C.C. | Digital Dads

Stories by C.C.

Be Ready For a Disaster

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

The world seems to be going through a whole lot more natural disasters and devastating weather events then ever before. Blame global warming, the approach of 2012 or whatever you want. But, I can assure you that the minute you have kids the idea of any disaster striking the family instantly becomes a whole lot scarier!

On Episode 11 of Cast of Dads (listen), this was the topic of discussion. As we got ready to record the episode the news was breaking about the earthquake in Chile and the tsunami headed towards Hawaii. After talking with all the other dads, I was a little shocked to learn that out of all of us, I might just be the most unprepared. Then again I also hadn’t planned on the fact that we had dads in areas that are highly prone to earthquakes, wild fires and hurricanes. When you live in a place like that you MUST be prepared. Guess I’ve let those thoughts of buying a generator for the next big ice storm or blizzard slide for too long.

When I was in college we went through a disaster. The apartment complex that my then girlfriend (now wife) lived in when I was home was completely destroyed by a fire. We lived on the third floor and after the fire started on the 4th floor we ended up with skylights in our apartment. Everything was destroyed. An event like this really drives home the point of what we really need and don’t need. It was a bit of a reset button for us and I know it is in the back of our mind always.

So, no matter where you live, here are some basic things that every family should keep in mind. Take some time this weekend to talk about it with the family and make it a fun family activity to get it done and out of the way. Review often.

Emergency Call or Email List
This is important for your extended family. If something goes wrong, how do you let everyone know. This could be someone who has everyone’s e-mail address and phone number or something as organized as a Google Group or calling tree. Whatever it is, make sure you know how to get a hold of the most important people to let them know that you are ok if something goes wrong. Keep in mind that your cell phone may not work, so figure out another way as a backup.
Extra Food & Water (and a way to cook it)
Having a well stocked pantry with canned or dehydrated food is always a good idea. Don’t forget that if you have an electric stove that you are going to need a way to cook the food as well. We are avid campers so there is always a Coleman stove in our garage. They are cheap and easy and not a bad idea to have even if you have no plans to ever go into the woods. Don’t forget to have at least a case of bottled water. Buy it now, it isn’t going to go bad on you.
First Aid Kit & Training
If you are reading this and you’ve never been through a basic first aid & CPR class then stop reading and find one in your area immediately. I first learned in the Boy Scouts how to do the basics and refresher classes are never a bad idea. In is inexcusable not to have a basic kit with band aids, disinfectants, Tylenol, tape, scissors and a mini sewing kit. You can buy these pre-packaged at any pharmacy or put your own together in a shoebox or other container. Just make sure that everyone knows where it is and teach your kids the basics.
Cash
I’m not advocating you stuff your mattress with money, but you need to have some cash on hand. Make sure it is a mix of bills. When (not if) we go through a cyber attack or any disaster where power is cut, your debit cards are not going to work so cash will be king. Keep at least a few hundred dollars in a safe location. This will be enough to get you gas or food in case of an emergency.
Data
Most people I know don’t back up their data. This makes me want to slap them anytime. Talk to the majority of people who DO back up their data and they will tell you a horror story about when they suffered a crash and “lost it all” as the point that inspired them to begin doing it. I have a Drobo in my house and love it. It backs up any changes in data every hour to it and the family knows to “grab the black box” if we have to evacuate the house because it has everything on it. GO out today and pick up a hard drive from your local electronic store and most come with a basic back up solution. You should be doing this now. There are many off site, in the cloud, solutions as well but to date I haven’t found one that I like and trust. I need to though because they make great sense.
Evacuation Plan
We all ran fire drills in schools as children, so have you done the same at home? Our family knows to get out of the house and meet at a specific location. They also know that if they ever need help which neighbors to go to. An important part that many families forget is to actually let the neighbors know about this as well. A very key piece of the equation. If you haven’t talked about this or tried it with the kids, why not do so tonight.

