The Dad Thread

[JHikka]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

My gripe with music over the last decade or more is that there's no humanity to it. Everything is produced on a computer and pieced together into a slick, soulless package. Same thing with artwork and instagram.

I'm not sure you can paint all music released today with such a narrow brush. You should probably specify that your gripe is with Top 40.

Similar to how things were when radio was dominant, only select songs and genres are released for charts and wider consumption. There's literally any type of music you like being produced and available if you're willing to look for it. The fact that I can listen to any music I like at the tip of my fingers is such a huge upgrade over just twenty years ago when finding specific genres and artists was a pain and hassle. To say nothing of the narrow scope of radio since its inception. There's a general rule of thumb that a person will think that the 'best music ever' is whatever was being released when they were between 12-18 years old because those are very formative years. I'm not going to sit here and say that music today is any better or worse than it was when I was in high school because it frankly wouldn't be true. Things are just different.

Will quickly vacate this thread of elders before I get too caught up.

my old man-esque gripe recently is that I bought a new phone and it didn't have a standard headphone jack and so I had to buy a headphone jack <> usbc3.0 adapter. A pain, but not the end of the world. Trendy zoomers still favour wired headphones because they physically give the appearance of listening to music; something that buds and airpods do not. Anyway.

[esquire]

I always got the impression that the elimination of headphone jacks was more about selling expensive bluetooth earbuds than anything else.

But going back to music, I think it has been pointed out before that only the "best" music of an era tends to survive. If you went back to the 60s, 70s or 80s or whenever, and flipped the radio on, you'd hear a lot of long-forgotten dross along with the greatest hits that live on today. The same thing will happen with this generation's music.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by JHikka

I'm not sure you can paint all music released today with such a narrow brush. You should probably specify that your gripe is with Top 40.

Similar to how things were when radio was dominant, only select songs and genres are released for charts and wider consumption. There's literally any type of music you like being produced and available if you're willing to look for it. The fact that I can listen to any music I like at the tip of my fingers is such a huge upgrade over just twenty years ago when finding specific genres and artists was a pain and hassle. To say nothing of the narrow scope of radio since its inception.

Will quickly vacate this thread of elders before I get too caught up.

I didn't say all music. And no it's not just Top 40. The 'Alternative' rock station in Calgary (which I only listen to if I don't have my phone handy) plays such awful crap.

[big T]

Just wanted to say, thanks all for the kind words. And good luck to all who are still in the game. Keep us posted!

For us, removal surgery will be tomorrow. Looks like this is as far as we’ll take things, all things considered — the worry and emotional roller coaster is more than we want to deal with at this point.

[Proof Sheet]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Instagram was bought by Facebook but is a very different platform. It's not meant to post anything except pictures and videos. It's far worse of a time suck though as it leads to mindless scrolling through endless visual clickbait.

Don't have accounts with either and never had. A relative works for Facebook and in family discussions on that side of the family I seem to be the lone person w/o an account. Time suck and visual clickbait are good descriptions from what I can deduce looking in from the sidelines. Twitter and Tik Tok seem to be more inane than Facebook/Instagram. Lots of width but not much depth.

[O-tacular]

Super disturbing instances of violence and neglect towards babies at a Daycare in Calgary. This is always something that has concerned me about child care. When my eldest goes to Pre school come the fall he should be old enough to at least tell us if something bad happens. Plus there are only 2 childcare workers at the school we chose who are both former teachers.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ices-1.6707782

There was also this frightening incident at another daycare where a 3 year old managed to wander outside near a busy road and no one noticed until police returned him later.

https://globalnews.ca/video/9200989/...-track-of-son/

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by big T

Just wanted to say, thanks all for the kind words. And good luck to all who are still in the game. Keep us posted!

For us, removal surgery will be tomorrow. Looks like this is as far as we’ll take things, all things considered — the worry and emotional roller coaster is more than we want to deal with at this point.

Sorry to hear that.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Super disturbing instances of violence and neglect towards babies at a Daycare in Calgary. This is always something that has concerned me about child care. When my eldest goes to Pre school come the fall he should be old enough to at least tell us if something bad happens. Plus there are only 2 childcare workers at the school we chose who are both former teachers.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ices-1.6707782

There was also this frightening incident at another daycare where a 3 year old managed to wander outside near a busy road and no one noticed until police returned him later.

https://globalnews.ca/video/9200989/...-track-of-son/

That is scary. I remember when my kids started day care it took me a long time to relax and settle down. But we were lucky, we had a fantastic day care with amazing staff (and for bonus SSP cred, it was located downtown with a rooftop playground that has awesome views). Actually, before my son got into that day care, he spent about half a year when he was 1 at Kids & Company, which is a national chain... even years ago they had CCTV cameras that you could log into and see what was happening in the day care. That was very reassuring, just being able to log in and see him happily playing, eating or whatever.

