tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036Tue, 08 May 2012 07:41:31 +0000blokesnighthousedad (vol.3)Useless Dadchildren (vol.4)PS3superdadnurserystuffXbox 360ITdemandsHarry Potterchristmasbirthmarriagechildren (vol.5)Scotlandantssleeptravelcorporate madnessplaygroupchildren (vol.2)father's dayhousedad (vol.1)Scary Karentownsciencechristianitysporthousedad (vol.4)childrenTVchildren (vol.3)parenthackssicknessNedWiitweensdiscriminationchildren (vol.6)schooldepressionmiceauthonomycomputer gamesdiethousedadfloodjobschurchchildren (vol.1)favouritestatisticshousedad (vol.2)FestivalmoneyMeet Ed. Everyone always thinks Ed has the day off. Why else would he be out and about with three small children? But Ed has a wife with a paying job and a belief that parents should screw up their own kids rather than leaving it to strangers. Most importantly, he also has a penpal...http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/noreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)Blogger315125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-8657840184879357899Tue, 17 May 2011 10:27:00 +00002011-05-17T11:27:57.599+01:00housedadMeet Ed. Everyone always thinks Ed has the day off. Why else would he be out and about with three small children? But Ed has a wife with a paying job and a belief that parents should screw up their own kids rather than leaving it to strangers. Most importantly, he also has a pen-pal... Unlike in all those housedad horror stories you hear, Ed is happy and competent rather than repressed and http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2011/05/welcome.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-1681547676565634941Tue, 17 May 2011 09:45:00 +00002011-05-17T10:45:09.953+01:00housedadDear other Daves and non-Daves, Hope you've had a great year. I've been busy teaching physics at adult evening classes, pondering the nature of life after toddlers and, in rare moments of peace and solitude, communing with my Xbox. I'm still not sure who I am or where I'm going but at least the physics thing has allowed me to share my confusion with some other people along the way (and practice http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2011/05/dadsdinner-lives-in-miniature.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-3172624216808108999Wed, 23 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +00002010-06-23T11:09:45.392+01:00housedadschoolDear Dave,Homework has stopped, the artwork has started coming down off the walls and the teachers have begun packing up their worksheets ready to move to different classrooms. It won't be long before all pretence of education is abandoned in favour of getting the kids to sit quietly in front of a Disney DVD while the staff decide which pots of paint are worth keeping until after the summer.Yep, http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/06/old-blogs-never-die.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-2556303619486229635Wed, 09 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +00002010-06-09T13:04:01.304+01:00housedadchildrenblokesnightDear Dave,It was Fraser's tenth birthday at the weekend. The Big One Zero. It hardly seems possible. He's gone from a gangly, stinky baby with very loud burps to a gangly proto-teenager with unruly hair in the blink of an eye.It doesn't feel that long ago he was struggling to figure out how to smile. Now he can use the internet, perform long multiplication in his head and answer back http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/06/day-3653.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-1115156591453908606Tue, 01 Jun 2010 08:15:00 +00002010-06-01T09:16:10.375+01:00childrenDear Dave,Marie walked up to me the other day and asked me, "Where's Heaven?"I was taken aback for a moment. Then I gathered my thoughts, ready to explain the concept of somewhere 'outside' space and time in a way intelligible to a five-year-old. I opened my mouth to speak but Fraser got there before me."Second row from the bottom, going backwards," he said, sauntering past."Thanks," said Marie http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/06/if-only-questions-were-always-this-easy.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5582311782819477966Wed, 26 May 2010 08:45:00 +00002010-05-26T09:54:19.467+01:00diethousedadDear Dave,Thanks for the sympathy over the home improvements. The kitchen should be finished any day now, though.Probably.Bear in mind that the foreman who told me this also said he'd have some guys round here first thing last Friday and they didn't show until half-past two. Yesterday he promised to arrive at lunchtime but failed to mention the other two workmen handily scheduled to turn up threehttp://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/05/being-dad-in-house.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-869870133729943059Wed, 19 May 2010 07:45:00 +00002010-05-19T08:48:53.273+01:00dietDear Dave,Yeah, I know how you feel. With children in the house, trying to come up with a menu that keeps everyone happy can be difficult. The only way I think I could manage it would be to serve pizza and fish fingers every day (including for breakfast).I used to dream of the day I could make one big vat of food, ladle it out onto five little plastic trays and then sit down for a traditional http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/05/catering-for-everyone.