Fun Activities with the Kiddos

Tuesday night, as most of you know now, is Daddy/Kiddo night in our house. The Wifey has a night class at the college and it is one night a week where it is just me and The Kiddos. Most of the time we have all kinds of fun. We play, we run, we ride bikes, and we eat junk food until I ears pop off. Okay, maybe not that much junk, but we live like, well, KIDS!

One thing I have enjoyed with this recently is coming up with different activities to do with the little ones. Making silly videos on the computer, making sock puppets, and making paper hats. There is always so much fun stuff to do with them and it can be done very easily.

Below I have just listed some fun activities you can do with your children at home. It is good fun, and a great way to spend quality time with them and be engaged. Arts and crafts are not only fun activities, but stimulating and helps them learn new skills. I hope you get a chance to try these someday in your own house!

• Sock puppets are the most play items in the world! Well, to me they are anyway. Simple to take one of your own socks, and one for the kids, draw eyes and a nose, and let the fun begin. Simple and exciting. Putting on a play is a bonus!
• Paper Towel Roll Binoculars – Need I say more? Tape to paper towel rolls to each other and have the children looking at everything in a different view. If you are like me and have more than one, cut the tubes in half and bingo! You now have two sets. Have the kids go on a hunt for different toys while looking through the binoculars and watch them learn to love exploring!
• Cup Phones – The old school classic. We don’t use a lot of tin cans so paper cups are the next best thing. You know what to do right? Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup. Use a measurable amount of yarn between the two and slip the ends into the small holes in the cup. Tie a knot on the inside so the yarn doesn’t pull through and PRESTO! Phones! The children will enjoy “talking on the phone” from room to room or just across the couch. Have more cups and yarn? Tie them all together and enjoy a conference call with the kids!
• Paper Plate Masks – Now this takes a little bit of patience especially if your kids are crayon happy. Draw two circles for eyes and whatever shape for the mouth you wish. Let your children color the plates using crayons or markers if they are old enough. After they are done coloring, cut out the eyes and the mouth. Poke two small holes in each plate, one on each side. Using yarn, make a strap slipping the ends of the yarn through the plate. Use a piece of scotch tape to secure the ends to the mask. Then let the fun begin. Don’t forget to make yourself a mask so you can join in the fun as well!

What kind of activities do you like to do with your children at home? Share them in the comments and help spread the good ideas with different activities to do with your children!

Holiday Shopping: Avoid the Stress

Oh yes, it is that time of year again. Black Friday is over and it is time to get down to some serious shopping. This time of year can be a very big stress inducer as the shopping days left seem to disappear. FYI: as of the writing of this post there are only 26 shopping days left before Christmas. DON’T FREAK OUT! Here are a few tricks to keep the stress level down and complete shopping on time without too much hassle.
Typically I am the kind to wait until the last minute to get everything done. Over the last few years I have decided that this is not the best way to go. Especially now that I have kids. Thankfully The Wifey takes care of making the lists and figuring out where we are going to get everything. I just help decide what we are getting everyone. Still though, I always dread the day that the shopping actually has to be done. So what can one do to bring the stress level down?

• Be Prepared – One of my biggest problems in years past was not knowing what I was going to get. Make a list, know exactly what you are getting and for whom.
• Set a budget – oh no, there’s that word. B-U-D-G-E-T … Allow yourself a certain amount of money to be spent and do your best to stay in that range. If you are on a tight budget like us, there are plenty of great buys out there at great prices that will allow you to stay within said budget.
• Window shopping and online shopping – It is always a good idea to price shop before you buy. Many retailers sell the same products, but there is always that one that will have it cheaper than the rest. Online shopping can provide some monetary relief as a lot of online retailers offer free shipping or great discounts and special offers. Take the time to browse around and see what you can find.
• Coupons – This is not a shock. Online and through sales papers. coupons are a holiday shopper’s best friends. Great bargains, great prices, and sometimes free stuff. Come on, who loves free stuff? THIS GUY DOES
• Calm down – Remember, it is just shopping. Treat it like any other time you go out shopping. Don’t let the stress of the word “holiday” get you in a panic. Have a fun and enjoyable experience and watch as the people you are giving to light up with excitement.

Do you have any more tips to make the holiday shopping season less of a stress inducer? Share in the comments and let’s all have a great holiday season!

