This week in the Dads Toolbox we are bringing you Cory Warren, also known as Lean Green Dad to speak to all of you about his journey into fatherhood and into healthy living.

Cory Warren shared with us that the name Lean Green Dad came after his wife was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis just a few months before they were to be married. At the time of her diagnosis, they were left with nothing but fear, misinformation and uncertainty. At that point in their lives, they decided to make some serious changes to our lifestyle. They started to think more about the food they put into our bodies and began to read a lot about plant-based diets. They watched a few great documentaries and were hooked. As a competing athlete at the time, Cory Warren saw a major improvement in his athletic performance and for his wife, she was able to taper off of her medications and increase her quality of life. As their family grew and became a family of five, so did their understanding, compassion, and appreciation for this healthy way of life. Today they focus on remaining lean and green in their commitment to health through the food they eat, the quality time they spend together and the relationships they build. They manage Cory Warren’s wife’s chronic condition and their family’s health on a day-to-day basis by eating the most nutrient-rich foods possible consisting of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, and whole grains!

Cory Warren also shared his family’s experience adopting their son with us. He let us know he goes into more depth on a podcast episode he shared on his website.

Cory Warren and his family’s adoption experience was a life-changing journey of self-discovery and reflection. It was one of the best decisions Cory Warren and his wife ever made as a married couple. With lots of research and fact checking prior to choosing which type of adoption to pursue, Cory Warren shared his experience with us in hopes to inspire others who might be thinking about pursuing an adoption.

Below are a few resources in thinking about the different types of adoption available to assist you as well.

International – Outside of the United States

* potentially lots of travel involved

* fairly expensive

* can be a bit more risky with your financial investment for several reasons

* not a ton of interaction with your child, but see them via mail/email and when you visit the country

* often no mother history or interaction after the adoption

Domestic/State System – Also known as the foster care system

* goal is to reunite child with biological parent

* child could have a rough background…abuse, drugs, other things

* you should have a home that is ready to take on a challenge if need be

* you could potentially know quite a bit of information about the mother

* in some states college tuition is covered

Domestic/Private Adoption – through an adoption agency

* mother could be local, in your own city even

* open, semi-open and closed options available with your birth mother

* still spend money, but potentially less depending on expenses you are willing to pay

* must be okay with marketing yourself as a happy home to birth mothers

Cory Warren’s child that they adopted was a dark skinned child from a different ethnicity than his own. As his kids have gotten older he found that he has had to deal with some issues of people asking questions. They have been able to answer these questions and have been able to change the conversation away from difference into equality.  A few posts that Cory has written that explores this more fully:

*

This week on the Dad Spotlight podcast we are bringing you Jason MacKenzie, author of The Dadly Book of Open to talk about loss and how he re-invented himself after the loss of his wife.

In this book Jason Mackenzie shares a moment of reckoning that occurred four years after his wife’s suicide.  After yet another day of heavy drinking his daughter Melody,who was nine years old, looked him in the eye and told him she was disappointed in him.  She found the courage to be honest with her dad and that finally gave him the courage to be honest with himself.

 

What he found was a man who was scared, uncertain and didn’t believe in himself.  In confronting and overcoming his demons, Jason has learned many profound lessons on what it means to be a strong, courageous and wise father.   These lessons are critically important and applicable to each and every one us.  Why is no one teaching them to us?

 

Fathers often view vulnerability as weakness.   Society has taught them to believe that understanding and showing their emotions are makes them weak.   This has created generations of fathers who are unable to create deep and meaningful connections with themselves, their children and the people in their lives.   It’s tragic to see how many men and fathers never create their greatest impact.

 

The DADLY Book of Open tears up these outdated ideas and shows fathers how to Master the Art of Vulnerability.   In this book you will gain further understanding that:

 

* Vulnerability is the source of your greatest personal power.

* Howto create unbreakable relationships forged around what truly matters.

*  Howto use the insights you have learned to serve others and create limitless opportunities.

*  Practical,actionable guidance on how to become the best dad, man and leader you can possibly be.

* How to leave a legacy that your children will enthusiastically carry on.

In talking with Jason Mackenzie he stated that sitting my girls down and telling them that their mother was dead was the hardest thing I have ever done.  

Jason MacKenzie coped during those years and the years after by drinking.  He was too afraid to be vulnerable enough to ask for help.  I see now that I was trying to avoid grieving.  You can only run from that for so long.  I’ve quit drinking now and my life has totally changed.

