Toluu

Discovering Dad

Learning what it means to be a good dad.

Spotlight on Dads - Matt HaverkampToday

Spotlight on Dads is a weekly series from Discovering Dad that features involved fathers from around the world. The objective of the series is to inspire fathers to connect and learn from one another, while also deconstructing the stereotype of fathers as ’second’ parents.

This week’s spotlight shines on Matt from DC Urban Dad.  As a relatively new dad, Matt is discovering all kinds of things about fatherhood and the challenges of bringing up a child in a big city.  Although he does have some previous acting experience, he’s learning fast that there is no script for the role of dad.

Tell a little about yourself. I’m, Matt, otherwise know as the DC Urban Dad. I am 32-year-old, first-time father of a 3-month-old daughter. My wife Amy and I have been married for just over 8 years and for the past 5 years we have lived right in the heart of Washington, DC. We both work full time and are learning the ropes of parenthood day by day. It has been quite the exciting adventure.

Early on while in high school, I fell in love with acting and the theater. I took that passion into college and went even as far as to get

10 Sites to Discover this Weekend - Aug 29Yesterday

I got great feedback after doing this last Friday, so I’m excited to share with you 10 more sites/posts to discover this weekend.  If you have some free time and are looking for some good reads, I would definitely recommend checking these out:

1.  Zen Habits - 7 Little Habits that Can Change You Life and How to Form Them - title says it all. Building these habits will definitely help you as a dad too.

2.  Art of Manliness - 8 Inspirational Football Locker Room Speeches - I’m a sucker for anything to do with football.  These video clips bring back great memories.

3.  Nuclear Family Warhead - My Fellow Americans… - this is hilarious! Vote for NukeDad!

4.  A Man Among Mommies - 25 Things I Thought I Thought - I think I thought the same things, and you probably did too.

5.  The Busy Dad Blog - Cheers, MiniMan!! You’re 30! - fun birthday post for legos.

6. 

Reading is Fundamental - Book Recommendation ContestYesterday

Reading is fundamental.  Sound familiar? There is a great children’s literacy organization by that name. The statement is a simple yet powerful truth: reading is a fundamental way to learn and grow as a person.  It helps to increase understanding of the past and present; it expands your mind and stimulates your brain; it is entertaining; and, it is the gateway to a more creative world that is full of possibilities and other wonderful things.

Reading is an integral part of life in our home.  My wife Lori reads at least one book a week, usually for entertainment or to learn new skills for work (personal development, leadership or communication books).  I like to read non-fiction, especially biographies, history and true stories.  My kids love to read too, and we encourage them to explore books on their own every day.

Lori is a speed reader, but she is able to take things in quickly.  I tend to read more slowly, scanning back through important sections of a book, thinking of ways to apply what I’m learning to my life - I read for comprehension more than entertainment.  I also enjoy listening to books on CD when driving, so that I feel like I’m doing something productive while sitting in traffic.

I tend to go through the books on CD pretty fast, and Lori has a voracious appetite for books in general.  Some of the best books I’ve read have been recommended to me by friends, so when

How Have Economic Pressures Affected Your Home?August 28

The economic downturn has been tumbling for more than a year now.  Cutbacks are happening in almost every industry, while expenses for essential items like gas, food and energy are increasing.  All you have to do is look around your neighborhood or community to see that people are hurting.  Heck - you don’t even need to leave your home to know that people in all walks of life are suffering and blogging about it.

I’d be willing to bet that the majority of people in America have taken a minimum of a 20% decrease in net worth in the last year.  Home values have declined drastically.  Interest rates have gone up, and many people have adjustable rate or interest only mortgages that are about to blow up (I understand rates are historically low, but that doesn’t change the fact that adjustments add hundreds of dollars to most families monthly expenses).

The stock market sucks.  Interest bearing accounts and CD rates are much lower than a year ago.  Retirement accounts have been deflated like a two-week-old birthday balloon.  If you’re like my family, it’s depressing to think about the multiple steps backwa

Make Time for Yourself - Know When to Tap OutAugust 27

This article written by Contributing Writer Daniel De Guia.

I’m exhausted after a long day at work. All I want to do is go home and relax.  As a parent, though, my day is not done when work is over.  Parenting is my second full-time job.  I am on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.  It’s challenging to maintain a balanced life with so many competing priorities at work and home. Every once in a while, I need a break from things to recharge my batteries and find that balance.

For my wife and I, we each have a scheduled night out of the house every week. We get this night to do things like grab a few drinks with friends or go to a local bookstore and flip through a book in relative silence. The point is that we each get one night out for a few hours where we don’t have to concentrate on being a spouse or a parent.  It’s nice to just be Daniel during this time.

This helps maintain the harmony of our household in a few ways:

Freedom

As Mel Gibson said in Braveheart, “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our FREEDOM!” Okay, so it’s not quite that d