Sock Puppet Fun

Thinking Back and Moving On

I originally posted this some weeks back. I was watching it again this morning and decided to edit a bit and repost for today as I could not have come up with anything better to say about the last year. How do we measure the last year? The last 365 days, 525,600 minutes, have almost completely expired now. Ever since I had kids, I have found that time has just flown by. It didn't take but the blink of an eye for 2010 to ring in and tap out again. Where did it go? What do I treasure? And where do we go from here?

I would also like to thank Andrea Krick for her amazing photographs of the family. We had such a great time and I hope we can do it again!

Social Media: A Family Connected

Okay, I am going to do something a little out of the norm for The DaddyYo Blog and talk about something today that isn't strictly fatherhood related. Normally I would do so on my other blog but seeing as how this is about family and staying connected, I felt that it would fit right here. Let me back up a little and lead in to this post a bit.

As you may, or may not know, I met The Wifey online in January 2005. Three months later I would leave the place I grew up for 22 years for a place I never even looked at on a map. When I moved up here I was able to call back home and talk to my family on a regular basis. Then I got introduced to Facebook and was able to connect with all my family there. 

Fast forward 5 years. I have now been married for 4 years, and I have been a dad for three. Through Facebook, Twitter, and the blog, I have been able to stay connected with my family members and share what is going on in our lives through social media. My mom, dad, and my sister are all on Twitter and we talk to each other there all the time. Yesterday, we used it and shared in watching the Macy's Parade together that way. 300 miles apart from them now, and thanks to social media, we were still able to share in a long running family tradition. I was posting about The Kiddos going nuts when new balloons were shown, my sister was talking about watching it with her daughter, and my parents were enjoying knowing what the grandkids were thinking about the parade.

My mom posted to us that it was great that though we were that far apart, we were all enjoying the same thing, and sharing in the moments. That's what family tradition is all about. The ability to stay connected outside of the normal phone call and text message really adds another fun aspect to being a connected family, and brings more fun to the table. I know this much is true: My family is pretty tech savvy, and we all get involved. I am grateful that my family reads my blog and is very supportive of what I do. Social media will grow by leaps and bounds. There will be new platforms and new outlets of getting information out. And through it all, my family will stay connected, and our tradition of love and fellowship will continue, no matter the miles in between.

Happy Thanksgiving Kiddos

To my children:

Today is Thanksgiving. I know your are too young to understand the meaning of Thanksgiving and the reason we celebrate it. I am very thankful to have the two of you in my life. Without you my world would crumble. But today, I want to actually say "Thank You". You hear me say it all the time when you do something I ask. When you do something without me asking I say it. And when you give me random sugies and hugs, I always say thank you.

Today, I say thank you for bringing such light to my life. I say thank you for always making my day better with your smiles. I want to thank you for being you. Your personalities are amazing, eccentric, and full of life. Your laughter is music to my ears and a sweet sweet sound to my soul. I want to thank you for being a living reminder that sometimes, I just need to lighten up and not take life so serious. I would like to thank you for making me feel like a kid again during our Daddy/Kiddo nights.

You do so much for me that you will never know about. I could never put these feelings into words (although I try sometimes). I thank you most of all for your love. For the love you have for me, and the love that pours out of my heart for you. I will never lose sight of the meaning of that love.

I love you with all my heart!

Daddy

On behalf of my family and myself: I would like to wish all of you, my followers and readers, a very Happy Thanksgiving and a blessed start to this holiday season!

The Value of a Life

How do you measure the value of human life? Is it by net worth and material possession? Is it by great accomplishments and acts of heroism? Or is it simply just because s person lived at all? Are we as a society charting a course to where  value of life is predetermined or must be assigned?

  I am sure you are all wondering why all the questions? The other day in my Twitter stream something caught my eye. A post written by Joyce Page entitled "Perfect Babies?" on her blog, The Next Page. The following is the beginning of the post, and sums up why I am asking so many questions.

"At first, when I read it on Facebook, I couldn’t believe it.  Twins were born in Arkansas and one of them has Down syndrome. Before they were born, the twins had been planned for adoption, but apparently, the parents want perfect children, so they rejected the baby with Down syndrome and now the child sits in the hospital with a Do Not Resuscitate order on it!  Sick!"

