This episode 76 is about dealing with picky eaters.  We had the pleasure of being joined by Jason’s son Kasen who sat in on the episode to provide his input on the topic.  The episode was inspired by this parents.com article.  While I thought simply ‘starving’ the child for a meal or two will get them to eat, experts say this is not a good idea.  Simply being hungry won’t make a kid overcome his fears about eating foods he doesn’t like, and his anxiety can make him feel even less hungry, says Nancy Zucker, Ph.D., director of the Duke Eating Disorders Center. Here are 19  Tips to Deal With Picky Eaters 1) Respect your child’s lack of appetite (don’t force, don’t bribe) 2) Make food less scary – go in steps, look at it, smell it 3) Provide small portions 4) Explore foods without eating – Talk about foods, learn about food, let them explore 5) You plan the menu – pair things they like with new things 6) Stick to schedule – The best you can – make mealtime and snacks regular times (juice, milk, and snacks will make meals less appealing) Cut back on snacking 7) Talk about the food’s color, shape, or smell. Don’t talk about the taste 8) Make it fun – cut food into shapes, bright colors, breakfast for dinner, dinner for breakfast, etc. Change the presentation 9) Don’t push too hard – don’t make mealtime stressful 10) Have your child help select healthy foods like fruits and vegetables 11) Have them help with the cooking 12) Add instead of replacing – pasta with butter, add a few noodles with red sauce 13) Eat good foods yourself – monkey see, monkey do 14) Be creative – Deceptively Delicious (Jessica Seinfeld) 15) Keep focused …

Let’s face it, we all get angry.  For kids in particular, knowing what anger is and how to deal with it can be tremendously difficult.  Heck, for many adults it’s difficult.  In this Episode 75, we have Jason’s daughter Farrah sitting in on the conversation. This episode is inspired by an article in Physchology Today written by Dr. Laura Markham, author of Peaceful Parents, Happy Kids: 1. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself that there is no emergency. Keeping yourself calm will help them be calm. 2. Remind yourself that tantrums are nature’s way of helping small people let off steam. They still don’t really understand how to regulate anger. They are learning. Even as adults we often don’t do it right. Empathy works really good here. 3. Remember that anger comes from our “fight, flight or freeze” response. Feels like the end of the world to them. It’s protecting themselves from hurt. 4. Set whatever limits are necessary to keep everyone safe, while acknowledging the anger and staying compassionate. “You can stomp your feet to show me how mad you are, but I won’t let you hit me.” It is not ok to hit. 5. Set limits on actions only, not on feelings. I’m sorry this is so hard…You’re saying I never understand you…that must feel so terrible and lonely.” 6. Keep yourself safe. “I see you are really angry, you can hit the pillow or bed, but I won’t let you hit me. You’re saying I never understand you…that must feel so terrible and lonely.” 7. Stay as close as you can. When you are ready for a hug I’m here. When they say Go away, you can respond with “I’m going to move back a step, ok?” 8. Don’t try to reason or explain. It’s not a …

What does it mean to be more present?  How can dads become more present with their children, at work, and in their relationship? For Episode 74, we interview Johnny Blackburn, a Professional Development Coach & Group Facilitator. With an original background in Management Consulting, Johnny went back for his Master’s in Psychology and he has been coaching individuals for the last 9 years.  He is a certified professional coach with the International Coaching Federation and works in the trenches facilitating dudes in men’s groups for the past 5 years. If you are interested in getting in touch with Johnny for coaching, speaking, or one of his men’s groups, you can reach him through his website at johnnyblackburn.net. In this Episode we discuss the importance of presence in our lives, but more importantly, Johnny provides actionable tips and advice on how to be more present.  Being present affects how we work, how we interact with our kids, and our marriage.  Listen to this very informative interview and learn how you can incorporate being more present in your life.  Here are a few of the topics we cover: What is presence & why does it matter? What about presence at work?  How does that affect or job life? What is the number one quality women want in men?  (You can probably guess this answer) 3 practical things I can do to be more present …

Episode 73 is about Building & Leaving a Legacy. I get the impression that Legacy isn’t important for everyone. I would be curious to talk to someone who is not interested in a legacy. There are many famous people who have made statements about not caring about a legacy. I think in the world of entertainment, people may think if they want legacy, they are bragging or boasting about how good they are. It’s usually defined by what is left after you are gone. However it is created while you are still here. I think there are multiple facets of legacy. There is the legacy I want to have as a father….and there is also the legacy as a person in total. Some people may define their legacy as what they do in the business world. Others will define it as the impact they have on society. I think the concept of legacy hit me when my mother passed away 5 years ago. Realizing how many people she helped and impacted really made me look beyond just my family and ask myself, “What am I doing to make this world a better place?” Is my job making an impact? This really was the start of Dudes To Dads. It was to figure out my own questions but also be able to reach out and provide help for others. So this concept of legacy is now part of my life. Can we make this place better than when we found it? Jim Rohn, well known and very successful personal development guru had these 9 principles for a successful life and a lasting legacy: 1. Life is best lived in service to others – family co-workers, friends. We don’t need to neglect ourselves in the meantime, but we should put a …