Awesome Fathers in the Animal Kingdom that Will Put you to Shame

The fatherhood role in our society has shifted dramatically over the years. In my grandfather's time, men typically had a virtually non-existent part in child care during the first few years of life.

For example: My grandfather would tell me that back then, how it was common for men to sit in a separate waiting room while their wife went into labor and that the idea of a man changing diapers was virtually unheard of. Now compare that to my experience, where I was there for every step of my son's birth, from labor pains to cutting the umbilical cord. Not to mention, I've changed so many dirty diapers that my wife and I would play "rock, paper, scissors" to see who would change the next one. This is now considered the norm.

I am not saying all of this to brag; I'm using this example to highlight the stark difference of what it means to be a father today versus the historical model and I am proud to be apart of the upward trend.

 What is shocking to me is while this increased hands-on approach to fatherhood is more or less just starting to come around, there are examples in the animal kingdom of truly dedicated, nurturing dads that have been ahead of the curve and for hundreds of years.

You would be amazed at the many examples, but I’m going to list the top 5 that I found the most interesting. Perhaps we can all look towards these creatures and learn from them:

1. Emperor Penguins

Anyone that has seen the movie, " Happy Feet" knows how devoted these fathers are. As largest known species of Penguin, Emperor Penguins are exclusively found in Antarctica. If that wasn't bad enough, their mating season of choice is winter, which can reach temperatures as low as -35 degrees Fahrenheit When the female penguin lays their egg, the dad takes over all parental duties and keeps it warm by balancing the egg on his feet, which can take up to 9 weeks, until the baby hatches. This is truly an admirable feat, considering they stay in one place the entire time, while withstanding bitter temperatures and eating nothing, all for the sake for their chick.










2.  Seahorse

What makes the daddy seahorse so unique and kinda weird is the fact that they take on a role that's typically reserved for females in every other species on the planet. When two seahorses, er, procreate, the female connects itself to the male and inserts her eggs into his pouch , effectively impregnating the male (sexy much?). He then carries his brood (which can be up to as many as 1,500 babies), for up to 10 weeks, depending on the species. The world hasn't seen anything this amazing since the movie, Junior.

3.   Red Fox

      The most distinguishing characteristic of the male Red Fox is the amount attention they give to their cubs. When the cubs are first born, they spend the first month feeding from their mother, who is unable to leave the den at all during this time. The male fox provides food for her every 4-6 hours until she is able to hunt on her own. Once the cubs are old enough, the dad plays with them constantly and teaches them useful skills like how to hunt and forage for food, until they can fend for themselves.

Here's a  cool YouTube clip of a father and son cub in action:

4.   Catfish

The Catfish may be one of the most unlikely animals on this list, but these guys show one of the most extensive displays of paternal care in the fish world. The father keeps about 48 marble size eggs in his mouth, a process called mouth brooding. This can last for up to 60 days and the entire time, he refuses to eat, opting for starvation rather than accidentally eating an egg. If that isn’t dedication, I don’t know what is.

5. GiantWater Bugs

These insects may not be the prettiest in the world, but in the eyes of a Water Bug dad, they must be beautiful. He personifies the term, "carrying the family on his shoulders". Once the male and female mate, she glues the eggs (up to 150) to the male's back. From that point on, the responsibility of the children rest solely on dad. It carries the eggs around for about three weeks, protecting them from predators and parasites. He also strokes the eggs regularly to keep them clean. He will go through this process about three times per mating season. If you ever spot one of these guys, you'll want to make sure you keep a safe distance: their bite injects a paralyzing toxin that is considered one of the most painful in the insect world. When it comes to his eggs, this dad will protect them at all costs.

If you enjoyed this article, please share with others by clicking on the social media icons below.

Or if you want to get updates of new posts, you can enter your email here

You can also connect with us through Facebook, or Twitter

Hilarious Baby Sleep Positions

As a blogger, one of my favorite activities is to, well, read other blogs. One of my favorite is called How To Be A Dad. They're speciality is showing the lighter, funnier side of fatherhood by creating a variety of skits, comics and stories. One of the best posts was about baby sleeping positions. It's too funny not to share.

