For episode 101, Jason’s father Steve joins in on the podcast to discuss 12 reasons why grandfathers are better than fathers.  This list assumes the grandparents on not the primary caretaker of the child nor do they take care of them very regularly.  The list is really about the grandparents that get to see their grandkids ever so often. 1) They get to feed them sugar and treats and not feel guilty about it.  You also can include fast food on this one.  Grandparents don’t care if the kids eat some bad stuff.  It’s more about enjoying life at that point. 2) They can focus more on the fun.  They don’t have to deal with school, chores, or day to day activities.  when grandparents are around, it’s about fun. 3) They have plenty of time.  They aren’t usually in a hurry to get to the next thing nor are they typically really busy. 4) They are smart.  They seem to know so much about the world.  They know facts and statistics.  Even when they really don’t know what they are talking about, they give the impression they do.  Kids eat it up. 5) They know history.  For some, they really were alive during the events grandkids learn in school.  It can be facinating for a kid to hear a story about being in the war, or when the man went on the moon.  This is the real thing. 6) They tell stories.  Whether the stories are about war or how milk was 10 cents when they were a kid, they can tell stories like nobody else.  In fact they can also tell the same stories over and over. 7) They like giving presents.  While we do podcasts about being present instead of giving presents, grandpa can buy the child’s love …

We are celebrating our 100th episiode.  I wanted to celebrate the occasion by bringing in my dad, Steve.  Even if just for selfish reasons to be able to document this conversation, I think the listeners will gain some valuable insight. I wanted to get the perspective of fatherhood from the previous generation and gather some insight from someone who has now been through the full life cycle of being a dad.  He is the father of 3 and the grandfather of 8.…

In this episode 99, we provide tips and techniques on how to teach our children respect. Respect is very close to manners. It’s essential we teach our kids respect for people, places, things, and themselves. Here are some tips: Create house/family rules – Agree on how you want to handle these kind of situations with your wife. It’s important to be on the same page. Make a chart of family rules: for example – “be nice to each other” “talk with a calm voice” Include the child in the process. Set realistic expectations – It is easy to overreact. Be careful not to. When your child does something that you feel is not respectful, call them out on it but be calm. There is no need to overreact. Deal with it when they are young – The longer you wait, the more difficult it is going to be to implement correct behavior. Start with manners – Teaching them please and thank you when they are very young is a good way to begin teaching respect. You can listen to episode 48 for more information on teaching our kids manners. Model respectful behavior – When they are yelling, talk calmly. Be firm and respectful towards them. Be sure to listen and be interested in what they are saying. Show respect toward others, especially your spouse and them. Apologize When You Mess Up – This is really important that they see you recognize that you weren’t being respectful and have an opportunity to fix it. Don’t take it personally – We have a tendency to take things so personally. The child may lack the skills or practice but they are not typically trying to “get at you”. Act calmly, but don’t ignore it. Follow Through – If you make a consequence for …

I don’t care whether you have a boy or girl, we as dads should be teaching our kids the following. These are in no particular order or have an age requirement.  Just get out there and do it: 1. Ride a bike 2. Light a match 3. Light a barbeque (both gas and charcoal) 4. Setup and light a campfire 5. Tie a knot 6. Use a hammer 7. Use a screwdriver 8. Setup a tent for camping 9. Change a tire 10. Iron a shirt 11. Bait a fishing line 12. Coil a rope, hose, extension cord 13. Use a knife for carving 14. Tipping – How much, when, who 15. Look people in the eye when talking to them 16. Throw a ball 17. Use a bat 18. Kick a ball 19. Shoot a basketball 20. Swing a golf club 21. Bowl a bowling ball 22. Throw a punch/defend from a punch 23. Lead by example 24. Ask for what you want 25. Learning to dance is important 26. Learn to say no and feel good about it 27. How to drive 28. Affection is good 29. How to use a credit card 30. How to handle money 31. How to deal with stress 32. Skip rocks 33. Build a sand castle 34. Wash a car 35. Fix a bike chain 36. Wrestle 37. Pump gas 38. Wash windows 39. Use an alarm clock 40. Make food – pasta, soup, nachos 41. Ordering at a restaurant 42. Pack a suitcase 43. Floss and brush their teeth 44. Introduce themsevles 45. Shakes someones hand 46. Shake hands when you lose 47. Exercise – push ups, pull ups 48. Don’t ever gossip 49. Be nice to your mother…