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-3366524794856249474Fri, 14 May 2010 17:30:00 +00002010-05-14T18:39:55.531+01:00childrenDear Dave,On occasion, Sarah and I pass the time by playing The Lift Game. This involves discussing which of our children we would least like to be trapped with in an elevator for an extended period of time.Clearly, being confined at length with any of them in such a small space would not be ideal but they each have their own individual traits and habits which might add just a little more 'fun' http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/05/lift-game.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-8312594433840439419Tue, 11 May 2010 08:20:00 +00002010-05-11T09:20:00.483+01:00childrenDear Dave,As I've said before, sometimes we get the kids we deserve...Last week, I spent plenty of time explaining to my children about the election and talking them through my decision-making process as I worked out who to vote for. I wanted to encourage them to discuss the important issues involved and to think things through for themselves.I began simply, explaining about the reds and blues http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/05/nature-vs-nurture-vs-irony.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-945408628436395773Wed, 05 May 2010 09:00:00 +00002010-05-05T10:27:27.872+01:00floodchildrenDear Dave,Bang, bang, bang... Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...Bang, bang.Mutter, mutter, curse, mutter...Whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.This is the sound-track to my life at the moment as tradesmen struggle to fit new electrical sockets into the walls of the kitchen. They keep encountering the random bits of metal hidden in the plaster. Perhaps the original builders thought these http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/05/responsible-carpentry.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-8934415541402183752Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:15:00 +00002010-04-30T09:20:28.534+01:00stuffDear Dave,Have I mentioned we're having our kitchen done? I think it's possible I might have let it slip once or twice. Not that I'm panicking at the imminent arrival of a horde of tradesmen or anything...They'll probably have large hammers and thick, Glaswegian accents. They'll wave the hammers in my direction, mutter something I can't understand and then look at me expectantly. I won't know http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/04/this-is-what-cameras-are-for.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5353074466768714Mon, 26 Apr 2010 09:30:00 +00002010-04-26T10:36:41.962+01:00stuffDear Dave,I'm exhausted. That's all the stuff emptied out of the kitchen and office, ready for the destruction and appliance-shuffling involved in fitting a whole new kitchen. I've also stripped the kitchen walls of the kids' paintings, a layer of horrible vinyl wallpaper we were hiding under the paintings and two even more hideous layers of paper concealed beneath that.I've learnt two things: Wehttp://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/04/full-cupboards-and-empty-wardrobe.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-6679027075576955587Wed, 21 Apr 2010 08:20:00 +00002010-04-21T09:22:22.844+01:00housedadScary KarenDear Dave,Yeah, I know, I haven't written to you much for a while. It's nothing personal - just a combination of school holidays and panicked preparation for the arrival of a new kitchen. My time is split between emptying cupboards and being forced to watch re-runs of Total Wipeout. When you're nine, watching grown adults get punched in the head by an automated boxing glove and then fall http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/04/back-to-earth.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-8283486141413976609Tue, 13 Apr 2010 19:45:00 +00002010-04-13T20:57:50.780+01:00stuffchildrenDear Dave,For me, one of the turning points of parenthood was a few weeks before Marie's fourth birthday when she developed the ability to get out of bed in the morning without immediately finding some reason to come and wake Daddy. I was no longer required to help solve the mysteries of toilet paper, her brothers could switch on the TV for her and all of them could last an hour or two without http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/04/holiday.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-9020023243800838701Wed, 07 Apr 2010 09:00:00 +00002010-04-07T10:19:44.349+01:00childrenDear Dave,Yeah, it probably is about time you gave Sam a chore. We got the boys helping out when they turned six. They each have their own job to do and if they don't do it, they don't get their pocket money.The plan was to make them realise that the house doesn't magically clean itself and thus perhaps give them some insight into the amount of work which goes into all the other things they take http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/04/chores.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4296748646102759484Wed, 31 Mar 2010 08:30:00 +00002010-03-31T09:54:03.783+01:00housedadchildrenDear Dave,The weather is finally improving.Er... Well, it was last week. (You know, before it started snowing again.) We had a few days of sunshine and relative warmth. As a result, when I walked past the swing-park during the day, there were several children there rather than one well-wrapped toddler forlornly swaying on a kiddie swing in the rain while his gran had a quick smoke.Peering over http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/knowing-nod.