Really? There are really people out there that would throw a human life away like that? Even worse, we have a  government system and doctors who will let that child sit and wait to die? THIS IS DISGUSTING! Since when has it been okay to deny someone, ANYONE the right to at least try? A life is a life! Where is this world going? Are we going to start abandoning children because they are ADD? ADHD? Dyslexic? What the hell, people?! *breath breathe breathe breathe*

 Okay, let's continue a little more calmly now, shall we?

 I find it deeply disturbing and completely heartbreaking that people  that there are people so empty inside that they are capable of such things. I know it is hard to raise a child with special needs. I have been around children with special needs  before, and a lot of  you are parents of a special needs child. One thing that I always notice parents of children with special needs: Your love, your heart, and your will ALWAYS drive you to be the best parent you can be. There is much love in your family. I can feel it in your words.

 No  matter what difficulties face our children, or us as parents, LOVE can rule above  all things.  Ask yourself, as a matter of fact, EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU parents reading this ask yourself: Could I see myself abandoning my child because of an "imperfection"? Could I just cast him or her   out of my life, leave them with nobody, and never turn back?

 I was a drug addict for a number of years. Eventually my parents asked me to leave home because I had become unruly, my attitude towards them was not what my parents deserved, and I caused a lot of stress in the home. But note this: They still loved me. They still talked to me and they still cared about my life, even when I didn't. When I cleaned up, I was invited right back. Arms were open, hearts were open. My imperfections were not what my parents saw first when they looked at me. They saw their son. They saw the child that God had given them, and their love for the child that never faded.

I cannot imagine my life without The Kiddos. I cannot imagine not being a dad and not having the love I have for them in my life. To my children: No matter where life takes you, and what decisions you make. No matter how angry, or how upset I may get at times, I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU. You will always be my Little Man and Little Girl. Nothing and nobody will EVER take that away. I will never abandon you. I will never leave you. I will always be your dad. I will always have this same love for you, no matter what.

TO PARENTS: Go right now, stop reading this post, and go hug your children.  Tell them you love them for them. Let them know that no matter what the world thinks, they are yours. Let them feel the love you have for them through your words, your affirmation that you will never leave them, and through your actions. Don't be a part of this growing societal belief that perfection is the norm. NOBODY IS PERFECT. And that is okay. Love is true, it is blind, it is all. It knows no boundaries and no barriers. Love your children for who they are. They will love you for it.

Gearing Up for the Holidays

Lights are going up all around town. The air is getting colder and the leaves are turning and falling. The smells of winter and the holidays are in the air. What an exciting time of the year. Well, at least for the kids. For parents, this time of year can start to get really frustrating really fast. From finding the perfect gift, to finding any gift at all last minute. Getting the tree up, the cards sent out, the presents wrapped, it can all seem overwhelming sometimes. This year, we started a little early. After seeing lights going up around town, and the excitement in Little Man's eyes, I decided we should go ahead and put the tree up. I didn't think Little Man was going to be able to stay in his skin long enough for me to get it put together and turned on. Little Girl didn't really know what to think, but fed energy off of Little Man's excitement. It was magical to watch them run circles around the living room in anticipation. Stockings were hung up, the advent calendar is out, decorations galore. The house is starting to cheer up with the promise of Christmas.

Now the fun can really begin. Buying presents for the kiddos, for family members, and for friends. Getting vacation plans together to go visit the family in SC for a few days. Finding out what everyone else is getting the kids so we don't have duplicate items, and clearing the toy chest of toys no longer played with. It seems like there is so much to do and so much to plan just for one day of the year. Is it really that important to get so geared up and frustrated for one day out of 365? I guess when it comes to seeing my children so happy then it is. I guess I just don't want them to grow up losing sight of what really matters during the holidays.

Now, I'm not here to preach, or talk about religion. I have my faith, and other people have theirs. Yes, faith and religion do play a big part for me, but I'm talking a little past that. I'm talking about the spirit of giving, of being thankful, of counting blessings and moving past hardships. As they grow up I want them to know that it is just as important (and rewarding) to give back as it is to receive. I want them to understand that this season is not just about eating and getting presents. It is a great time of year to reflect on previous days, count their blessings, and look towards the future as the new year creeps closer.

Gearing up for the holidays an mean a lot of things to a lot of people. It brings joy and happiness. It also brings frustration and stress. No matter what it brings to you, let us not forget what it is like to be a child and bask in the excitement and joy. Also, let us try our best to not get lost in petty dealings during this season. Let's try to live the example to our children of what this season is really about. Let the holidays bring joy and peace. Happiness and comfort. And the promise of the future. I look into my children's eyes and I see the future in them. I see that my children, that all of our children, are the future and our example can change the course of time. For those blessings, I am thankful, and I will continue to look to the future every time I look into their eyes, and I will not lose sight of what really matters.

