Fatherhood anonymous; an open discussion on being a dad.

[Hopeless Sinner]

My kiddo arrived last Wednesday. Felt like a mission sleeping on the board of a pullout at the hospital for three nights. Long hard labor, luckily a great team of experts kept us safe. So far I’m on diapers and swaddling, my wife focuses on feeding. We’re sleeping okay, 2 hours at a time. My little girl is beautiful and healthy and I just stare at her thinking of how excited I am to get to be her dad.

[schuss]

https://www.rei.com/product/216570/s...andlebar-combo

If anyone is still looking for one, it's on sale.

[lowsparkco]

Thanks to each of you that replied.

Looking forward to continue checking in here as we grow.

[alpinevibes]

Successful weekend in Fruita camping and biking while trying out our new Shotgun Pro tow ropes with three 3y/o. Very easy for everyone and super quick to link up after Kessler laps. Do recommend: https://kidsrideshotgun.com/products...n-mtb-tow-rope

[basinbeater]

Another vote for the stem mount yepp. I bought a sweet Stumpjumper from the local used bike shop, and through some big riser bars on to keep my chest above the kiddos helmet. Worked awesome. Little extra air in the old mag 21, and it worked beautifully on easy singletrack. Both kiddos loved the yepp.

When they got bigger, i used a towee (bungee strap encased in nylon) with to get them up hills.

[Buzzworthy]

There’s some interesting emotions watching your kid get drunk for the first time. Coconut margaritas are flowing. She likes the tequila. Oh boy.

[Danno]

She likes the tequila. Until she doesn't.

We all know how that one goes.

[californiagrown]

There’s some interesting emotions watching your kid get drunk for the first time. Coconut margaritas are flowing. She likes the tequila. Oh boy.

Thats actually a good topic to discuss (IMO). At what age are folks condoning social drinking/drug use in their kids?

As soon as i went off to college my parents treated me like an adult. As much booze as i wanted when home on break, and never gave me a hard time about weed. Ill probably let my kid have a few drinks at holidays starting at 16, but i similarly dont want him thinking we condone drugs and alcohol before 18.

[Hopeless Sinner]

Thats actually a good topic to discuss (IMO). At what age are folks condoning social drinking/drug use in their kids?

As soon as i went off to college my parents treated me like an adult. As much booze as i wanted when home on break, and never gave me a hard time about weed. Ill probably let my kid have a few drinks at holidays starting at 16, but i similarly dont want him thinking we condone drugs and alcohol before 18.

We started by offering sips and single glasses of wine at family gatherings. I believe drivers ed and health class informed her of the dangers of both drugs and alcohol. We began having discussions on alcohol and drugs very early since alcoholism and drug addiction does run in our family which made the dangers seem real.

Now at 24 she rarely drinks, and limits herself to one - when she does, and to my knowledge she still hasn't had a mixed drink. I stopped drinking my 1 or 2 beers a week for no particular reason about 18 months ago and she said that made a further impact adding to her resistance to alcohol. She would never smoke anything and despises the smell of weed......lol Obviously she's WAY smarter than me.

[Buzzworthy]

Not gonna lie, probably would not have let her drink like this at home. But she’s legal in Cancun here, have grown up with me as a dad and today was her first time actually drunk. Held it together well, still is and she’s being responsible. 3 days of trying different stuff slowly to see what she likes as she starts college in the fall. She let loose today.

And she prefers weed gummies. Go figure lol

[Lvovsky]

Love Cancun.

[Rideski]

Successful weekend in Fruita camping and biking while trying out our new Shotgun Pro tow ropes with three 3y/o. Very easy for everyone and super quick to link up after Kessler laps. Do recommend: https://kidsrideshotgun.com/products...n-mtb-tow-rope

Wait why do you get goggles and the tyke doesn't even get shades? UV rays aside, even at slow speeds I'd worry about gravel thrown by my/your tire.

[californiagrown]

Wait why do you get goggles and the tyke doesn't even get shades? UV rays aside, even at slow speeds I'd worry about gravel thrown by my/your tire.

Never too early to learn one of the most essential safety skills known to man: The Safety Squints.

[muted reborn]

Stole a buncha quarters from my six year old's purse because I found out a bar nearby has my favorite pinball game from college, Attack From Mars. I didn't think she'd notice. She did, the next day. Whoops.

[alpinevibes]

Wait why do you get goggles and the tyke doesn't even get shades? UV rays aside, even at slow speeds I'd worry about gravel thrown by my/your tire.

Oakley sunglasses.
He refused to wear his sunglasses (in my pocket) - an eternal battle in our household
Riding 5mph uphill.

[hawkgt]

Stole a buncha quarters from my six year old's purse because I found out a bar nearby has my favorite pinball game from college, Attack From Mars. I didn't think she'd notice. She did, the next day. Whoops.

perfect opportunity to explain the "dad tax." quarters, offering to hold their ice cream, opening the candy bar wrapper. ALL TAXABLE!!!

[Rideski]

Oakley sunglasses.
He refused to wear his sunglasses (in my pocket) - an eternal battle in our household
Riding 5mph uphill.

I get it. I have a niece that doesn't want to wear them either. I worry about just even sand blowing around. I've had some bad eye injuries so I'm hyper aware...

