Dads matter.

You probably already knew that, and so did I.

But don’t take it from me. Because the science on the subject is clear as day.

Children with good, loving, actively involved fathers have better outcomes in life.

They:

• Have healthier relationships
• Make more money & have more career success
• Have less psychological problems
• And often have higher IQs than their peers

That’s not to denigrate single mothers! Or lesbian couples! And it doesn’t doom kids who grow up without a father for one reason or another.

But if you’re alive and well, you owe it to your kids to be the best possible father you can be.

The question is: How exactly can you be a better dad?

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So you want to have a boy.

Like, really, really, really want to have a boy!

I don’t blame you. As a dad especially, there’s something really cool about the idea of having a son, a buddy, a dude-pal.

(I have a daughter and she is my world. But there’s always next time!)

The big question people seem to want to ask is how to have a boy, if it’s even possible to control, and what kinds of things you can try in order to conceive a baby boy.

There is a LOT of myth, urban legend, bad science, and misinformation around this topic.

So I’ve read pretty much everything that exists on the subject and have tried to distill it down for you.

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Mealtime with babies and toddlers is…

… an adventure.

There’s a lot going on. A lot of chaos.

Food is flying everywhere. Kids are yelling. Or singing. Or throwing things.

Sometimes their favorite cup is dirty. Sometimes you forgot to give them their juice.

And sometimes you’re out of plastic kid-friendly silverware.

If you’re like me in those situations, you might be wondering when it’s OK and what age babies can use metal cutlery (forks and spoons).

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Daylight savings time just passed, and in our household brought with it a disturbing new trend.

Our 3-year-old is now waking up around 5:30-6am, ready to rock and roll.

This is not OK with me. Anything before 7 is the middle of the night as far as I’m concerned.

I don’t like waking up in the middle of the night.

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My 3-year-old sometimes complains that her tummy hurts.

With kids that age, it’s really hard to tell when they’re in a lot of pain, exaggerating a little discomfort, or making it up entirely for attention or comfort.

Plus, when my stomach hurts, I’ll often take Tums or a store brand antacid of some kind. She sees me do this and will often ask if she can have some.

So for a variety of reasons I’ve been wondering lately if it’s OK for kids and toddlers to have Tums or other antacids. They seem harmless to me, and I’ll down them like candy when I have a stomachache, but I’m not a doctor.

Is Tums for kids OK? What do medical experts say?

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Babies are expensive.

It’s amazing how quickly the costs add up once they pop out into the world.

It’s no wonder every parent you know is busy scrambling like crazy trying to get hand me down clothes, loaner toys, and used nursery furniture.

But if you’re gearing up to buy a new crib for the nursery, you might be wondering; How much does a crib cost? What’s the average cost of a baby crib?

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I was doing some research recently on shoe sizing for toddlers, and I kept seeing people mention “crib shoes.”

What are crib shoes? I had never heard of them before!

Why would a baby need shoes in a crib?

I had so many questions.

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It’s amazing how big of a decision choosing a daycare or preschool can really be.

You want your kids in the best hands possible, but you also have to decide how and what you want them to learn.

Do you value play, imagination, and social intelligence most?

Rigorous academics?

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Do you have a Primrose and a Goddard school about equally close to your house?

Heard good things about both of them?

Having trouble deciding which one is better for your child?

Choosing the right daycare or preschool can be a really important, and difficult, decision to make. Especially with so many options.

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