Just me and Daddy

A dad suggest 10 bonding ideas you can incorporate into your existing family schedule

1Take your child to school at least twice a week. The Traffic can be an opportunity to talk, without distractions like TV or homework.

2Visit your old school campus together. i look my son to UP one Saturday. My wife prepared a simple picnic lunch, and she "volunteered" to watch the food(in other words, nap under the trees).

3Share the comic books of your childhood. If you don't have any comic books, go to web. many fans have scanned their and posted it for viewing. With all the old comic book heroes of the past being made over into big-budget Hollywood films, you'll actually gey "cool dad" points.

4Wash the car together. Kids love this. Wear bathing suits and hose each other down. Water guns are welcome- the bigger, the better. (Another fun activity, give the dog a bath).

5Put together a toy model. Great for older kids. There are plenty to choosse from: robots,planes,all with amazing detail. he more expensive ones include a motor and batteries, so hey actually work. Admit it. you've always wanted one of these- and since "it's for the kids" the wife won't complain.

6Take funny pictures os each other. My son loves my gadgets, and when we're waiting at restaurants or killing time till dinner, I let him play photograph with my camera phone. Once, at the mall, we went to the photo booth while taped on my PC- they're hilarious.

7Go to the video arcade. My wife hates this place because it's loud, flashy, and involves cars and zombies. My kids and I love it because it's loud,flashy, and involves car and zombies.

8Do "group reading." I found this great series, "You Read To Me/I read To You". They're bedtime stories with different speaking parts, which my wife and I would read aloud to our son (he'd be sandwiched between us, clapping at the all right parts). You can get them at Amazon or order it though Powerbooks. worth it.

9Make a midnight snack together. I fully support my wife's effort to prepare balanced, healthy meals. But late Friday or Saturday nights, sometime my son and I raid the fridge for leftovers which we eat while watching movies. It's naughty, but it's fun. and I always make him drink milk with the cookies, swear.

10Make a separate grocery list. My wife and I take separate carts at the supermarket. She get the boring basic laundry soap and cooking oil, while my son and I have a separate list. She can take her time debating which shampoo to get, while my son and I tackle more important questions, like ice cream flavor.