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Mocha Dad

The Secret to Raising Smart Kids

Since she was a toddler, my daughter Nee has shown a natural aptitude for language. She started reading when she was three years old and has developed into a talented writer and speller.
All of her life, relatives have praised her intelligence. They often tell her things like, “You’re such a smart girl” or “You got [...]

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Demi Lovato and The Jonas Brothers: A Concert Review From a Dad’s Perspective

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a Texas tradition. The month-long event includes a rodeo competition, livestock show, carnival (which featured outlandish foods such as fried White Castle burgers and chicken fried bacon) and concerts.
My family somehow used Jedi mind tricks to convince me to purchase tickets to the Demi Lovato and Jonas Brothers [...]

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Peer Pressure and Kindergarten Fashion

“Why can’t I wear broken pants?” inquired my 6-year-old son, N.
“What exactly are broken pants?” I asked.
“You know,” he said in a condescending tone. “Broken pants. The ones with the holes in the knees.”
“Oh,” I said feigning understanding. “Now I understand.”
“Good,” he said. “So why can’t I wear them?”
“Because you’re not homeless,” I said.
“But daddy,” [...]

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A Little Red Monster Defeats My Laptop

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” - Dr. Seuss

As I sat at my desk tapping away at the keyboard, my 2-year-old son, X, shoved a book in my face.
“Read Elmo,” he demanded.
I pushed the book away and continued typing. However, [...]

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Handsome and Cool

I’m glad to know that my son, N, doesn’t lack self-confidence. The following conversation proves this point:
“I told some of the kids at school that I know how to eat with chopsticks,” N said.
“Really,” I replied. “What did the other kids think about that?”
“They started saying that they know how to eat with chopsticks too,” [...]

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The Hand of The Father

This is one of my favorite photos of my daughter and me. I will always see her as the little girl who likes to hold her daddy’s hand.

Stay Strong,

I’d love to see your favorite father/daughterphotos. Please leave links in the comments section. If you don’t have a father/daughter shot any parent/child shot will do.

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Rocking the Vote

Since my daughter, Nee, has been at her new school, she has really blossomed. I give most of the credit to her teacher, Mrs. Scott.
Mrs. Scott was the first teacher who has really nurtured Nee and pushed her out of her comfort zone. Under Mrs. Scott’s tutelage, Nee has done things that take courage, confidence, [...]

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Old School Hip Hop Meets New School Toddler

Since he’s been watching Yo Gabba Gabba, my 2-year-old son, X, has developed some wicked beatboxing talent. Sometimes he and I sit in the living room and have beatbox contests. I rarely win because X has skillz.
One morning, I walked in on X and my wife, KayEm, dancing to Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy.” I didn’t protest [...]

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Freeway of Love

My 6-year-old son, N, and I share a love of cars. I guess we get it from my father who was an amateur race car driver and car enthusiast himself. I still remember the sounds of the roaring engines and scents of burning rubber, gasoline, and dirt.
But I recently discovered something that N likes even [...]

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The Ultimate Player

While I was lying in bed watching TV, my 6-year-old son, N, walked into my bedroom carrying his game case.
“Daddy,” he said. “Will you play checkers with me?”
“Sure, son.” I said. “Set up the board.” After hearing my response, my 8-year-old daughter, Nee, ran to my bedside.
“Daddy,” she complained. “Why don’t you ever play checkers [...]

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25 Romantic Ideas for Men from Women

You don’t have to be Don Juan to be romantic. Although we all like the grand romantic gestures such taking a trip to Paris or giving your mate Super Bowl tickets, it’s the small gestures that really make the biggest impact.
When it comes to romance, many men often are at a loss. Here’s a hint, [...]

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The World’s Most Embarrassing Dad

My daughter, Nee, is not yet teenager, but she has already designated me as the “World’s Most Embaraasing Dad.” I discovered this fact when I had to drive her to a classmate’s birthday party.
On the morning of the party, Nee excitedly shared all of the details with me. The party’s theme was Pink Pirates and it was [...]

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The Nightmare

While sleeping, I felt a tap on my shoulder. I rolled over to see my daughter, Nee, standing in the faint light of the digital clock that displayed 3:30 a.m.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I asked.
“I had a bad dream,” she replied. I pulled her close to me and gave her a big hug.
“It’s okay,” I said. [...]

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Dancey, Dance Time

“Dancey, Dance Time” is a big deal in our house. Not only do I get to expose my kids to different types of music, but I also get the chance to teach them how to dance.
Before I proceed, I must admit that I gave to birth to two out of three rhythmless children. This fact [...]

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The Wrong Response

During dinner, my wife, KayEm, and I often attempt to teach our children life lessons. For the most part, we do a good job of delivering motivational messages that resonate with the kids. There are other times when we fail to make our intended point.
One such time was when we were teaching the kids the [...]