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-5759724237457903866Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:08:00 +00002010-03-25T14:41:27.514ZThis blog is now located here at http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/.Apologies for the inconvenience but it's beyond my control. Hopefully nothing much will break but expect some hiccups over the next few days.Should you get lost and end up in the wrong place, you'll be automatically redirected.Probably.For feed subscribers, please update your feed subscriptions tohttp://http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/this-blog-has-moved.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-1145724767744073879Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:15:00 +00002010-03-25T10:16:11.017ZchildrenDear Dave,Being a housedad doesn't bring fame, fortune or exotic trips. It's not really something to enter into for the pension plan or the lengthy holidays. It's mainly an efficient way to combine receiving hugs and playing with cool toys while catching a cold.Adulation and praise from my children is always a bonus, however. It was wonderful yesterday when Marie came out of school full of smileshttp://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/mirror-mirror-on-wall.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-666929973040260200Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:00:00 +00002010-03-24T14:11:15.026ZDear Dave,Jen over at Following the Road tagged me with a meme. I don't normally bother with these things but since she's my Official Internet Friend, I thought I'd give it a shot. It's about writing. Actual, on paper, writing.How does this pen thing work again?The Rules:write the following1) Your name/blog name.2) Right-handed, left-handed, or ambidextrous?3) Favorite letters to write.4) Least http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/just-this-once.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-373517083921988878Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +00002010-03-19T09:12:24.940ZchildrenDear Dave,When dealing with my children, I learnt long ago to pick my battles. Sometimes it's worth letting bedtime slide by five minutes in order to avoid twenty minutes of tantrums and screaming. On the other hand, when it's time for school, it's time for school - anyone dawdling is going to get an earful.I'm sure this comes across as inconsistent and capricious on occasion but in general it http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/never-start-land-war-in-asia.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-6920341360836464860Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:45:00 +00002010-03-16T14:57:02.384Zcomputer gamesDear Dave,I picked up a secondhand Nintendo DSi the other day. We had two DSs already but Marie has suddenly taken quite an interest in Mario and the investment was worth it in order to ensure peace on our next long train journey. Four hundred miles of my three children taking it in turns to whine, 'Is it my turn yet?' doesn't sound like fun. Now they can all play Mario Party together wirelessly http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/nintendo-not-so-stupid-after-all.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-4046128318784143862Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:10:00 +00002010-03-12T09:12:27.864ZchildrenDear Dave,When, despite the busy schedule of clubs, baths, school and homework, one of the children does somehow manage to have a friend round, life is often easier for me. Rather than being extra work, having another child in the house is enough to keep all the others occupied. Older children find a quiet corner to hide from young visitors; younger children sit and gaze in awe at bigger guests. http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/leaving-them-alone-to-be-together.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-633532996496743000Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:20:00 +00002010-03-10T12:28:25.972ZhousedadDear Dave,I need to start carrying a diary.It's not that I have any social engagements of my own to record, it's just that coordinating all the kids' clubs and activities is becoming more than my brain can handle. One of the children asks if they can have a friend round after school and I end up running through the following mental checklist: What day is it? By this, I mean which day of the week http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/making-date-with-diary.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-7964102265810904814Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +00002010-03-05T09:14:07.835ZhousedadDear Dave,Several years ago, at one of the first parent and toddler sessions I went to, I found myself sitting around discussing housework with a group of mums. Once they were past the usual shock and awe at being in the presence of a man who knew one end of a hoover from another, we had a comradely chat about how none of us was being quite as thorough with the household cleaning as we had been http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/dirty-housedad-confessions.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3690472945730852036.post-3854383441538571518Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:00:00 +00002010-03-01T11:12:38.108ZchildrenDear Dave,We've all been there:"Don't play on the rocks - you'll get hurt.""Don't throw your toys - they'll break.""Don't pat the dog - you don't know where it's been.""Don't write there - we'll get arrested.""Don't get sauce on your shirt - it'll never come off.""Don't eat that - you'll get sick.""Don't touch that - it'll explode!""Don't do that - your legs will fall off.""Don't throw rocks at http://www.deardave.dadsdinner.com/2010/03/shock-tactics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (DadsDinner)0