Photo from Fifa.com

Just in case you missed it – here is an update of the results of the Fifa World Cup finals!

Spain has finally beaten the odds to emerge as the 2010 Fifa World Cup Champions. In the 122 minute nail-biter, midfielder Andres Iniesta was the one to seal the deal in the 116th minute, pouncing on the ball set up by Cesc Fabregas to produce the only goal of the match.

The final game was a tough one, however, with referee Howard Webb handing out 14 yellow cards and one red. 10 of the cards belonged to Holland, with Dutch defender John Heitinga being shown off the pitch in the 109th minute after 2 consecutive yellow cards. In spite of this, the Spaniards managed to show what “The Beautiful Game” was all about,  adding the Fifa Fair Play Award to their trophy.

Captain Iker Casillas, who led the team through both their Euro 2008 and current World Cup victories, also went home with the Golden Glove Award, having conceeded only 2 goals over the course of the tournament.

“This is something you dream about as a child,” said Casillas on winning Spain’s first ever World Cup. “It’s something you see everywhere but can never picture happening to you. To be honest, I still can’t believe it.”

Coach Vincente del Bosque was thrilled as well. ‘It was a hard-fought game, but we have got great players…It was a well-deserved victory and a very happy day for me,’ he said.

A final interesting, albeit random, piece of news – sensational Paul the Octopus has now officially been correct in every single one of his predictions for each of the 8 rounds, having picked La Furia Roja as the world champions over the Oranjes! Well, what do you think of that?

Watch the highlights of the match here.

“As agreed with the baby’s mother, who prefers to have her identity kept confidential, my son will be under my exclusive guardianship.”

Ronaldo’s mother, Delores, and sisters Elma and Katia would help to raise the child.

Latest reports say that the mother of the baby was a surrogate whom he hired to bear his child.

Whatever the case, congratulations, Ronaldo! At least that is something to look forward to after causing a lot of disappointment among fans after his performance against Spain this World Cup.

On some occasions, you may be called upon to lend a hand, “Hon, can you watch over the baby while I cook?” And in those rare occasions, you carry your baby and he looks at you blankly as if asking, “Who the hell are you? Where’s my mom?” The little brat!

The good news is you can improve your participation from being the “assistant” nanny whose main task is to dispose of soiled diapers. You can be your baby’s playmate. While the wife occasionally plays with the baby, it’s never like how we dads play – we play hard! In fact, this is a natural tendency for dads. Since we don’t spend much time with the baby as much as moms do, we tend to make up for it by being more fun. Daddy = fun! When you do this, expect your baby’s face to light up whenever he hears your voice or sees you coming.

The fun gets even better as your child grows older. As soon as the child is strong enough to support his back, you can carry him around on your shoulders while you run around the house (while the wife gives you the look – she’s either just jealous or she’s horrified for her ceramics and china). You can roll with him on the floor more freely, and more often than moms would (if they ever do). Dads tend to be more physical and more intense with rough-and-tumble games.

And while mothers tend to be very protective, fathers tend to be more adventurous. While mothers are more concerned about keeping the house and the kids in their best appearances and behaviour, dads are more unconventional, more unpredictable, more arousing, and more exciting.

Daddy’s sweet revenge
While you clown it up, growl, tickle, and wrestle, and while your child/children shriek and giggle, moms usually are contented just to be in the sidelines laughing and watching over the ceramic and china vases. And then you and your brood holler out to mommy, “Mom, can we have some juice please?” Hah! Now, who’s the “assistant”?

Benefits of rough physical games with kids
Without intending to, you are teaching your children a lot about life during rough-housing with them. In fact, I believe we are making them learn a lot of lessons at play than when we are just talking to them. We teach them restraint and self-control. Kids are a powerhouse of excess energy. Rough-housing can help them become more aware of their strength and limitations, e.g., that they can hurt someone or themselves. They learn this early on when they get hurt, or when someone else cries (not you, hopefully) and they learn how to be careful next time. This translates to the child’s learning and improving on his social skills when he deals with peers.

Studies have shown that the father plays a very important role in a child’s language and cognitive skills. Compared to our wives, we talk straight – and in a collegial manner – to our kids. Notice the “Hey, buddy” from dads to their kids? And the most important part – fathers generally don’t talk down to their children as much as mothers do.