Jason MacKenzie’s mission now is to educate people on the benefits of sharing their stories.  He wants to teach people about the incredible power of vulnerability. 

Butcher Box is a company that gives you easy access to grass-fed beef, pork and chicken. Their goal is to make grass-fed beef, pork and chicken more accessible than ever before. We have tried this meat and it is simply amazing. Because of this we have partnered with them to offer you an amazing deal. If you make a ButcherBox order for your family you will get $10 OFF your order and some Ribeyes (2 x 10oz). Sound good? Order Today!

If you have not yet gotten your free guide: 15 Low Cost Ways To Engage With Your Kids – Pick it up today

As always, please swing by to visit us on iTunes and

This week the Dads Toolbox we are bringing back Trey Burley from Daddy Mojo to talk to us about comic books and graphic novels to share with our kids and what is new in the world of comics. You might remember Trey from earlier episodes, like episode 22 on female comic book heroes and episode 8 when he spoke on Comic Cons. We love having Trey Burley on the show and know you will learn a ton from him

Trey mentioned a few comic books you may want to read for yourself or even to share with your kids.

Adults Only Comic Books

* Aliens meets Predators meets Judge Dredd

Comic Books for Kids

* DC Superhero Girls (Targeted at Girls)

* DC Superhero Girls Final Crisis (Targeted at Girls)

* Bruce Lee The Dragon Rises

* Future Quest

* The Flintstones

* Squirrel Girl

* Usagi Yojimbo

Some Studios and Comic Books to Watch

* Boom! Studios

* Jim Henson Comics

* LumberJanes

* Adventure Time

* Munchkin

* Over the Garden Wall

* Bongo Comics

* Sponge Bob

* Simpsons

* Futurama

Graphic Novels

* Bera The One Headed Troll

 

Find Out More about Trey Burley

* Daddy Mojo Website

* The Daddy Mojo All Age Comic Books Podcast

* Daddy Mojo Twitter

* Daddy Mojo Instagram

* Daddy Mojo Facebook

 

If you have not yet gotten your free guide: 15 Low Cost Ways To Engage With Your Kids – Pick it up today

As always, please swing by to visit us on iTunes and Stitcher to stay connected to the most up-to-date happenings with the podcast. Also, if you are on iTunes  and you are a listener, please leave us a review as this helps other people find us too!

This week in the Toolbox of the Dad Spotlight podcast we are bringing you Allison McDonald, Founder and editor of No Time For Flash Cards.

Allison McDonald has been teaching children in various capacities since 1993, so you can imagine she has done her fair share of crafts, songs, and circle times. Allison McDonald started as a day camp leader at a local recreation center while in high school. She taught various preschool age and after-school programs through university and worked as a reading tutor while pursuing a second degree in elementary education. After graduating with honors she set out to teach, ended up as a director of a large childcare center and preschool and returned to the classroom after a year realizing pretty quickly that she belonged in a classroom, not an office.  Allison McDonald son’s birth brought me home and my love of teaching and helping other parents sparked the idea for No Time For Flash Cards. Last fall she returned to the classroom teaching 2-3-year-olds. Now she uses ideas she shared with her own kids with her own students.

Allison McDonald has been working to educate kids in many ways for many years and after being told over and over again that she should take what she was teaching online into a blog. The name of the blog, No Time For Flashcards is a nod towards the fact that Einstein never used flash cards.

Don had met Allison McDonald at the Type A conference. Allison said that she is not the type of person that takes things at face value. She has a Bachelors degree in elementary education and one in history and is currently working on a Masters degree in early childhood education. She moved to get the Masters degree because she wanted to have the credentials that people have thought she has had for many years.

One of the things that writing has done for Allison McDonald is to identify the disconnect in education and jargon and to help the parent that may not understand.

Allison McDonald wrote a book entitled, [amazon text=Raising a rockstar reader&asin=0545806178]. She mentioned that many times parents think that kids hit first grade and they should read. However, what she found was that parents really start to read to their kids from very early on. One of the best tips that she shares is to make sure that you set aside time to read with your child at least at bedtime. Allison McDonald also mentioned that reading is not something that you learn and you are done. Just like sports, with reading you have to practice reading to get better at it. You also have to understand that you have to give your child choices and not expecting that they will love certain types of books. Finally, she mentioned that older kids still want you to read to them. Being able to share reading is not only good for kids but it is good for adults too.

Allison McDonald recently returned from being at the Scholastic America conference. She mentioned that she loves to teach others and she feels that she has just enough information to share that can help people to become better parents and to be more engaged with their kids and to  show them that they are loved.

The future for No Time For Flash Cards is to move to be a better resource for teachers as well as continuing to be a great resource for parents too.

Allison talked about a new program called Camp Learn and Play which is a free program that she offers!

Today the co-host to the show at the beginning and end of the show was my Chris’ daughter Juliana. We talk about the Movie and Book Hidden Figures as well as the EmpowHER conference in East Lansin...

This week in the Dads Toolbox we are bringing back Dr. Robert Zeitlin. You may remember Dr. Robert Zeitlin from his earlier episodes on topics of Kids going to school and the transitions that we go through , holiday depression and seasonal affective disorder and on Laughing more and yelling less. This week we are joined by Dr. Robert Zeitlin and his entire family to talk about transitions families go through as your kids get older.

So on the show we had Robert Zeitlin, Betsy Zeitlin and their two kids, Ian and Lily. This week we talked to them about the anxiety of having kids leave the home. We talked to both the kids and the parents about their concerns about this.

The kids mentioned that they did not feel that they had a lot of concerns. Their son mentioned that the relationship with their parents changed a bit, but they have always felt that their parents have given them their space and independence. They feel that they are treated as responsible adults.

Robert and Betsy mentioned that it is a lot easier now as they can talk more frequently over Skype or the phone and they can even physically see him if they would like. So even though their son is now off at college this is still possible.

Their daughter, who is still in high school said that she does think that her relationship with her parents will change, though some of the quality of the relationship will change.

Technology has definitely shrunk the difference and anxiety for parents today.

For Robert and Betsy they said that when Ian left home for the first time, it was very hard. There were tears. As Betsy mentioned, you only have your kids for 18 years and hopefully they like you and they will come back. In the end, you want them to go, but you do not want them to go. Robert said that about a year out from when Ian left he started to try to get his own stuff taken care of. Robert mentioned that it was hard, but he tried to get closer with his son, and trying to be able to let go of his son at the same time.

Robert and Betsy mentioned that when their daughter finally leaves it will be very different when she finally leaves. Their kids have started to give them a glimpse of what this will be like as they have gone to long camps, or have extended trips and though the first week is hard after this it becomes easier. They also feel that they have worked hard on building a strong relationship between each other, so the empty nest will not be as empty.

They said they they are a very weird family as they communicate. If they have issues, they talk about this together. They are also a bit unusual because the kids are such good friends.  Live, Love, Laugh and Communicate is a family slogan that they live by.

Some advice that they would offer

* it is important to communicate with your spouse and your kids. All problems must be addressed. You have to lay out the ground rules up front.

* There are some things that are worth getting mad about, but there are many others that are not worth getting mad about and you have to let it go.

* It is a good idea to accept the situation that you are in and then appreciate this

* You have to work and maintain the relationships within your entire family. You have to individually be responsible for the relationships that you have with your family members.

 

Find Out More About the Zeitlin Family!

* Robert Zeitlin

* Robert’s Book – Laugh More,

This week in the Dads Spotlight we have Phil Conrad from the Intentional Parenting blog and podcast on the show. We asked Phil Conrad to explain what Intentional Parenting means to him and he said

Phil has a background as being a youth ministerand he found that intentional parenting revolved around:

* Accepting responsibility

* developing a work ethic

* Being responsible with finances

* Helping your child to be an adult

Consistency is critical if you want to be an intentional parent. As a parent many people are trying to get  their kids to obey them when they say something. As a parent himself, Phil Conrad said that now that his kids are older that his kids do obey most of the time, but it was starting early and having consistency that got them there.

Time with your kids is so important and being intentional with your parenting can help with this. Time is a key part of intentional parenting. Just trying to do something with my kids each day is so important, even if it is small says Phil Conrad. Phil made this a priority. He made sure that he had a consistent schedule so he was home every day to be able to have the time he needed. He also made sure that his career did not take control of his life as it is not his employer that will take care of him in his old age. Thus, his job was never more important than his family. Having this time has allowed him to foster relationships with his whole family and this can help you too.