[alpinevibes]

I get it. I have a niece that doesn't want to wear them either. I worry about just even sand blowing around. I've had some bad eye injuries so I'm hyper aware...

Yeah, I'm wearing sunglasses most all daylight hours outside and my mom has had a lot of eye issues related to not protecting her eyes. We've got some sweet WeeFarers for the boys but they typically won't wear them more than 5-10min. They got better with their ski goggles this year, so hopefully convincing them that "real mountain biker guys wear sunglasses" will help us turn the corner with the sunnies

[Not DJSapp]

Not gonna lie, probably would not have let her drink like this at home. But she’s legal in Cancun here, have grown up with me as a dad and today was her first time actually drunk. Held it together well, still is and she’s being responsible. 3 days of trying different stuff slowly to see what she likes as she starts college in the fall. She let loose today.

And she prefers weed gummies. Go figure lol

That's something my folks didn't do, and I wish they did. Mrs. DJSapp's dad let her and her brother have 1 (measured) cocktail on weekends starting around age 16-17, on the conditions they weren't going out that night. Probably a much better approach as I had absolutely no idea what booze did to my system until I was at college and effectively on my own, making poor choices. I think we're steering down the path of letting the kids try some drinkning before they move out so they can find out how they react, to some degree.

[bodywhomper]

Recently learned that our 17yo senior has been drinking (sometimes) at friends houses while other friends have sometimes gotten wasted. Apparently, typically clear hard alcohol in water bottles.

We know that he’s not hitting it too hard because I’d often pick him up at 7am this winter and spring for full days of charging at the ski hill. Our convo with him, as parents, has revolved around the hazards of alcohol poisoning as a result of pounding yummy hard alcohol drinks.

Out in the sticks, these kids have been spending nights together (in large groups) at some of their homes on weekends. This has mitigated some of the potential for really bad driving decisions.

Also learned that the girls have pushed themselves to take control and go on birth control before sex mostly out of fear of government regulation. Of course, it’s not 100% and disease can still be spread, but my best friend in HS became a dad when he was 17.

[Mustonen]

Found empty cans of white claw in my daughter’s room. Shitty flavors.

We decided to not discuss and instead quietly installed wyze sensors on the doors to the liquor cabinet, beer fridge, and wine fridge. So far, no kid has snuck anything.

Interesting discussion re allowing them to take part early under supervision. I didn’t drink until 30, and I have a contentious relationship with their mother on account of her being a terrible narcissistic harpy of a cunt. We’ll be pondering that though….

[Buzzworthy]

First Father’s Day without my only daughter home. She started an early college program.
I’m pretty sad I don’t get to see her today.

[lowsparkco]

First Father’s Day without my only daughter home. She started an early college program.
I’m pretty sad I don’t get to see her today.

Sorry to hear that Buzzworthy. I’m sure she was thinking about you. Tough to let them go I’m sure.

Had my first Fathers Day with my 5 week old. We hiked a few miles with her in the front pack and my wife had bought me a little present which was sweet. We were with her Dad, my Father in Law too, which was real nice. I lost my Dad earlier this year, so full circle around here. Happy Fathers Day to all the mag dads.

[sharcsplean]

Recently learned that our 17yo senior has been drinking (sometimes) at friends houses while other friends have sometimes gotten wasted. Apparently, typically clear hard alcohol in water bottles.

We know that he’s not hitting it too hard because I’d often pick him up at 7am this winter and spring for full days of charging at the ski hill. Our convo with him, as parents, has revolved around the hazards of alcohol poisoning as a result of pounding yummy hard alcohol drinks.

Out in the sticks, these kids have been spending nights together (in large groups) at some of their homes on weekends. This has mitigated some of the potential for really bad driving decisions.

Also learned that the girls have pushed themselves to take control and go on birth control before sex mostly out of fear of government regulation. Of course, it’s not 100% and disease can still be spread, but my best friend in HS became a dad when he was 17.

The country I live in lets kids drink beer and wine legally at 16, hard alcohol at 18. They cannot get a drivers permit until they are 18, and they all travel by tram or bus. It was odd going shopping and picking up beer for my 16 year old to bring to a party. "it's on sale Dad!"
On the other hand, he knows how to drink somewhat responsibly, and will hopefully not be a drunken mess when he goes off to school next year. (like I did)
We did have the 'call me and there will be no questions asked' talk, and the older kid used it once.
We have had honest conversations about my own stupidity while drinking, and his, hangovers, his limits, do's, don'ts and I feel a lot better about his drinking. There is no hiding of anything, and he is not a mess like some of my friends' kids who live in the US - who hide everything from their parents.
deal with it, your kid will be better off for it.

[Buzzworthy]

Sorry to hear that Buzzworthy. I’m sure she was thinking about you. Tough to let them go I’m sure.

Had my first Fathers Day with my 5 week old. We hiked a few miles with her in the front pack and my wife had bought me a little present which was sweet. We were with her Dad, my Father in Law too, which was real nice. I lost my Dad earlier this year, so full circle around here. Happy Fathers Day to all the mag dads.

Your story with your 5 week old makes me smile huge today. I’m sorry to hear about your father. From what I’ve seen he did a fantastic job with you, you should be proud of him. He loves you more than you ever knew I’m sure.