These are just a few of the things you should be keeping in mind, but all are important and I hope each of you reviews with your families to make sure you have them.

What did I miss? What have you done with your families to be ready for something bad? Please leave a comment and let us know.

Also, I plan on writing a column to coincide with each topic we cover on Cast of Dads. I’d love if you subscribed in iTunes or hit up our feed directly if that is how you roll. New episodes come out at the beginning of each week and we are actively looking for sponsors and guests.

Tags: disaster, earthquake, emergency, family planning, fire, first aid, hurricane
Posted in Emergencies | Comments

Cast of Dads: Are You Listening?

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Cast of Dads is a new parenting podcast featuring myself and a variety of other dads who have kids ranging from the littlest of babies up to full grown, going into college children. You should be listening. Are you?

We are actively growing our audience and as we just published the tenth episode, I wanted to catch you up on some of the topics we’ve recently covered so that you can check out the ones that interest you and hopefully subscribe to the show so that you get all the upcoming episodes. We’ve been recording every weekend and plan to continue to do that going forward. Thirty minutes every week talking about the things guy’s need to know about being a dad.

Here are some recent episodes:

As you can see, we talk about a bunch of different things and the great thing is that because we are doing it weekly we can talk about current topics as well as over arching parental topics that are important at any time.

I’m really glad that this show has taken off and that people are enjoying the content. If you are a reader of Digital Dads then I believe you’d like this show as well and I hope you give it a listen.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments or better yet leave it as an iTunes review as well.

Tags: cast of dads, online content, parent podcast, podcast
Posted in Online | Comments

Save Reading Is Fundamental

Friday, February 19th, 2010

I love books. Ever since I was a young child I’ve spent hours escaping into the pages of a good book. Even though I do more reading on the screen of my Kindle now, the experience is just the same and I’m making sure that my children are avid readers as well.

That is why when I heard that President Obama’s 2011 Budget cuts all funding for Reading is Fundamental (RIF) I was saddened.

Do you remember RIF? I do. It was always a great day at school because we’d go down to the gymnasium and have the power to pick out a single book for free. It was so hard to choose just one book to take because they always had so many good ones. Buying books was something of a luxury for me and while I’d check them out of the library at an alarming rate (we lived across the street), I cherished the days that RIF came to school.

Founded in 1966, RIF distributes 15 million books annually to children. Funded by Congress since 1975, RIF maintains programs in schools, community centers, hospitals, and military bases. They have roughly 400,000 volunteers that maintain their 17,000 locations. They do a LOT of good for the country.

But, with the proposed budget all of their funding will be cut and their program will more then likely have to shut down. I don’t want to see this happen and I have a strong feeling that many of you don’t want it to either.

There is a letter writing campaign going on and they’ve made it as easy as a few clicks to e-mail your government officials about this.

To show your support please go to www.Rif.og/SaveRIF

Tags: Books, government, reading
Posted in Books | Comments

Family Vacations: Atlantis

Saturday, February 13th, 2010

When families think of where to go for a family vacation, places like Disney and the Grand Canyon pop to mind. But, now with the addition of an all new focus on families at The Atlantis Resort, I have a feeling that the calm trade winds of the Bahamas might start coming up as well.

In full disclosure, you should know JetBlue, Lego and Atlantis held a press event known as the Jet Adventure over a weekend in January on site in the Bahamas. They flew me and the family down, put us up and made sure we had a great time on site and got to check out a variety of the activities that Atlantis has to offer for a family vacation. A special thanks to JetBlue who told me originally they were going to call the outing “Jet Mommies” but wanted to be sure dads like me felt welcomed so they changed the name and it was great to see several other dad writers on the trip. Since I’m also an avid photographer you can view my entire photo album online if you’d like.

This was our first time in the Bahamas. I’m not much of a sit on the beach and do nothing all vacation type of guy, so the idea of heading to the islands had never really been on my radar.