Other things that you need to be mindful of when it comes to mindful parenting is to consider your schedule and where you are at in regards to spending times with your kids. If you need to schedule time to do this, then do it. Make a specific appointment with each of your kids to spend 1 on 1 time with them to connect with them on a deeper level. This time allows you ask specific questions to engage your kids on specific things. This lets you get to know their world and on their level with where they are at. It also allows you to understand them and understand what is important to them. You can also work in important things that are critical to you and your family and provide learning moments to them too during this time,

If you have never done this before the most important thing is to just start having the conversations. Don’t start too deep, but just show them that you are interested. Start with things like:

* their friends

* what they do with their friends

* what they like about their friends

As you ask questions you learn things about your child. Even with younger kids you can start a conversation with topics like:

* What’s your favorite color?

* What’s your favorite food?

* What’s your favorite animal?

* How do you like to spend your time?

 

Sometimes you can have these conversations through having a common activity. Think about things you can do together and then you can have a open conversation and share things about your own childhood. Things that you  liked when you were a kid and other things like that.

 

About Phil  Conrad’s Intentional Parenting Website and Podcast

 

If you have not yet gotten your free guide: 15 Low Cost Ways To Engage With Your Kids – Pick it up today

As always, please swing by to visit us on iTunes and Stitcher to stay connected to the most up-to-date happenings with the podcast. Also, if you are on

This week in the Dads Toolbox we are bringing you the second interview that we had with Matt DeLorenzo who is a  senior editor with Kelley Blue Book. If you missed the first one, we encourage you to check it out! This week we are speaking with Matt DeLorenzo about how Kelley Blue Book is the go to resource for buying and selling cars!

This information was so important as Chris just bought a car for his family. He purchased a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe and used this information to help him with his purchase and in the selling of his past minivan. On top of this Chris had also reviewed the 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe and was impressed then, so that helped in the whole purchasing decision.

Matt DeLorenzo said that Kelley Blue Book started as a way to coordinate valuations for cars until the 1990’s when they also transitioned into a car buying site too.

Matt DeLorenzo said that since 1977 when he started covering cars there has been a large change in the amount of resources that are now available to you. Before the internet people would have to find a ton of books to pull together the information that they can now find online.

So as you can guess Kelley Blue Book is used heavily by people like yourself to find out the value of their new cars, but also to find out the value of new cars.

They offer expert reviews, buyers guides, fair purchase estimate and more to make the car buying equation even easier.

The average transaction price on a new car is $33,000  and that is making people think about leasing. By leasing you are paying for the part of the car that you use. If you drive more than 15,000 miles per year, if so, then leasing is probably not for you. Also, if you have pride of ownership, leasing is not the best option. If you do like to be in a new car every 2-3 years, leasing is definitely a better option. The monthly payments on a lease may be less but if you drive your vehicle a lot then buying the vehicle directly is a better option overall.

New cars are more reliable. If you are purchasing the car, you may want to consider an extended warranty. As cars become more complex, and the issues that arise are not always covered by the general warranty. Matt DeLorenzo mentioned that you have to look closely at the fine print in the warranty to make sure that you understand everything.

On the Kelley Blue Book website you can find warranty information for car brands, but you also can read the reviews from past owners.

Also, on the website you can compare versions of cars.

When you look at certified cars, make sure you look at the information on certified programs on the Kelley Blue Book website to know what this certification actually covers. Many times this additional certification adds to the overall value of the car.

When you are trying to sell your car, Matt DeLorenzo mentioned to do the following:

* Clean your car

* Get your car detailed

* Change the oil

* Clean your headlamps

* Check the value of your vehicle online and see what your car is being listed for

 

Other Car Shopping and Buying Tips:

* Do Your Research:  All the information need to make a smart car-buying decision is available at KBB.com, including both expert and consumer reviews and ratings, Price Advisor information including Kelley Blue Book Fair Purchase Price, side-by-side comparisons, safety and reliability ratings and more.

* Know What It Is Going to Cost You:  Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few models that you are interested in, be sure to check out not only what it will cost you up front to buy the car, but also what it will cost you over time to own the ve...

Brian Hastings of Insomniac games joined us this week on the Dad Spotlight podcast. Over the past 20+ years Insomniac games, they have created some amazing games that have engaged dads and their kids as well as making games just for some of you too!

When they started they really did not know what they were doing. Brian Hastings said that it is amazing they still exist, but it took a lot of hard work to create a company that they are very happy about today!

Brian Hastings said that every five years they have seen huge changes in the gaming world. Changes in gaming in regards to social gaming, 3D and more are all things that they have had to deal with as they have “grown up.” In regards to the next 5-10 years virtual reality is the next.