Feature Friday: 4 Awesome Dad Blogs and The Odd Mom Out

HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!! I hope everyone's Friday is starting off swell and you are looking forward to the weekend. Something I have not done here on the blog in a while is Feature Friday. So this week I jumped right on doing it. I always enjoy the connections I make with people in the blog and social media world. I have had many great conversations with many great people. This week I am featuring 4 dads and 1 mom. People I talk with, blogs and sites I enjoy reading, and people you should check out too. So let's get started!

Technology Fun: Ending a Tantrum

So I got this new laptop thanks to a giveaway from DaddysToolbox. First one I have had with the built in webcam and microphone and all that. I had to set about playing with the video and start figuring some things out so I can start posting more videos here. 

Well, the other morning, Little Girl was throwing one monster of a tantrum. Not really sure why or what it was about. All I knew is that something had to be done to get her quiet. I turned on the laptop and turned on the video software I downloaded. She was immediately silenced by seeing herself on the screen. Then I decided it was time to get silly and get a laugh out of her. The following video I put together really quickly. It is kind of lame but I am new to making videos. But here it is anyway, Technology Fun: Ending a Tantrum

Monday Memories: Guest Post from My Mom

Good Monday morning everyone! Hope everyone's week is off to a great start. Today I am honored to have my mom (@jmstaylor) guest posting once again. I asked my mom and dad to both write about their dads for posts here on the blog. Check out the post from my dad (@jricktaylor) "The King of Smiles" about his dad. I am always honored to have my parents involved on the blog and always enjoy reading the stories they tell.

Today my mom shares with us some memories of her dad. "Granddaddy" as my sister and I called him was a wonderful man, great dad, and awesome Granddad. Beloved husband and family man. We miss him very much, but in some ways, he lives on. Now, my mom, in her own words.

A Table, Chair, and Two Blankets: The Greatest Time in the World

Those of you who follow me on Twitter know that every Tuesday night is Daddy/Kiddo night. For those who don't know, let me catch you up to speed really quick like. On Tuesday nights, The Wifey has class at the college. She usually leaves around 3 and gets home around 9:30 at night. These nights are dubbed "Daddy/Kiddo" nights. Some days are rough, the kids are grouchy and what not. Some nights we have the time of our lives playing and laughing. We sing, we dance, we run around like crazy monkeys until our legs give out. This past Tuesday was one of those nights that I wish never had to end.

To keep a long story short, let's fast forward through the beginning of "Daddy/Kiddo" night. It started out with The Kiddos being grouchy. It was post nap and after school. One of those times where all the cheesies in the world could not save my sanity. Bath time came early that afternoon as I knew it would be a good way to calm them down. After bath, and after they settled the fun really got started.

We played basketball, soccer, and catch. I got the crayons out and traced The Kiddos' hands so we could make turkeys. Daddy accidentally made one of the turkeys with 4 legs instead of two. See what having kids will do to your mind? After this an idea came to me: We have never built them a fort or clubhouse.  Into the living room we went! Using their Toy Story table, a saucer chair, and two blankets I quickly constructed their first ever clubhouse and it was a hit! Little Man ran around screaming "DADDY! I LOVE MY GOOD BOY HOUSE!!!" (I am not sure why he called it his good boy house) .. The two of them played in it for hours. It was a house, a school, a cave, an igloo. It was anything they wanted it to be.

I miss having such a free mind and the ability to make anything into anything I want it to be. I miss the joy that came with new adventures. Somewhere along the way I lost sight of what it meant to be free. In this moment, sharing this new ecitement with my children, I found it again. I remembered what it was like to watch ordinary things become extraordinary and amazing once again. I watched them laugh and play. I lived in their smiles and their kisses. I will forever have the images of that time ingrained in my mind, and I will never forget again. I will not forget to sometimes just let myself go. I will never forget to let the ordinary become extraordinary. And I will never forget that we were all children at once. Every now and then, we still can be. We can live it WITH our children, and not just sit back and observe. 

On This Day, We Remember

Today is Veteran's Day. Today we honor those who have served in the military. Those who are still with us, those who are not, and those who paid the ultimate price in battle and laid down their lives for their country.