We taught our son early to sleep in his bassinet and later his crib. But occasionally, he would spend a couple of nights with us in our bed. We made sure it never becasme a habit, but I understand there are some parents who are okay with it. God have mercy on your souls.

 Usually it would end up like the pictures below. If you're a parent, you should be able to relate to at least 80% of these pictures.

Happy Friday!

If you enjoyed this article, please share with others by clicking on the social media icons below.

Or if you want to get updates of new posts, you can enter your email here

You can also connect with us through Facebook, or Twitter

Music for Kids that Won't Drive you Insane

It happens almost every morning when I'm driving the little guy to daycare. I'm listening to my morning radio show, being a good adult and catching up on my current events, until I'm suddenly interrupted.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah buddy, what's up", I nervously ask, knowing what's coming next.

"Daddy, I wanna hear Elmo"

I try to misdirect, "How about you play with your Alphabet Apple"

But he stubbornly requests, "Please let me listen to Elmo!"

I eventually yield and pop in the CD and I'm forced to subject myself to Elmo's high pitched voice as he sings about ducks, rainbows and lollipops. Now, don't get wrong: I don't necessarily hate Elmo or really any kind of kiddie music. The music is clean, the lyrics are simple and  usually educational  and most kids can't get enough. The problem for me is, between his favorite TV shows, DVDs and CDs, after a while, it gets to be a little mind numbing.

Poor bastard listened to too much Barney

Luckily for us, there are musicians out there who understand the parent's plight and have answered our call to create music that's clean and kids love, yet at the same time can be enjoyed by adults. It's cool because while I do have him listen to some of my favorite music from time to time, I didn't want to give up on his genre all together. Here are a few suggestions that helped us find middle ground:


1. The Aquabats

The Aquabats is a band based out of California who specialize in Rock n' Roll music for kids. From their superhero costumes, to their fun lyrics to awesome guitar play and cool names like Eagle "Bones" Falconhawk, these guys are sure to get both the kids and their parents on thier feet rocking out. I've been a fan since I saw them perform on Yo Gabba Gabba (another show with great music). They now have their own show on the HUB channel, and I highly encourage you to check it out.

 

 2. The Laurie Berkner Band

My son and I were first introduced to Ms. Berkner through a Nick Jr show called "Jack's Big Music Show". She and her band would regularly perform in music videos on the show that were very entertaining. Ever since, we've been hooked. Laurie, with her high energy, bubbly voice, leads with an acoustic guitar and is backed up by electric bass, electric guitar and a variety of other instruments, depending on the song. Their music very catchy and the lyrics are fun and easy for my toddler to sing along with. Any Laurie Berkner CD is a must have for your music collection.

I also recommend that if you're a smartphone user, to pick up the LBB Mobile App. Available for Android and iPhone, you can access their database and listen to most of their songs. There is also an option to view info regarding tours and other cool updates.

 

3. Secret Agent 23 Skidoo


I'm a fan of hip hop. Unfortunately, most of what's currently out on the market isn't fit for young children.  Luckily, there are artist out there like Secret Agent 23 Skidoo. Originally earning his hip hip stripes by touring with legends such as Run DMC and Mos Def, Skidoo began creating music geared specifically towards children, earning the moniker, "King of Kid-Hop". What I especially like isn't just that fact the he is a legitimate rapper, but the music is both fun to dance to and the lyrics simultaneously promote a number of positive messages. Case in point:

4. Lullaby CD by Jewel

Our family does alot of traveling between our in-laws who live on average 3-4 hours in opposite directions from our hometown. Mix that with a toddler who gets ansty after about 25 minutes in the car and your setting yourself up for a long drive. A very long drive. The soothing voice and melodic guitar play from Jewel's Lullaby album sets a tone of relaxation for our drives. We seriously don't leave the house on long trips without it.

So there you have it folks, those are my family's favorites. But as always, there are many other options for every individual family dynamic. With that being said, I'd like to hear from you: What types of music does your child like to listen to? Do you as a parent enjoy the music as well?

If you enjoyed this article, please share with others by clicking on the social media icons below.

Or if you want to get updates of new posts, you can enter your email here

You can also connect with us through Facebook, or Twitter