Digital Dads

Hear ye… hear ye! The first episode of the Rules of the Round Table (RTR) is finally here! One of the Dads in the Round Table helped us realize that all of this was great but it too easily forgotten. Enter the RTR episodes.

These will be short mini-episodes intended to help remind us (Andrew and Brent included) of how to be most effective raising our kids in a digital world. Each one will focus on a specific Rule of the Round Table and bring an example from real life to help connect the dots. We hope you like them and that this is the first of many.

This time Brent focuses on the effort in writing the book as well as taking the Digital Dads brand to the next level. You are all a huge part of that and we appreciate each and every one of you as we move forward into some fun new projects. Stay tuned!

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Superheroes have been around since before we were kids. But today’s technology has raised the game. Marvel Studios has created multiple stand alone films that are leading up to big time blockbusters. Being backed by Disney certainly doesn’t hurt. And D.C. is trying to build out their own movie universe too (with varying success).

This time we bring the Round Table back together to discuss how things have changed since we were kids. And Andrew complains about Batman vs. Superman. He’s a huge Superman fan so it’s still an open wound. Lots of fun in this episode as we discuss one of favorite topics. Enjoy.

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One Cool Thing

* Greg – DC Universe iTunes Collection

* Tom – Preacher

* Brent – Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

Would it surprise you to know that many tech icons have strict device limits on their children? It did us. But it’s very true. Many of the biggest names in the technology industry are vigilant about that very thing. In fact, when asked about the iPad when it first came out Steve Jobs admitted his own children weren’t allowed to play it. Crazy.

Screen time and the use of technology continues to be a hot topic in our world. There are varying opinions about what’s best. But we can’t ignore the fact that they can be destructive and very addictive if left unchecked. Join as we dig into the topic again and try to make sense of this wild world.

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One Cool Thing

* Andrew – 10-3-2-1-0 Sleep Formula

* Brent – SpaceX Red Dragon

This time we had the privilege of speaking with David Allen about his internationally best-selling book Getting Things Done. GTD as it’s affectionately known by readers has made a huge splash in the business arena helping countless people become more productive in their work lives.

David was a real pleasure to speak with and shared many of the insights contained in the book. With a newly released updated version it is extremely valuable to parents who feel overwhelmed in their lives. Learning about his “two minute rule” alone is worth listening. Lots of valuable information here that you won’t want to miss.

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One Cool Thing

* Andrew – Nirvana HQ

* Brent – School Bus trip to Mars

Think you’re objective about most things? Sure you are. We all are. Expect we’re not. At least not most of the time. And there are 12 biases (13 if you ask Andrew) that are responsible. These are situated deep within our subconscious mind but influence us still the same. Problem is, they are getting in the way of logical reasoning.

Most of aren’t even aware how much they affect us in our daily routine. But they do. And since this affects us all, it has a profound impact on the world. Not to mention our children. In this episode we cover what these are and how they play out in every day scenarios.

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One Cool Thing

* Andrew – Racing Jet Powered Flying Hoverboard

* Brent – Quadski

Homework may be the single least favorite world of children worldwide. And with good reason. It has one heck of a reputation. It’s the stealer of kid’s dreams and the evil of their nightmares. It robs them of play time and they would love nothing more than to banish it forever. Funny thing is, maybe they’re right.

There is considerable evidence that homework is overrated. Like, by a lot. It’s benefits have been disputed by repeated studies especially among elementary students. And even though it seems to have been around since the dawn of time, it might be time to get rid of it. Completely. Permanently. Weird, I know. But these are new times requiring us to rethink what works. And maybe homework just doesn’t anymore.

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One Cool Thing

* Andrew – Hamilton the Musical

* Brent – DNA Data Storage

Robots are showing up everywhere lately. They are checking us out at the grocery store and giving us money at the ATM. They are building cars on assembly lines. Is there anything an Artificial Intelligence driven robot can’t do? And the bigger question… what does that mean for our employment prospects in the future?

The experts disagree about the extent of job loss due to robot takeover in the next fifty years. But the signs suggest there will be at least some fallout. Some industries will be harder hit than others. Why do we care? Our kids. We want to make sure they don’t study a field that will disappear in the technological tidal wave. In this episode we dig in to the prospect of potential job loss, what fields will be affected, and which ones we believe are safe.

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One Cool Thing

* Brent – Cloaking the Planet from Aliens

* Andrew – STEM Video Game Challenge

Having a baby is a challenge. But what about when number two comes along? Double the diaper changes, double the breast feeding, double the teething… man, who in their right mind would ever want more than one kid? But that’s exactly what many people do. And they usually have no regrets.

Of course the big motivation to have another child is so the first child can have a playmate. And though siblings can certainly fight and bicker, they also get the experience of having a peer grow up alongside them. In this episode we talk to two dads expecting baby number two and bring on another dad fresh on the multi-kid train to provide some much needed tips.

Christopher Peterson – Decipher SciFi

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One Cool Thing

* Brent – Seed&Spark: Ordinary Women

* Andrew – Inside the Mind of a Master Procrastinator

The moment you find out you’re going to be a parent everything changes. In a few short months there will be a whole new person to clothe, feed, and look out for. It can feel entirely overwhelming. Especially if you’ve never had a child before. In this episode we talk to a few real first time dads and they share their thoughts on having that first baby. You don’t want to miss it.

The good news is there are lots of other parents out there who’ve come before you. They are fine and you will be too. You will experience challenges but you will be better for it. And the Digital Dads Round Table can help. This is a wonderful community of dads that share the joys and pains of being a father with each other. We help each other out when needed and we talk about Star Wars the rest of the time. This is where you’ll find the dads from this and other Round Table episodes and we sincerely hope you’ll join us.

One Cool Thing

* Brent – Wallingford Sign

* Andrew – Face2Face

A single book can change your life. We know that first hand in this case. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield is single handedly responsible for motivating us to start this podcast. It is also the reason we have persisted in the early days when it felt like nobody was listening (and they really weren’t). And it’s the motivation behind the book we are writing for you now.

To say this book has been important is an enormous understatement. In this episode we dive in and give you the basics of exactly why it is so powerful. We talk about what Resistance is and how we can overcome it. And we discuss how the principles in this book can work for you in reaching your goals and becoming a better father.

One Cool Thing

* Brent – Dance of the Sugar Pi Fairy

* Andrew – Comic Con streaming