Today I would like to remember those in my family who have served. From the Army, to the Air Force, my family has seen quite a few members in active service from WWI to Iraq. Today I honor those. The pictures below are of my Granddaddy, Papa, and Grandpa. 3 great men and fathers with whom I have had the pleasure of having in my life before their passing. I have heard their stories both first hand, and passed down. The group picture is of my Great Grandfather Ray Hartsell, my great great Uncle Oscar Hartsell, and my Great Great Uncle Belton Hartsell. All three saw combat in WWI and all three returned home. My mom and dad have also contributed today with the pictures, list of family members who have served, and a few words about them. Thank you mom and dad for helping in remembering these fine men today.  We will never forget!



To all veterans:

Today we remember you. Those who have served and those who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. We honor you with our thanks and our praise. You have shown us what bravery is in the face of undeniable hardship. You have laid the foundation of heroism for those who will come after you. We thank you for your will and for your strength to stand up and fight for your country and the people it represents. To you we owe a great debt of gratitude. Without you, the freedoms we take for granted would no longer be free. On this day, we remember. And we thank you!

The Following list was written up by my dad detailing the service of numerous family members who have served in the military.

My Grandfather Ray Hartsell, United States Army Allied Expeditionary Forces, World War I, suffered permanent lung damage in a Mustard Gas attack in France.

My Grandfather Jim Taylor, United States Navy, drove a landing ship that helped retake the Philippine Islands. His craft came under machine gun fire, killing a crewman at the front of the craft. Pop swung the boat around, using the bow as a shield, so Marines could shoot the enemy gunner who was on a buoy. On the way back the ship was hit by kamikaze attacks.

My father in law Herman Scroggs, US Army Air Corp, watched his friends go down in a B17 crash in North Africa.

My Uncle Jim Bailey, US Army, crossed the Rhine into Germany.

My Uncle Lewis Taylor, United States Army, suffered serious injuries in France when the tank he was walking behind was struck by a shell.

My Uncle Bobby Park, United States Marines, made it to the Yalu River in the Korean War, then barely escaped with his life when four million Chinese came across the border.

My Uncle John Butler had the B24 his was piloting shot down by Japanese. He held the burning plane in the air while his crew got out, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross. Before he retired as a colonel he flew jets in Korea, and spy flights over Russia, and crash landed three planes.

The following words about "granddaddy" and the list of names were provided by my mom. This is a selection from a guest post you will find next week from my mom "Memories of My Dad" 



World War II took Dad away from the mountains he loved, and offered him adventures in
faraway lands that he had previously only dreamed about. He married my mother while
he was home on leave from the war. It was never easy to get Daddy to talk about the war,
but he made at least one good friend with whom he corresponded until he died. I have
pictures of Daddy and his friends, and a dog they adopted, and a young African boy that
liked to hang around their camp. After the war, Daddy started looking for ways to support
his young family, which consisted at the time of my mom and two older sisters. Farming
was his love, but not a consistent source of income with which to raise a family. He tried
his hand at an auto manufacturer in Ohio, but none of the family was happy up north.
Finally, in the early 50s, representatives of the federal government came to the mountains
to recruit workers to help build the “bomb plant” that would later be known as Savannah
River Site. Dad moved the family to South Carolina, and I was born a few years later.



Great uncles in WW2 - Clarence Scroggs (Navy, San Francisco); Frank Atkins (Army, Alaska); Wayne Crawford, Silvie Crawford

Korea - Paul Scroggs

Misc - Denny Scroggs - (Army, Japan)

Belton, Oscar, and Ray Hartsell

My Grandpa: James "Jim" Taylor

My Papa: James "Bo" Taylor

My Granddaddy: Herman Scroggs

An Open Letter to Amazon.com : You Failed Our Children - UNACCEPTABLE

To whom it may concern at Amazon.com:

Obviously you already know about the book and the outrage it has called. "The Pedophiles Guide to Love and Pleasure" is a disgusting piece of work that has no place on a site that sells kids items and books. I mean, seriously use your brain and not your wallet for a minute. Chances are, at least one person in your main office knows someone who was sexually abused as a child. Chances are that the majority of you have children on your own. This is the part where you put your wallet down and you use your ears for once: How would you like it if some random stranger had an inappropriate encounter with your child. How would you like it if some sick bastard raped your child and scarred them for life? It would be okay right? I mean, the stranger read the book and knows what they are doing. Am I correct?

