30 Dads Who Discovered Life Hacks That Actually Work Shared Them Online

Good advice doesn’t just lie around. Unlessyou recently became a parentand feel anxious about your new role. In that case, you can find invaluable wisdom and support on the subredditr/DaddIt.

When you’re sleep-deprived, exhausted, and constantly late to everywhere you go, even one additional minute saved can make a huge difference. Continue scrolling to check out the tips and the chat we had with Alan Lawrence, author ofThat Dad Blog.

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We live near a state park/forest and my wife and I like hikes. HOWEVER with a younger kids it can be a pain. It’s either too slow for the adults to get decent exercise or take FOREVER because of groaning, wanting to pick up every rock, etc.Today I had an idea.My wife took a head start and set clues at intersections and landmarks to show the way she went. The kids and I looked for the clues to “track” and “catch Mommy.” They took turns being the “clue finder.“My wife slowed to a stop near the end of the trail and waited to be “caught.“Result?She got an actual home at her pace. The kids hiked farther and faster than normal. They got practice taking turns, being observant, and thinking critically.Your mileage may vary, but I recommend giving it a try

“One of the biggest misconceptions society has about modern fathers is that they are less competent or less involved in parenting than mothers,” the father of seven and person behind the wholesome online family magazine That Dad Blog, Alan Lawrence, toldBored Panda.

“Traditionally, the father’s role has been seen primarily as the provider, with nurturing and household responsibilities falling more heavily on mothers. I feel that there has been a significant shift with dads playing a bigger part and being more engaged in all aspects of parenting. Don’t get me wrong, most mothers are leaps ahead of us dads, but we also deserve some credit as co-parents.”

What’s more, there’s also a modest decline in the number of children living in father-absent homes. The share of children living without a father (but with a single mother) dropped from 24.4% to 21.5 % between 2012 and 2022. (During the same period, the share of children who live without both parents remained stable, but the share living with both parents increased from 68% to 70%.)

Lawrence, who is also the author ofWil Can Fly: A Story about Finding Joy in the Unexpected, added that another common misconception is that fathers are very closed off.“I feel like the media and entertainment sector often portrays dads as less nurturing, emotionally unavailable, and bumbling or clumsy figures,” he explained. “I know a lot of dads who are actively involved with their children’s emotional development, and who provide support, guidance, and love in ways that are similar to mothers.“For new fathers, Lawrence recommends “[doing] your best to recognize how present and engaged you are as a father.““Be actively involved in your child’s life from the start and do things like holding, feeding, or playing with your kid. Trust me, these little things make a big difference in how they will connect with you later,” he said.“Also, share the load with your partner so that both of you are equally involved, and be patient, try to stay calm, even when things don’t go as planned,” Lawrence said. “Parenting can be stressful, but if you have the understanding that you are going to make mistakes and that it’s okay, you are going to do just fine.”

Lawrence, who is also the author ofWil Can Fly: A Story about Finding Joy in the Unexpected, added that another common misconception is that fathers are very closed off.

“I feel like the media and entertainment sector often portrays dads as less nurturing, emotionally unavailable, and bumbling or clumsy figures,” he explained. “I know a lot of dads who are actively involved with their children’s emotional development, and who provide support, guidance, and love in ways that are similar to mothers.”

For new fathers, Lawrence recommends “[doing] your best to recognize how present and engaged you are as a father.”

“Be actively involved in your child’s life from the start and do things like holding, feeding, or playing with your kid. Trust me, these little things make a big difference in how they will connect with you later,” he said.

“Also, share the load with your partner so that both of you are equally involved, and be patient, try to stay calm, even when things don’t go as planned,” Lawrence said. “Parenting can be stressful, but if you have the understanding that you are going to make mistakes and that it’s okay, you are going to do just fine.”

When father Avi Moskowitz wanted advice about which highchair, stroller, and car seat to buy for his first child, he too immediately posted on Daddit (which has been around since 2011).“On Daddit, you get the geekier side of the Internet, where people have done technical research about why this product is better than another product, but I think it also shows that dads are taking on more roles and responsibilities when it comes to parenting,” MoskowitztoldThe New York Times.But it’s more than that. “About 90 percent of the posts on Daddit are those posting pictures of their cute kids,” Moskowitz added.“We [the moderators] tried to ban pictures or say only post pictures here, but that didn’t work. I think it speaks to how much dads want to show off their kids.”

When father Avi Moskowitz wanted advice about which highchair, stroller, and car seat to buy for his first child, he too immediately posted on Daddit (which has been around since 2011).

“On Daddit, you get the geekier side of the Internet, where people have done technical research about why this product is better than another product, but I think it also shows that dads are taking on more roles and responsibilities when it comes to parenting,” MoskowitztoldThe New York Times.

But it’s more than that. “About 90 percent of the posts on Daddit are those posting pictures of their cute kids,” Moskowitz added.

“We [the moderators] tried to ban pictures or say only post pictures here, but that didn’t work. I think it speaks to how much dads want to show off their kids.”