The gentle giant
When you roughhouse with your kids, you show them another part of you that they can associate with – the playful part. You’re much stronger, much bigger than they are but in playing you show them self-control (that’s a lesson!), you show them that you should always not use force that could hurt simply because you can. Kids learn this as a guide in how they play with peers, especially the smaller, weaker ones. When you allow them to subdue you, tackle you, and catch you breathless, you become part of his inner circle of play friends – not just a figure of authority. Figures of authorities are awesome, but we tend to distance ourselves to them, right?

Therapeutic benefits
The child is not the only one who benefits from rough physical games with his kids. Think about those times when you come home feeling tired. You think you have no energy left so how can you play with your child? The truth is, most of the time, you are just emotionally and mentally drained – not physically tired. Do you know that we rid ourselves of the troubles and weariness from work when we play with our kids? Playing boosts our happy hormones called endorphins – these peptides secreted by the pituitary gland in your brain work like how opium affects your mood and energy.

When you get home drained, you have two choices: 1. greet everyone with a weak smile or a grumpy face to warn everyone at home you’re tired and you don’t want to be bothered; or 2. Greet everyone with your broadest smile that says, “boy-am-i-so-glad-to-see-you!”

If you choose 1, you can stay grumpy and no one bothers you. Your wife gives you that sympathetic smile, and your child greets you then stay out of your way. And then you try to rest while you continue to carry the world on your shoulder. It doesn’t look good to me.

If you choose 2, your wife smiles back and your child throws himself on you for a bear hug. Do you know how that that hug melts all your troubles away? Then he engages you with his stories with that tiny voice of his, and maybe even tries to play with you. Do you think you’re still tired? It’s just like the beginning of a jogging session: the first steps are difficult – then you get the high.

So, go ahead. Make mom a little crazy. Tumble with your child in a rough play. Just be aware of the possibility that kids may overdo it. If they do, be sure to address these and make them understand the limitations.

I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection.
- Sigmund Freud

Being a dad is more important than football.
- David Beckham

Being a great father is like shaving. No matter how good you shaved today, you have to do it again tomorrow.

- Reed Markham

The father of a daughter is nothing but a high-class hostage. A father turns a stony face to his sons, berates them, shakes his antlers, paws the ground, snorts, runs them off into the underbrush, but when his daughter puts her arm over his shoulder and says, ‘Daddy, I need to ask you something,’ he is a pat of butter in a hot frying pan.
- Garrison Keillor

“Fatherhood is the best thing I ever did. It changes your perspective. You can write a book, you can make a movie, you can paint a painting, but having kids is really the most extraordinary thing I have taken on.”
- Brad Pitt

The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.
- Rev. Theodore Hesburgh

There are three stages of a man’s life: He believes in Santa Claus, he doesn’t believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus.
- Author Unknown

My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard. Mother would come out and say, “You’re tearing up the grass.” “We’re not raising grass,” Dad would reply. “We’re raising boys.”
- Harmon Killebrew

He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.
- Clarence Budington Kelland

A new father quickly learns that his child invariably comes to the bathroom at precisely the times when he’s in there, as if he needed company. The only way for this father to be certain of bathroom privacy is to shave at the gas station.
- Bill Cosby

Naturally, like most fathers, I wanted to give them my best. As a father of two, I realized the importance of shared parenting, and recognize the crucial role that fathers play in children’s lives. My wife and I have an unspoken pact in raising children. When they were infants, she took care of the ‘input’ (breastfeeding) and I was in charge of the ‘output’ (changing diapers). Now that they are older, she does most of the teaching and I take care of the playing and coaching. For example, she would teach our boys how to play chess, soccer, tennis, and basketball, while I conduct training sessions with them to hone their skills. As a result, we spend a great amount of time learning and playing together as a family.

Our boys are presently in primary school. We talk about everything and they are comfortable with sharing whatever that is on their mind and in their heart with me. It seems that active involvement during their early childhood years and countless hours of play during their developmental years do have a payoff. I began to suspect that giving our children our best may be as simple as fulfilling what they truly need from us.

The fundamental rule for succeeding in ‘the business of fatherhood’ is no different from that which is usually taught at business schools — seek to understand the clients’ needs and fulfill them in the best way possible. In this case, the ‘clients’ happen to be our children. With that understanding, I turned to our boys and sought their opinion by asking: “What do you like most about Daddy?” Their replies were:

• “You always play with us.”
• “You tell funny bedtime stories.”
• “You give up work for spending time with me.”
• “You make me feel loved.”
• “You’re my hero.”

Children are often our best teachers. Their innocent and genuine comments have given me some invaluable insights into what it takes to be a successful father. Amongst them, here are the top five factors that I believe will stand the test of time. Several fathers whom I have consulted also shared similar views.