I didn't think so. You hide behind free speech and non censorship yet you state you have the right to pull a book from the Kindle store at your discretion. Where is that discretion right now? How long has your income been making you so stupid that you revel in these moments when you are receiving so much press, even when it isn't good? When did you stop being a man, a woman, a dad, a mom, a son, and a daughter? How have you allowed yourself to become so morally incompetent?

I personally will no longer have anything to do with your site or any of your affiliates until such trash is removed from the Kindle store. I'm sure this isn't the only one like that but frankly I won't even look. If you can soundly sell "Bob the Builder" and this trash in the same store, then you are not of sound mind. Honestly I would love to come to the office of whoever gave the okay to this book and show pictures of victims of such crime until they cried blood and lost their sight. 

Yes, the same free speech this author uses is the same free speech I use right now. Although this country's view of free speech is tragically skewed and messed up. Since you want to hide behind that mask and not listen to the power of the people's voice and the people's writing, we shall have you listen where it matters the most: YOUR EFFING WALLET! 

Right now I call all concerned and caring parents to cease transactions with Amazon and the Kindle store until this trash is removed from the site. Parents: Amazon is not going to listen to our voice, to our tweets and to our writing. They will only listen to what matters to them and that is the cash flow. I will be boycotting Amazon and I encourage you to do the same. Show them that if they will not stand for our kids, WE WILL! WE ARE PARENTS!! OUR KIDS ARE OUR FUTURE! AND THEY WILL NOT BE SUBJECTED TO THE SICK MEN AND WOMEN WHO WOULD DARE USE THIS BOOK!

Amazon Fails: Are You Serious?!?!

Just thought I would throw this up in response to THIS BOOK being offered for download to kindle. I am not displaying a picture of it nor am I giving the sicko author the satisfaction of his name being listed anywhere on my blog. This is a rant and here it goes:

Anyone who looks to glorify the sexual abuse of children is a sick moron. You sir are a disgrace. Trying to make sexual encounters with children safe? WTF?!?! Are you serious?!?! Anyone who has sex with a child is sick and needs help. It is not natural and it is not right! Did you really think writing this book was going to make it okay? That we will lessen the sentences of people who get caught taking the innocence of children? Come on. I will tell you this: If some crazy, demented sexually deprived maniac hurts or even tries to hurt one of my children after reading your book, my face will be the last thing you see for a long time. I will be at your doorstep quicker than you can say "uh oh I should not have written this book" and my fist will be greeting you hello.

And Amazon? Where is your since of morals and ethics? Who let this slip through the cracks? Trying to make that much more money? Are you that desperate for corporate earnings? I'll give you my next paycheck to never see the BS on the site again. I cannot believe you would think this is okay. Let me ask you .. do you have kids? Would you like it if someone tried to have sex with your kid after reading that book? No? I didn't think so. Why on Earth would you think it is okay to try to profit off of this? Do you not have any common sense? Is that the problem? When I signed up to put books out for download I signed something that said that you had the right to not publish a book. I could drop the "F" bomb too many times and be denied. This crap though? No it's cool. It was considered okay and you put it out. You will not find me using your service or publishing anything I write through Amazon. It would be a damn shame for me to think that this is the same company who put out books about how to be a pedophile, and I would never live myself down for that association.

Okay, I am going to go ahead and wrap this up because I could go on and on about this. Just wanted to get that off my chest and out in the open. Twitter has been blowing up with tweets and links about this so I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Share your voice! Let them know that it is not okay to put children in danger for the sake of a dollar. Let them know that as parents we will NOT stand for this.

The Moral of The Story Part2: Teaching Our Daughters

Welcome back to The Moral of the Story! I am glad you are here to join me for part 2. Today I will be talking about what it means as a dad to be responsible for teaching our daughters morals and ethics as they grow up. In the first post in the series I talked about teaching our sons morals and how strong of an influence a dad can be. From how to treat a lady, to being an all around good guy, our sons will look to us as dads to be setting those examples. Sure they will see other influence around them, but we will remain the main source of learning. 