However, let's face it... young children are hard work and they can tax the patience of a saint. Every once in a while things will break down and situations like that first news story will emerge. It is certainly a parent's nightmare, because all we want is a safe, nurturing place for our children.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

That is scary. I remember when my kids started day care it took me a long time to relax and settle down. But we were lucky, we had a fantastic day care with amazing staff (and for bonus SSP cred, it was located downtown with a rooftop playground that has awesome views). Actually, before my son got into that day care, he spent about half a year when he was 1 at Kids & Company, which is a national chain... even years ago they had CCTV cameras that you could log into and see what was happening in the day care. That was very reassuring, just being able to log in and see him happily playing, eating or whatever.

However, let's face it... young children are hard work and they can tax the patience of a saint. Every once in a while things will break down and situations like that first news story will emerge. It is certainly a parent's nightmare, because all we want is a safe, nurturing place for our children.

I remember that being a source of stress as well. For some reason a lot of parents seemed to think at-home care would be safer than care in an institutional daycare setting.

How could that be possible? With a lone person all alone with a bunch of kids all day, as opposed to a centre with multiple employees, supervisors and, generally, more standards and safeguards? Never understood that logic.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I remember that being a source of stress as well. For some reason a lot of parents seemed to think at-home care would be safer than care in an institutional daycare setting.

How could that be possible? With a lone person all alone with a bunch of kids all day, as opposed to a centre with multiple employees, supervisors and, generally, more standards and safeguards? Never understood that logic.

Calgary just implemented proper licensing for those at home daycares. A few years back a young child died in one while left unattended and strapped into a car seat in a closet. I agree the at home daycares are even sketchier. There's one behind my place and the lady seems nice enough, but you have literally no clue how things are run inside. She lives in a small semi detached house too so not a lot of space.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by esquire

That is scary. I remember when my kids started day care it took me a long time to relax and settle down. But we were lucky, we had a fantastic day care with amazing staff (and for bonus SSP cred, it was located downtown with a rooftop playground that has awesome views). Actually, before my son got into that day care, he spent about half a year when he was 1 at Kids & Company, which is a national chain... even years ago they had CCTV cameras that you could log into and see what was happening in the day care. That was very reassuring, just being able to log in and see him happily playing, eating or whatever.

However, let's face it... young children are hard work and they can tax the patience of a saint. Every once in a while things will break down and situations like that first news story will emerge. It is certainly a parent's nightmare, because all we want is a safe, nurturing place for our children.

That's pretty cool that you could log in to CCTV cameras to check on your child. If nothing else it would be an extra layer of security as staff would be aware of potential surveillance from parents.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

That's pretty cool that you could log in to CCTV cameras to check on your child. If nothing else it would be an extra layer of security as staff would be aware of potential surveillance from parents.

Kids & Co. was a very nice day care, no concerns with the place at all. The CCTV was more to put my nerves as a new dad at ease than anything else, haha.

To Acajack's point though, the very idea of a home day care seems sketchy to me. We never considered it, but I realize that some might not have any other option. It is an area that probably should get more scrutiny and regulation than it does, though.

[drew]

Originally Posted by esquire

Kids & Co. was a very nice day care, no concerns with the place at all. The CCTV was more to put my nerves as a new dad at ease than anything else, haha.

To Acajack's point though, the very idea of a home day care seems sketchy to me. We never considered it, but I realize that some might not have any other option. It is an area that probably should get more scrutiny and regulation than it does, though.

I think any daycare - whether public or private can end up being really good or really bad (that centre in the article from Calgary was not a home daycare).

As long as the facility (or home) is well referenced and the parent(s) is comfortable, there is no issue with a home daycare.

My two kids were in a home daycare from ages 1 till nursery school. It was great, no issues at all. And the bonus for us - we weren't charged when our kids weren't there, or to hold a spot over the summer. Literally $1000's of dollars of savings versus all public and some private daycare centres.

[O-tacular]

Toddler bedtime is outta control!

[HomeInMyShoes]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Toddler bedtime is outta control!

[dancinb]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

This is me getting my 6 year old out the door for school!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by dancinb

This is me getting my 6 year old out the door for school!

The hardest part of my life is getting the kids in the bath, ready for school, ready to go out the door, or getting ready for bed. The fight they put up day after day... it's mind boggling

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

Toddler bedtime is outta control!

is that Nicolas Cage (or maybe Luisito)? Nicolas Cage should always be used to describe such agitated circumstances. Whereas circumstances leaving one feeling deflated should always use Ben Affleck.

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by esquire

The hardest part of my life is getting the kids in the bath, ready for school, ready to go out the door, or getting ready for bed. The fight they put up day after day... it's mind boggling

The soundtrack to bedtime / bathtime / mealtime / potty time / any time:

• Video Link

[O-tacular]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

is that Nicolas Cage (or maybe Luisito)? Nicolas Cage should always be used to describe such agitated circumstances. Whereas circumstances leaving one feeling deflated should always use Ben Affleck.

That's a good guideline. Rageaholic parenting versus defeated and tired parenting. There are degrees of Cage though. This for instance isn't Cage Rage:



This is when you've passed the hour mark for bedtime after 2 extra trips to the potty, going downstairs to grab water, reading multiple books, and moving a fake plant because it's 'scary'.

This is after you've finally gotten the toddler to bed for 10 mins and the crying starts:



This is after you sat them on the potty again, hugged them again, and put them back to bed again for the last time and it's now 10:00PM: