What do Vasco da Gama and Dadding have in common?

The summer solstice took place last week. Besides being the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere it is also the day where the most asked question is:

Why are we going to bed when it's still light out?

Does anyone else feel like no more school + extra day light = kids that keep going and going and going?

Welcome aboard to our maiden newsletter…the very first. The expedition is leaving the virtual port.

Who is this newsletter for?

For dads...and if you are reading this...you are probably already a really good dad.

This newsletter is for dads that know there are still ways to be better. This is for dads that like to explore and discover.

You are also probably an explorer. Just like the great explorer, Vasco da Gama, who explored new ways to a new world...we are about explore new ways to the new world of modern dadding.

A world where we can learn to better connect with our kids, be a better ‘coach’ and take better care of ourselves.

We want to raise kids that are ready to grab the future by the….sails.

Being a dad isn’t easy….we try to balance… our spouses, our work, that backyard project that stares us in the face every time we look out the window and our time with our kids. We want our time with our kids to be more than a few exhausted hours chauffeuring them to and from after school activities.

The goal of this newsletter is to build a community of dads that want to embark on an expedition together and find new ways to connect with our kids. Find new methods of coaching them...all while taking better care of ourselves. It is meant to be fun, informative, and easy to digest.

So lets go! The maiden edition includes:

• The NO Pressure Art Of Teaching Your Kids To Ride A Bike

• The 9 Do’s And Don’ts Of A Father-Son Roadtrip

• Meditation: Yes, You Can Do It With Your Whiskey Nightcap

The NO Pressure Art of Teaching Your Kids To Ride A Bike

If you are a Gen X (like me) or Millennial learning how to ride a bike might have gone something like this:

“You will learn to ride this bike”...frustration...impatience...crying…”I wanna go home”

A better way…focus on building confidence vs. learning to ride the bike. Here are 4 simple steps:

1. A bike that fits,

2. remove pedals (or think balance bike),

3. let them scoot on their own,

4. soon they will be ready to put the pedals back on

This does two things:

1. Encourages our kids to gain confidence at their own pace.

2. Allows the experience to be pressure free: this isn’t a zero to a hundred process, but a gradual increase in skill.

The 9 Do’s And Don’ts Of A Father-Son Roadtrip

A more detailed take (~4 min read) here…and this guy makes a special appearance:

The DOs and DON’Ts highlights:

• DO: Make Your Son Lead Navigator

• DON’T: Be The Roadtrip Dictator

• DO: Allow Time For Spontaneous Adventure

• DON’T: Pass Through A Major City During Rush Hour

• DO: Take A Peek Under The Hood Before Embarking

• DON’T: Be A Cheapskate

• DO: Bring Camping Supplies!

• DON’T: Check Your Emails

• DO: Give Your Kid Disposable Cameras and Hire Him As Your Photographer

• BONUS: DO NOT USE THE ROAD-TRIP TO GIVE “THE TALK”

Be present. Do it together. Be curious. Be open. And don’t push an agenda. 

Meditation: Yes, You Can Do It With Your Whiskey Nightcap

The flow is so much better in the full post but here are the highlights:

Our brains are like a browser with too many tabs open.

Meditation is like closing all those mental tabs and starting over…aaahhhhh

There are serious benefits….shown to increase density of Gray Matter..that sounds legit.

Also improved focus and reduced stress according to this survey.

There are free tools to help.

Start small…5 Min guided meditation is a great start.

Yes, you can do it with your whiskey nightcap. Just try to save your sips for before and after the meditation.

Would you like more content ?