Spyro was a character that originally was made by Insomniac games and now is used by Skylanders. The look is different and Brian Hastings says he wishes they could have gone back for another Spyro game, but they are happy that the character continues. He said it is like sending your kids off to college.

They will be having a new game soon, Spider Man, but Brian Hastings said he could not say a lot about this except that it is for Playstation 4. He said it has been a dream come true working with Marvel.

Brian Hastings said that Ratchet and Crank 3 was his favorite game that he ever created. He stated that in looking at the big picture Ratchet is a character that he always has loved and is very relatable to gamers. They even created a Ratchet and Clank movie based on the characters!

Brian Hastings said that his kids are at the age that they are the target audience for their games. He says he has his own kids come in to play the games and even providing helpful input on the stories within the games themselves.

If you have not yet gotten your free guide: 15 Low Cost Ways To Engage With Your Kids – Pick it up today

As always, please swing by to visit us on iTunes and Stitcher to stay connected to the most up-to-date happenings with the podcast. Also, if you are on iTunes  and you are a listener, please leave us a review as this helps other people find us too!

 

This week in the Dads Toolbox we are bringing back Creed Anything from Balcony Dads to talk about the Olympics and some of the things that the Olympics can teach our kids can learn in watching these competitive events.

Creed and Chris talk a bit about the sports that they were excited about when it came to the Olympics. We also talked about how watching thes sports together allow you to bring your family together and to talk about sportsmanship, teamwork and more. You also can work on your geography skills too as there are so many countries you might never have heard of prior to this! There are even craft projects that you can do with your kids to get into the Olympic games too.

Creed and Chris both mentioned how impressed they were with the commitment of these athletes to their sport. Creed mentioned that there are athletes that are already training for the Olympics in 2020 seeing that they did not make the Olympics in 2016. The road to the Olympics is not easy, but then you see athletes like the 41 year old gymnast that we saw in the Olympics this year that was competing in her 7th Olympics, competing against other Olympians that were at least half her age .

We learned about the fact that Creed was a thrower in college and that he was banned from throwing the hammer in college because he was a safety risk hazard. You have to listen more to hear the story!

 

If you have not yet gotten your free guide: 15 Low Cost Ways To Engage With Your Kids – Pick it up today

As always, please swing by to visit us on iTunes and Stitcher to stay connected to the most up-to-date happenings with the podcast. Also, if you are on iTunes  and you are a listener, please leave us a review as this helps other people find us too!

This week in the Dad Spotlight podcast we are bringing you Tim Jones, a humorist, author, father and more. Tim Jones writes over at View from the Bleachers and shares his humor on almost every topic imaginable. Recently Tim Jones brought a number of the experiences and writings that he has had as a father into a great book called You’re Grounded For Life.

As he says he is known to be a parenting expert as long as you do not ask his wife or his kids. In his book he does bring in a number of the stories that he had written in the past and he chose the

His daughters thought that it was fine that he wrote the book, as they know to not take anything that he says too seriously.

In asking him about writing and sharing his own life with others, he stated that it starts with making sure that your family knows that you love them and in anything that you write that they know that there is love connected. He has always tried to write in a playful manner to make sure that

You can come along for the ride but I will not write to the lowest common denominator. 

If you feel that you are not funny but that you want to have some humor in your life, Tim Jones mentioned that he started writing humor through his Christmas letter. His wife was the one that encouraged him to start his blog after watching the movie Julie and Julia. As he was writing he came to find that was most important was:

* Make it authentic

* talk about things that you know

* Feel free to poke fun at yourself before you poke fun at others

 

It is important to model what you want your kids to emulate in life. Too often we take life too seriously says Tim Jones, so he always tried be light in his approach and to have fun with the situations in life. He tried to allow his kids to feel safe and have fun in their life. Now he finds that his kids have humor in their life too. They even throw things back at him now, which is something that he completely loves!

Tim Jones said that in thinking about his posts, the following are some of his favorites:

* Warning signs you may be experiencing Kronic Incessant Disorder Syndrome (KIDS)

* Memo to our kids: The family has decided to downsize

 

If you have not yet gotten your free guide: 15 Low Cost Ways To Engage With Your Kids – Pick it up today

As always, please swing by to visit us on iTunes and Stitcher to stay connected to the most up-to-date happenings with the podcast. Also, if you are on iTunes  and you are a listener, please leave us a review as this helps other people find us too!