1. Being present
A fellow father, Peter Lim, author of Little Miracles – The Journey to Parenthood, once said to me, “I have always maintained that the best gift a dad can give his children is the gift of his presence.” I could not agree more. Ultimately, to the child, getting an expensive toy or winning a trophy does not matter as much as whether dad is there when needed. Our presence speaks loudly about how important they truly are to us.

Being present will demand our time and attention, but these are the things that we already have. The truth is that each of us has twenty four hours a day and how much of that do we choose to devote to being with our children will depend on how important they are in our lives. And there is no short cut by making up for the lack of quantity with quality. Indeed, quality time often arises from the quantity of time that we are being around our children. It is not just about witnessing their significant milestones or taking them away for annual vacations. It is about being there with and for them as part of their daily lives. It could mean simply rolling around in bed or having a conversation about their friends during mealtimes. The bottom line is to be present while they still need us, for they will soon be leaving us to establish their own lives.

2. Fun to be with
Our boys enjoyed the funny stories I tell them at bedtime. Having a good laugh together is a wonderful way to end the day. They taught me the importance of being someone who is fun to be with. While we might need to be firm and serious at times, especially when disciplining our children, let that be as brief as necessary. Mashren, another father, shared: “Put on your ‘serious’ face only when necessary. It works even better if rarely used.”

Fun and laughter have the power to destroy all barriers. They are the best tools for keeping the doors to our children’s hearts open. Being fun allows us to remain approachable and accessible. These are important qualities that encourage them come to us, especially when they are troubled or in need of guidance and support.

3. Loving
My heart melted when Dylan said, “You make me feel loved.” There is no doubt that all parents love their children, but not all children feel loved. Somehow, parental love is often not transmitted effectively. We must not be afraid to express our love for our children and to do that in a variety of ways. I make it a point to reassure them that I will always love them, squeeze out a few big smiles from them with a hug in the morning, and put tuck them into bed at night with kisses.

The heart of a father’s love is acceptance. Loving our children entails accepting them unconditionally for who they are, no matter what they do. At times, we might reject their behaviors but we must not reject them. Instead of embarking on a lengthy lecture on what they should and should not have done, it would be more fruitful to first seek to understand the underlying emotions and intentions that drove their behaviors. Listening to them non-judgmentally without denying or invalidating their thoughts and emotions can make them feel understood. When they feel understood, they feel accepted and loved. And when they feel loved, our words are more likely to get through to them.

The expression of a father’s love does not stop at the child. A word of wisdom that I consistently get from older fathers,  “The best gift we can give our children is to love our wives and their mothers.” By loving their mothers, we create a loving family environment which makes possible their healthy development and growth.

4. Lead by Example
As fathers, we are often held as ‘heroes’ in our children’s eyes. They look up to us as role models and hence, it is imperative that we walk the talk and lead by example. What better ways are there to cultivate values such as courage, integrity, respect and honesty than through the way we live our lives?

When my sons said I am their hero, they meant two things. Firstly, I made them feel safe by guiding them to confront their fears, such as defeating the ‘monsters’ they encounter in their dreams and playing against a strong opponent at a chess tournament. Secondly, I exemplify what they aspire to be. “When I grow up, I want to be like Daddy,” they often said. While it is flattering to hear that, I also recognize that my ability to influence them will eventually dwindle with time (their favorite pop idols and football players will soon take over). Therefore, it is important that we guide them to develop a strong foundation in values through leading by example while we are still in the position of influence.

5. Versatility
Lastly, as fathers, we don several hats in our children’s lives. These include that of a teacher, mentor, coach and friend. Our success as fathers lies not in excelling in any particular role, but in having the versatility to put on the right hat at the right time. For example, being a coach is great for guiding them to discover and actualize their unique potentials, while being a friend works best when they simply need a listening ear. As our children continue to grow and our primary roles evolve accordingly, we need to grow too and equip ourselves to carry out what is called for from us.

Once again, my fatherly mentor summed it up well when he shared, “When my children were young, I was their father. Now that they have grown up, I am more of a fatherly friend.” As a father, like Lance Armstrong, I too aspire to give my children the kind of dad they want of me: one who is present in their lives and plays regularly with them, fun to be with, loving, regarded as their heroes, and able to meet their evolving needs by playing different roles in their lives.