So what about our daughters? If dads will be the primary source of moral education for our sons doesn't it make sense that moms will be the primary source of moral education for our daughters? Well of course, that would be pretty natural I do believe. However, there is much about the world, about living right that our daughters can learn about from us dads. Let's dive in a little today and discuss. Teaching our Daughters:

Here's To Dad: And to the Children Who Makes Us Just That

I believe it was Bob Dylan that wrote "The times, they are a changin" . My little kiddos are growing up so fast now and they are getting so smart. I wake up every morning loving them the same as I did when I first laid eyes on them. Beauty, wonderment, marvelous. They are little gems given to me by God. Blessed I am truly for these two amazing gifts. I stand everyday in awe of them. I learn from them and in turn I learn about myself. I discover more of the expansiveness of love in my life. I learn about who I am by watching them. I see the future in those blue eyes, those adorable smiles and their incredible hearts.

Sometimes I lie awake at night. I think of things of the adult world. I worry about finances and paychecks. Taxes and health. Gas, food, bills, they consume my thoughts. I think of my work schedule and when I will get other things done outside of there. So many things consume me when I hit that point of the day where the adult world must get some attention. I like to spend a lot of time in my kids world when I am home. It helps me understand them. It gives me a new perspective on life and the mental break that all parents need. I am their dad. I am also a playmate. I am here to be whatever they need me to be, whenever they need me to be it. That is my job.

I think about all the bad things that could happen. What they will face in life. I say a prayer, and through it to the side. Because I can see so much more of the good when I look at my children. I can see the joy they bring to the lives of everyone they meet. I see the love they give to everyone, and the love that they receive right back. It is magical. It is breathtaking. It is the essence of life that makes all other things seem so minuscule. I don't know about all of you, but those facts of fatherhood make everything in life seem so tolerable. 

Being a dad is the greatest thing that could have ever happened in my life. Next to my wife of course! I bask in the glory of it. I rejoice in its awesomeness. Quite honsetly, I enjoy every last minute of it every day of my life. A toast: Here's to being a dad. Cheers to the moments that make our lives what they are. Lift your glass to the children of your lives. To their health, to their heart, and to their lives. Here's to them. without them we would be just guys. Here's to them for making us who we are. Here's to dad!

The Moral of The Story Part 1: Teaching our Sons

A very interesting conversation took place at work this week. It revolved around the responsibility of teaching your children morals. The two ideas were: A) Send them too church because they know how to teach good morals. and B) It is up to us as parents to teach our children morals. We shouldn't leave it up to someone else. A very intense debate took place and I just sat back an listened. Both sides presented well said and not so well said arguments. I have been thinking about this all week, and I have even talked with a few people about it since then. I think the topic is a great one and I wanted to write a little bit of my view on this and ask others to share theirs in the comments section. Who is responsible for teaching our children about morals?

I am not here to tread on anyone's beliefs, any religion, or any person. I was raised in a Christian home and my children are raised in a Christian home. Morals have been taught to my sister and I since a very early age, both in the home, and at church. Many families, no matter what religion they have their faith in, teach their children morals based on a religious standpoint. They also rely on their places of worship to teach their children morals as well. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this in my opinion but that is all the time I wish to spend on the religion aspect of it. Where should good morals start? Who should be the first responsible for teaching your children about morals? It has always been my opinion that teaching anything related to core values should primarily come from the parents. I cannot speak to what it is for a Mom to teach a child. In the next few posts to come I will speak a little of what I think it means, at least to me, to be a Dad, and teaching children about values, morals, and core ethics. Today: Teaching our Sons

I Am DaddyYo: Hear Me Growl

Okay, normally I would be posting on The DaddyYo Dude: UNFILTERED! right now, but I have decided to variate from my normal schedule a little bit this week. Have you ever had a time where you just felt you had to say something? That something comes up, and no matter the outcome, no matter the response, you just have to say it? This is one of those posts.

I appreciate all of my followers and all of my readers here on the blog. I have gotten to "know" so many of you and you are all GREAT people. I have met dads, moms, tech gurus, PR people, computer whizzes, and average joes like me. I have had the pleasure of e-mailing with you, tweeting with you, and even talking on the phone with a lot of you. You people rock my socks and I am honored to call you friends.

When it comes to writing the blogs, I value your input greatly. We discuss topics, we celebrate, we cry, and we laugh. I have even asked a few of you to proof read for me when The Wifey isn't around to help me out. I get good feedback, bad feedback. Criticisms and praises. I listen to all suggestions, and I do take a lot of it to heart. Opinions mean a lot to a lot of people. They can build you up and destroy you. Most of the time, it is all about how you take it. I have taken many opinions in many different ways.

