Reno Dads - Being a dad in the Biggest Little City

Mission Critical Broadcast Interview

I recently had the opportunity to sit down for an interview with my former CIA teammate Mark (Center Line Systems) and his buddy, Lee (an addiction counselor in Minnesota), on their new Mission Critical Broadcast. We spoke a lot about our Reno Dads mission, our perspectives on our role as fathers, and some inside stories…

Childcare During Quarantine

I have been in the childcare field ever since I was old enough to pick up a bottle and a baby. Over the years, I have seen all different kinds of childcare environments including daycares, ABA therapy services, facilities, and in-home care. I can confidently say that having a nanny is one of the most…

Reno Dads Podcast Episode 25: Corona Check In

In this episode, we get on the “Zoom Happy Hour” bandwagon. It’s no BBC sing along or surprise Hamilton appearance, but better late than never, right?! RenoDads founders Mike and David, along with long time contributors Josh and Jake, as well as newbie Steve talk about dad life in the current pandemic environment. Dave’s got…

Elite Sports Jiu-Jitsu Gi

Right before COVID-19 struck, Elite Sports and I were talking about their Gi products and they sent me a jiu-jitsu Gi to try out and share my thoughts on. Naturally, as the Gi arrived, everyone went on lock down! So, like so many folks, I am on a jiu-jitsu hiatus thanks to this virus, but…

COVID-19 Schedule for Kids

I don’t know about you all, but this COVID-19 event hit our house pretty hard. Thanks to my (still classified) adventures in the CIA during Arab Spring, my family has been through a society collapsing event before, so that part wasn’t really a big deal. We are generally pretty prepared with endless amounts of food,…

5 Ways to Support Your Child During the COVID-19 Pandemic

As parents, the COVID-19 crisis has introduced a number of new responsibilities, stressors, and challenges. Whether it’s dealing with a changing employment situation, taking charge of your kids’ schooling, adjusting to a new schedule, or generally feeling uncertain about the future, life looks a lot different right now. This can leave you feeling anxious, fearful,…

Stuff to Do While You’re Socially Distancing

If you’re like most families right now, you’re at home with your kids all day every day, and have probably even run out of things to do. Can we plop the kids in front of their iPads for hours on end? Sure, but that’s kind of pathetic, isn’t it? We can do better. The blessing…

Navigating the Autism Spectrum

Many people may know that April is autism awareness month, but what most of you don’t know is that my son has autism. Don’t know much about autism? Most parents don’t really understand it until they are told their child is on the autistic spectrum. Autism Spectrum Disorder is defined as “A developmental disorder of…

3 COVID-19 Scams to Look Out For

I hesitate to even write this because I don’t want to add to any fear or confusion around COVID-19, but I’d hate to find out that any of our fellow Reno dads got hoodwinked. As fathers, we often feel it’s our duty to protect our family. Of course, we must protect their minds, bodies, and hearts,…

Born Tough Sportswear

Hooded sweatshirts are my go-to choice of apparel during Reno’s cold weather months, so I jumped at the opportunity when Born Tough reached out to Reno Dads and offered to send us a product to review. I volunteered as tribute seeing as this type of apparel is right up my alley. Thanks to the cold…

Excuses to Get Outside – Geocaching (part 1)

The value of spending time outdoors – whether alone or with others – cannot be over-stressed. One of the highlights of living in Reno is the diversity and proximity of a huge range of outdoor recreational opportunities. This little series is designed to help give you excuses to get outside and enjoy all the area…

Welcome to the Sandwich Generation!

Make me a Sandwich There was a time not too long ago that I thought to myself, with one kid in college, and the other in his junior year in high school, that I was about to launch into a whole new phase of my adult life. One of the things that I recall from…