He found himself thinking about sex even while listening to his wife reading a story by Dr. Seuss. While he was feeling hard up and demented, his wife looked like she was totally in love. He felt like he was the third wheel intruding on his wife’s blissful relationship with someone else. The object of her affection?

Their baby.

Experts say that we all have “eros” in us. It is a force that motivates us to love and to create. For mothers, doting, cuddling, feeding and fussing over their babies are wonderful expressions of this powerful force. When couples are newly-married, the only object of a wife’s eros is her husband. But as soon as the first baby is born, things totally change.

Wives can become so busy fawning over their babies that they don’t even notice their husbands at all. This usually makes men feel rejected and depressed.

Therapist Esther Perel advises couples to redirect eros back into their relationships. Wives should learn to reallocate energy back into their intimacy with their husbands. Maintaining balance is important in achieving a healthy family life.

So husbands, next time you feel like you’re the third wheel in your wife’s relationship with your baby, reach out to her and tell her that you miss her. Just hope that she’ll acknowledge you and reciprocate your attention.

“Hi I’m Jane Doe and I like sucking up.”
We’ve seen them before. Parents who plant their noses into the firm butt cheeks of the school’s Board of Decision Makers, not only to sniff and kiss out every vile stench and flavour of those empowered but also to guarantee their children are secured a place in *insert prestigious Big Brand school here*

No, the team at TheAsianparent is not knocking suck-up parents here. If anything, we know that it’s critical that parents actively support their schools as research has shown that such positive involvement causes children to behave better or even score higher on tests.

But at what cost? Every parent remembers the secondary school overachiever who was born into money, blessed with looks and always came in first in schooling or sports. Very often, it was both. Many of us have had brushes of fame – however fleetingly – with them and looked on with much enviousness. Fast forward ten years and these consummate ‘professionals’ who made everything look easy have grown into upper class snobs, first in line again, albeit in a rather different line of work.

Unfortunately, this lip-smacking puckering up transcends all cultural classes and social divide. These days it’s not uncommon to spot the snobs in a sea of middle class Regular Joe Blows.

Such predatory networking is embarrassing, odious and frankly quite rude. Sorry, but who died and made you the champion of World Peace (or whatever the school is raising funds for) when there are hundreds of more deserving parents who fit the bill? What, you live just a hundred meters out of the 5km ‘preferred’ radius? Oh, cry me a river already. And you, stop that whinging. Promoting elitism in a society driven by positive results and the ‘money talks’ mentality is not the best thing since sliced bread. More is not always best.

Charades With An Infant
You’ve seen it before in public and it’s much too common to be relegated as a case of knocking back a couple of cold ones. There you are, sitting in the food court with your mates, minding your own business. You’re only half aware of the couple with the toddler at the next table.

Then it happens. The kiddo starts crying, and Eager Mommy attempts to placate kiddo with a series of comical gestures that mimic antics and gesticulations honed by master miming artists. It’s a throwback to the dark days of Win, Lose or Draw when civilised human beings decked out in proper attire tried to outdo their Neanderthal cousins with comical movements, imaginary drawings and confounding guesswork. Comedy never had it so good.

Sign language is all good. When a child reaches a stage of life where advanced communication is needed due to physical impairment or is interested in learning it as a craft, no dissuading is needed. After all, communication is communication.

Yet most parents fail to understand the three fundamental points of understanding a baby. Eat, Sleep and Poop. Yes it’s not so much about the understanding bit; it’s all about being understood.

In fact, it’s this easy. It’s all about the three-step routine.

Baby is hungry and cries. Don’t sign and perform guesswork. Check nappy and comfort Baby.

Baby is tired and cries. Don’t sign and perform guesswork. Check nappy and comfort Baby.

Baby has pooped in the nappy and cries. Don’t sign and perform guesswork. Check nappy and comfort Baby.

There you go. Unless you reckon you’ve got a shot at public adulation ‘coz your baby talks like Bruce Willis, save yourself the humiliation and keep the sign language under lock and key. Or just use it at home.

To Breast Or Not To Breast?
I don’t have breasts. Actually that came out wrong. I don’t have breasts that are capable of lactation. I’d never know what it feels like to provide nutrition or feed my young one, nor would I know what it feels like to be looked upon by those little baby eyes and be instantly recognised as FOOD. If I knew I have been empowered to provide food and life to a helpless little being, I know my life would change forever. That little being is under my custody, my protection and my little window to a world I’ve long forgotten. But I wouldn’t know it, because I don’t have breasts.

