Hogmanay to go and we're safely into 2010. Phew!Wonder what I'll write to you about next year, though? I must have covered almost everything by now. Our kids can't have many more tricks up their sleeves, http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/guest-post-by-chris-loprete.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-906492933068963182Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:20:00 +00002009-12-16T09:26:16.620ZchildrenscienceDear Dave,When I first told people I was going to be a dad, many of them said that my world would change. I nodded and smiled. Of course it would change - that was obvious! I simply didn't appreciate, however, how the very fabric of space and time would be ripped and folded around me by the arrival of a small child. With hindsight, I might have been a little more cautious. I certainly would have http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/physics-for-parents.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-7268797683866663760Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +00002009-12-11T09:08:56.482ZchurchchristianitychildrenDear Dave,Small children are like insulation.Not that I'm suggesting you try lining the loft with them. Well, probably not anyway. (They'd complain too much to make it worth it.) Then again, I do know from experience that strapping one to your front will make you very warm, very quickly. They also have a tendency to lie around in awkward places such as doorways - despite being irritating and http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/keeping-warm-even-at-church.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4739596157203138715Mon, 07 Dec 2009 10:00:00 +00002009-12-07T10:15:20.286ZchildrenDear Dave,Sometimes I don't know why I bother speaking.Fraser was upset yesterday because he'd fallen over and bruised his back. I was concerned with checking he was all right but he was more interested in blaming Lewis. He'd been leaning on Lewis and Lewis had moved out of the way without warning.I tried to explain to Fraser that really he had to take most of the responsibility for the accident.http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/faith-vs-obedience.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4981096345486633231Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:30:00 +00002009-12-02T10:35:08.256ZchristmasDear Dave,Gah! It's almost Christmas again already. I'm not sure where the time has vanished to this year. It's disappearance has been all the more galling, however, because I don't have the excuse of sleepless nights and clingy small children. I've had more time available to me than at any point in the last decade and yet I'm still confused the summer has already been and gone. What happened to http://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/12/advent-calendars.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-3226104207859620649Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:15:00 +00002009-11-27T10:24:24.977Zcomputer gamessicknessPS3Xbox 360WiiDear Dave,The kids are all finally back at school. Hurrah! That only took a week. Doubtless one of them will come down with something else in a couple of days but, in the meantime, it makes a nice change not having anyone in the house lying around under a blanket, sighing deeply. Being stuck inside for so long as been a little much on occasion. At last there's no more bickering over whose turn ithttp://www.dadsdinner.com/Dear_Dave/2009/11/when-computer-games-go-bad.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0