At Reno Dads, we celebrate all things fatherly, and no dad better personified the time-honored dad tradition of the Christmas lights display. As such, this year we are again in search of the best Christmas yard displays in the greater Reno/Sparks area. We’ll award the best of the best with the Griswold Award for their…
Category: Being a Dad
As Big Daddy Kane once said, “Dadding Ain’t Easy” (or something like that). Our dads explore best practices, dad skills and things to think about when playing the role of father. Since there’s no “how to” guide that we’re aware of, we offer our thoughts on how to be the best dad you can be.
Halloween Fun in the Time of COVID-19
For most families, Halloween will be spun on its head (imagine the scary scene in The Exorcist!). The only thing scarier than ghosts and ghouls is COVID-19 spread. But social distancing and mask regulations don’t have to slash your family’s Halloween fun. There are plenty of entertaining and innovative ways to take in the spooks…
This Reno Dad Supports the Quest to Protect the Region from Second-Hand Smoke
Dr. Marc Johnson has firsthand experience with secondhand smoke, as he and his brother grew up in a household where both parents went through cartons of cigarettes. The 72-year-old Johnson still has memories of being trapped in the backseat of a smoke-filled car in the cold Kansas winters. “Both of my parents started smoking…
Teaching Kids Gun Safety
If you weren’t raised around them, guns can be a bit scary, and for good reason. The same justified fear goes for motorcycles, swimming pools, ledges, the forest at night, and pretty much all objects (and animals) that pinch. Thankfully, we as parents get multiple opportunities throughout life to educate our children about the rational…
The Price of Allowance
Allowance can be a tricky subject to tackle. Even my wife and I have differing views on allowance. When someone brings up the conversation of allowance, the traditional understanding tends to be that you pay your child a certain amount of money in exchange for their completion of a list of chores. This mimics the…
Navigating the Transitions
My son Jameson is two years old, and he’ll be three in another month, but it feels at times like he’s going on five or six. He says and does some of the most grown-up things I never would’ve imagined he’d be doing at this point in his young life. He quite frequently tells me,…
What Do I Want for Father’s Day?
Every Father’s Day, we’re bombarded with advertisements that tell us what to get dad for a gift. And let’s be honest, some of it is really cool stuff! But, we asked actual dads what they want for Father’s Day this year. This isn’t a sponsored post. We’re not endorsing any products. This is what real…
Perspectives on Parenting from Higher Education
I got into teaching English in higher education, in part, because I love learning. College was fun for me, even in spite of its challenges; in fact, the challenges were what made it so fun. Discovering new ideas and new ways of looking at and living in the world were invigorating. They still are— that’s…
The Importance of Community Sports
Who Is Advocating For Our Children? I began writing this post about the importance of community sports, specifically youth sports like baseball and soccer, in February before COVID hit hard. At the time, I was watching the impact that travel and club sports were having on community sports organizations. I wanted to appeal to our…
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…
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…