However, what I do know is women have a choice with their breastmilk. Or rather, what they do with it. Whether it is beliefs, religion, superstitions, health or even personal reasons, it’s extremely annoying and even rude to be looked upon with scorn and distaste just because you do not breastfeed your child.

Yes we’ve all read, watched and heard reports on the health benefits of breastmilk. Yet it’s these same reports that we’ve just read, watched and heard that we’ve been privy to the smaller communities of women around the world who are against breastfeeding.

Personally I know a few tweens (the ages 7-14) from my personal tuition and school leader days who grew up solely on milk formula. These kids act, behave and look just like any other kid out there. Spritely, active and always thirsty for knowledge.

Pro-breast feeding or anti-breast feeding, that’s for the fervent breastfeeding zealots to sort it out. Until the day some sort of legislation is passed due to a breakthrough in breast feeding science, mothers around the world have a choice in what they do. It is really no one else’s business when it comes to breast feeding. After all, Mother knows best.

1) Their favourite desert

2) A new novel with a handmade bookmark

3) A smiley face Famous Amos cookie

4) A heart-shaped balloon, or a round white/transparent balloon, with a rose placed on the inside

5) A framed photo of the two of you to put on her work desk

6) A mixed CD with romantic sappy love songs

7) A hand-written love note and explaining why, and when you fell in love with her

A bottle of her favourite wine

9) A box of strawberries and a can of whipped cream *grin*

10) Hershey kisses and a single stalk of rose

For years, unshaved, un-moisturised, grubbiness and such were sexy on a man. We all remember those famous booze or cigarette commercials that we would catch while on holiday in another country. Guy with a 5 o’clock shadow walks into bar, wearing dirty jeans and a leather jacket, moves stealthily to the barman and demands a drink but due to his ruggedness, by some strange equation, he deserves the best drink in the house. As he gulps down the beer and then wipes his mouth on his sleeve, we couldn’t help but crave for him. There was just something about the griminess that made him irresistible.

As we are reaching a decade into the 21st Century, more men are becoming self-conscious which to us women, can either work for us or against us. I mean, walking into a reception with a guy who takes pride in himself and has spent a barrel of cash to make himself look and smell good is certainly a delicious thought. However, this also means, you, my dear woman, are going to be spending time battling with him for bathroom time, slips on Saturdays to the salon and more! But then again, when you look at the final product, standing there with perfectly styled hair, the scent of Hugo Boss’s aftershave surrounding him like a shield, nails trimmed and cleaned…Salivating aren’t you?

TheAsianParent decided to go a little eye-candy hunting (with no complains!) and pick out our favourite famous metrosexual dads!

Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt may be in the middl e of his fourth decade but he still sets tongues wagging. A father to 6 young ‘uns, Pitt and his ever changing hair colour keeps women, young and old, at the edge of their seat with the wonderful way he embraces his crisis-less midlife. Still the face of many endorsements, Pitt blends in fatherhood well with up keeping himself. Pitt shows that being metrosexual does not necessarily mean being effeminate but it means loving yourself and taking an interest in your appearance.

Hrithik Roshan
The world sat up and took notice of a Bollywood hunk guy frolicking on the beach with the most rom antic eyes back around 1999. Hrithik needs no introduction, having a famous father who directs and an uncle who does movie scores. Now a father of two, Hrithik still looks every inch the goodness he did when he first entered the big screen, almost a decade ago.

Keith Urban
The appearance of country music has certainly improved with Keith Urban popping up as the new age metrosexual cowboy. His rugged good looks combined with his own style, gives him the lead in winning over non-country music fans! His signature haircut, the long layered cut, has certainly been the talk of the town for a while now and though it gives him the unkempt look at times, it has certainly been a style that has been followed by men, worldwide!

David Beckham

How could an article on metrosexual dads be complete without the poster boy for the metrosexual guy? We decided to keep him last ‘cause by now you’re probably cursing for not reading his name! Anyway, Becks, famous for having his soccer skills, is probably even more popular for his ability to look good in any hairstyle, clothes – Becks even wor e a sarong, at one point, for crying out loud, and still looked better than certain women I’ve seen parading in them. Never one to shy away from anything in the name of fashion, Becks is the essence of metrosexuality! The father of 3 active little boys under the age of 12 and a possessor of a physique that would put any single guy to shame, Becks has and will continue to dominate numero uno on the list for the top metrosexual guys!