However, there is one opinion I will never ask you for, and really, would not care what your response was. It is an opinion that only means something to me coming from The Wifey, Mom, Dad, and Sis. That is the opinion of what kind of dad I am.

Let me bring this around a little: Long story short, after a conversation last night I had a lot on my mind. I felt that who I was as a person, and as a dad, were being challenged. Superficial comments that rattled me to my core and boiled frustration out of my every pore. This post is more or less my response to an individual, and to my feelings as well.

I can't say whether or not I am a good dad. But I assure you, my family will speak for me. More importantly, my children will show it. I do not need the opinion of any other man or woman on the face of the planet. My children will speak for what kind of dad I am through action. My children's health, their well being, their happiness and fondness, it will ALL show for what kind of dad John T is. To be told that society's perception of me is a direct reflection on every other dad in the world is just plain stupid. Let me just throw this question out: Is the dad who kisses away tears after a child sustains a boo boo reflecting the dad who uses a baby as a shield from the barrel of a police shotgun? Is the sick twisted man who rapes HIS OWN DAUGHTER a reflection of the dad who lays down his life to save that of his children?

Also, to be told that the opinion of others is everything? Pardon me, but no, no it's not. I grew up in a family that understood and embraced individuality. All throughout my school years I wore many different shoes, many different hats, and many different coats. Though my parents did not really like the black and white plaid jacket with the zippers, they let me do my thing. There was no less love because of it. I want my children to understand that many different people will say many different things about them. But that will not matter. They are who they are, as THEMSELVES. They are beautiful , they are wonderful, and they are great, just as who they are. They will be whoever they will be, and I will ALWAYS love them without condition. I will not love them any less than the day I first laid eyes on them.

I will step down off of my soapbox now. I appreciate all of you who are still reading at this point. I am not making a personal attack on anybody. I am not here to judge, and I am not here to put you down. It was just one of those things that I just had to write about, and I had to tell it like it is. You can call me what you want. You can think of me whatever you want to think. When it comes to certain things, you can scream it in my ear, and I will not even grant you the pleasure of a passing glance. I know who I am. I know what kind of dad I am. My children will speak to that, and I will speak for me. I am DaddyYo! HEAR ME GROWL!

What We Do When Mommy is at School

Welcome to Wednesday! Most people do a Wordless Wednesday post on this day, and nine times out of ten  so do I. Today, I wanted to put up 2 videos and a picture from our time on Tuesday night. 

Tuesday nights, The Wifey goes off to her night class and I dubbed those evenings Daddy/Kiddo nights and we have a blast! This Tuesday we had our neighbors Beca and Uncle Willie over for dinner. The show afterwards was too funny not to catch on video. The kiddos love Uncle Willie and after dinner he joined in the crazy fun. So I present to you, two videos and one picture. "What We Do When Mommy is at School"

It's All About the Mo: Movember "Grow a Mo and Save a Bro"

DID YOU KNOW?

• 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime
• 1 in 6 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer
• Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in American men ages 15 - 34
• For more information, please visit the Movember Foundation

I have been waiting for this month to get started. Ladies and gentlemen, it is now MOVEMBER!!! Mustache growing at its finest. The idea for Movember started back in 2003 in Australia. Started as a semi joke about bringing back the mustache, while also doing something to raise awareness for mens heath. Much like Beards for Breast Cancer. No money was raised that year, but in the years after, the number of men participating, and the amount of money raised has grown out of the roof! Last year there were 255,755 participants globally, with $42 million dollars raised. 

The proceeds gained  through the US Movember participants will go to  benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG, the Lance Armstrong Foundation. What a great way to have a reason to grow a mo, and help support mens health around the world.

I have joined a Mo team, "The League of Average Gentlemen". You can check out my MoSpace, which I will be updating later today. You can make donations to me as a participant, or to the team. REMEMBER, all donations go to the Prostate Cancer Foundation and LIVESTRONG. For more information, please visit the Movember website, and check out the video below. 

WOMEN: This isn't just about the stache or the men. You can be a Mo Sista and help support your man, or men you know who are participating. You can also help support men's health by donating to Movember. There is even Mo Merch! So ladies, it's not just about us! 

Grow a Mo and Save a Bro! Get involved, spread the word, and help kick cancer where cancer tends to kick men the most!

** I grow my mo this year in loving memory of James Rufus Taylor and James Richard "Bo" Taylor Sr **