Last year, a Parents and Verywell Mindsurveyof 1,600 dads painted a concerning picture of fathers' overall mental health.The findings indicated that many dads are hurting and need more support. 2 in 3 respondents said they have been at least moderately stressed in the last 30 days, and 43% of them said at least half their stress is related to child care, with 62% saying the pressure to provide for their family is a major cause.

Last year, a Parents and Verywell Mindsurveyof 1,600 dads painted a concerning picture of fathers' overall mental health.

The findings indicated that many dads are hurting and need more support. 2 in 3 respondents said they have been at least moderately stressed in the last 30 days, and 43% of them said at least half their stress is related to child care, with 62% saying the pressure to provide for their family is a major cause.

Keep a gallon zip top bag with a spare set of clothes, diaper and wipes stashed in your car.Been saved a few times when we forgot the diaper bag and had an accident

So our kids (3 and 2) share a room and the 3 year old yells when they need a wee and wakes up her younger sister. Got her this door bell and she can now silently let us know she needs us.Has worked perfectly all week

While 84% of fathers think it’s important to talk to their children about mental health, 45% say they feel judged whenever they chat with others about it, and 75% believe there should be more support for fathers when it comes to these issues.That means there are a lot of fathers who are struggling and need support—but they’re not sure where to start, especially given the stigma. Luckily, Daddit is a great place to break the silence and open up.

While 84% of fathers think it’s important to talk to their children about mental health, 45% say they feel judged whenever they chat with others about it, and 75% believe there should be more support for fathers when it comes to these issues.

That means there are a lot of fathers who are struggling and need support—but they’re not sure where to start, especially given the stigma. Luckily, Daddit is a great place to break the silence and open up.

$0.45 cents a piece! My 2.5 year ild is going to be in heaven for under $10 on christmas

Anyone else feel like they were about rip the bag of nuclear waste in half trying to remove it? I used a piece of old curtain rod, and sanded off burrs. Has been working for 2+ years now

Hours of fun for next to nothing and clean up/reapplication is a breeze. Note: Ziploc’s DON’T work for this, and don’t use weird shaped(pointy) glitter.

Jimminy flipping Cricket am I glad that I finally got around to adding these pool noodles to the walker. Now when the little guy comes flying across the kitchen to crash into our bare feet, it’s a sensation of joy instead of a plethora of curse words, weeping, and gnashing of teeth. If there is one smidgen of wisdom I can share with my fellow dads it is this… dollar store pool noodles arechef’s kiss

When I make a large batch of pancakes or waffles, what doesn’t get eaten gets cooled on a wire rack and frozen. I put wax paper between them so they don’t freeze together. Nuke for three for 40 seconds

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Just feeling very dadly with this dinner. I ordered way too much chicken for our 3year old’s birthday party because we must. not. run. out. Remembering a tip from Kenji Lopez-Alt’s book about using restaurant/fast food chicken in some of the fried and sauced chicken recipes, I volunteered for dinner duty and we had some damn fine sesame chicken with steamed broccoli and rice. Not our lowest sugar intake day but kids ate it up and the wife was bartering with me for leftovers

The 4 year old daughter is very good at folding. My 2 year old son likes to was the socks into balls and hand them to me

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Found this pro tip on accident, turns out to be a bit of a game changer. Among other things, it is a (noisemaking) toy, exercise equipment (for those learning to kneel/crawl), a toy storage device, toy organizing container, and means of toy transportation

For anyone (like us, haha) that has +10 Infant Tylenol syringes in a drawer, this tip is for you.Some medications (like Tylenol, ibuprofen, and Benadryl in the US) come in the same concentration for Infant and Children’s. The difference is that the infant version has a lid to draw up the liquid into a syringe, and is $$. Check to make sure the mg/ml are equivalent, though, so you don’t give too much of whatever medicineInstead, you can buy the Children’s version and one of these stoppers. Pop the stopper in and leave it until the bottle is empty.To draw it up:•Add air to the syringe in about the amount of liquid you’ll be drawing•Place the syringe into the top of the bottle•Flip the whole thing upside•Push the air into the bottle, draw up the liquid • Flip right side up, pull out the syringe.If you do it confidently and well, your lady will probably think it’s sexy, too! May the odds be ever in your favor this Sick Season, my dudes.

For those parents of small kids. You know the pain of bending over and pushing them in their vehicle or choice when their legs get tired.I made this from a dowel and a wall hanger I had left over. The hooks allow you to put it under handlebars and pull, or you can push from the back.Save your spines!

The Reward system is working for our 2.5 yr old. She about 90% there and wanting to use her potty exclusively. Every potty trip she picks one candy and gets lots of verbal praise. She only wears a diaper to bed and most of the time doesn’t even wet her diaper over night. She’s very proud of herself and my wallet is also very happy. I think it’s also worth mentioning this is the only candy we allow her to have. We aren’t too strict on her diet but we don’t allow her any other candy or sweets (unless she catches us eating it)

I had the idea to use old medicine syringes to decorate Christmas cookies. It worked great! Lots of control.

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