The metrosexual guy is a fella who can walk bravely into the make-up department of any shopping centre and ask advice on a new cleanser. He can help to accessorise for his gal-pals while totally feeling secure as he talks to his girlfriend about it. The homosexual manual of looking good has been stolen by the metrosexual and he copies everything while remaining very much a heterosexual.

As gay guys begin to compete with the new urban metrosexual man, we women cannot sit back and relax ether. Ladies! If you’re with a guy who keeps himself up-to-date with fashion, etc. then it’s time you get out there and do something. In a world that is still coming to grips with gay men; spot a guy with black pants, black shirt, a brown belt, hair styled to the nines? You might just be looking at a straight guy who is a father to three moppets who just happens to take extremely good care in his personal grooming!

History and culture (both Western and Eastern civilisations) have portrayed the male persona as the provider. Even before civilisations were formed, pre-historic man is depicted as the large burly type brandishing a wooden club. He is the brave hunter who brings home food. He is the warrior who protects his brood from invading hostiles and other wild animals.

In modern civilization, the male persona is the one who goes out of the house to work. Even those little picture books our schools provide for our children show the father either carrying a brief case, or the wooden plow. Man’s greatest source of pride (and main responsibility), since time immemorial, is his ability to provide and protect his family. Full-time Dads, like me, are breaking this mold—and not without their share of awkward and difficult moments.

Lucky are those stay-at-home Dads who have a household helper at hand. First-time stay-at-home Dads without help at all could very well experience the travails of the “Mr. Mom” shown in this video clip!

Isolation: Losing your old self
I just felt that one of the worst part of being a full-time Dad is to feel being isolated from the rest of the world. Being a stay-at-home Dad is a complete 360 degree turn from the razzle-dazzle of a corporate world where you once belonged. You are no longer surrounded by fawning staff or power players in the water fountain; you only have the house help who wonders why you’re not going to work like everybody else.

There are no more complicated corporate mumbo-jumbo; just domestic chatter about the trash, leaking faucets and, sometimes, even laundry. You are no longer concerned with quarterly reviews, performance assessments, and bottom lines; instead, you only rant about how the daily menu isn’t giving the children a balanced diet. You don’t need to wear signature clothes and your shiny Florsheims anymore as you don’t have important meetings with important people anymore. And the only few times you have to make “critical” decisions are when the wife asks you if it’s ok to let your son sleep over at the in-laws for the night.

The upside to this is that the stay-at-home Dad no longer has to contend with daily traffic grind. Imagine commuting two to four hours each day on heavily smogged city streets? You save on gasoline, or taxi/bus fare. One of the best parts of working at home is the dress code—you can practically work even in your boxer shorts!
The best way to fight this isolation is to try to get out of the house each chance you get. Instead of letting the wife do the grocery shopping from work, you may work out a schedule where you and the kids can go instead. You can attend PTA meetings at school and meet new faces. While at it, you may even do some volunteer work for kids like coaching, organizing field trips, etc. Network in your community too where you can also do volunteer work, or join civic clubs and organizations. On-line forums, websites that cater to full-time Dads could be of great help.

You may even go one notch higher by attending seminars to learn some new hobbies, career-related seminars, and other skills upgrading forums. You may also want to consider attending classes to further your education. Let us not discount the possibility, however remote, that you may need to find another regular job in the future, and these volunteer works, skills developed, special courses and seminars would make your CV look sturdier. Read journals, and stay in contact with old work buddies, and make new ones. The last thing you should neglect while being a full-time Dad is keeping yourself “employable.”

“No! That’s too much TV already!” vs. “Go and watch TV!”

The kids! Aren’t they the most horrible things on earth? When I was watching the “Mr. Mom” video, I just saw my life story in a nutshell! They can be very terrible one moment, and at a bat of an eyelash, they can become the most adorable and cutest things in the universe.

When I was still working in an office, I confess, I rarely see my kids. I worked in the broadcast industry where it is necessary for me to work long, irregular hours. I am always at work and when I get home late at night, everyone’s already asleep. Now, I have too much of them. If not for the Barney, Dora, and “Smart Kids” videos, I would have lost my wits a long time ago.

But one thing for sure, after several months of being a full-time Dad, I can no longer imagine a day without seeing them, or hearing their laughter and the occasional, out-of-the-blue, “I love you, Dad.” I’d still want to be where I am right now.

Salute to the super-moms

And yes, being a full-time Dad made me see Moms in a better light. After experiencing what I am going through right now as a full-time Dad, I’d laugh at anyone who would say, “The female is the weaker sex.” They are far stronger and tougher than we guys think they are.