I do a lot of flying and have always loved JetBlue as an airline. Their in seat televisions make any flight feel shorter and I value that. The kids of course love it as well because they get to control their own TV and that empowerment keeps them happy. While we flew out of the funky new JFK Terminal 5 in New York, it was good to see so many direct flights to the Bahamas on JetBlue. It is a quick 3 hour flight from New England.

As we rode the hotel shuttle from the airport to the resort, I took in how blue the water was and how colorful all the buildings are. Instantly I wanted to take out my camera and go on a photowalk around the town center to capture all the faces and culture that it had to offer. We wouldn’t have time on this trip for that, but just from driving through it I could feel a vibrant energy that you should make time to take in when you visit.

I can confirm that Atlantis is as beautiful and majestic as it looks in all the commercials. From the Pegasus filled fountains in the main entrance, down to the littlest light fixture in the hallways, they want it to be an experience. In fact the entire grounds are absolutely beautiful with lots of nooks and cranny’s to explore. One morning we got up early and just walked around before most of the resort woke up. We even filmed an episode of Emily Explains It that morning on the beach.

They play up the Atlantis theme everywhere. This is done in grand fashion in The Dig which is a series of caves, rooms and tunnels all surrounded by massive fish tanks and an amazing variety of sea life. Make sure to explore it at night and during the day because the experience is very different and equally impressive. We had a guided tour which was great so that we could learn about all the different fish we were seeing swimming among the ruins. Seeing the fish that close up and in such a large tank was something the kids, or I, won’t soon forget.

Everywhere you look is water. Make sure to take a walk to get to an actual beach instead of only hanging out by one of the many pools. Also, be sure to check out the many little lagoons and other water areas to look at the water life. On the way to breakfast one morning an Eagle Ray came up and “waved” to us.

For families there are pools with varying depths of water which make it great to just let the kids play in one of the shallow pools while you watch from a nearby deck chair. Towels are provided for you for free and there are lockers to put your stuff in while you enjoy the sunshine. There are plenty of little snack shacks everywhere to fuel your munchies. Just be sure not to forget to try the conch fritters!

Built into the resort is a top notch water park. It isn’t separated, but rather integrated right along side the fish and the fun. With both a lazy river that takes about an hour and a more fast paced rapid river that runs about thirty minutes, both river rides are something to enjoy with the kids. Emily and Dylan both loved the rapids and we enjoyed them more then once. The water slides will appeal to every age with short little ones for toddlers all the way up to an almost vertical plunge that actually flies through the shark tank before dumping you out at the end.

If you like water slides, the one not to miss starts in one of the temples and you ride in a tube down through a few swirls but then proceed slowly through the shark tank. Cruising along at a gentle pace and having sharks and other fish swim by you on the other side of glass is an amazing feeling. If you go to Atlantis you can’t miss this above all else. Kids of all ages will enjoy it. I promise.

The Atlantis Kids Adventure was the main reason we were brought down to the resort and it is nothing short of a kid wonderland. Parents are not allowed (although we were of course) and the goal is that you drop the kids off for a half day block of time and they can take part in a variety of experiences while you have some quality parent time. With rooms dedicate to crafts, cooking, video games and even a grocery store there is something for every kid. They have a secured check in so there are no worries about the safety of your kids and the staff were overly friendly and helpful. It was obvious that they were ready to take care of the kids and make sure they had a good time.

In addition to the AKA there are other fun activities for the kids to take part in. Our kids got to make their own stuffed animal at Atlantis Pals, build and race their own cars at the Atlantis Speedway and painted their own pottery at the Earth & Fire Pottery Studio. The parents all got to try these out as well and all of them were more fun then I imagined.

The highlight of the entire experience for all of us and something you should not miss out on is swimming with the dolphins. I had done this before at Discovery Cove and can say that the second time around it is still an amazing activity. The entire family loved the experience and if I were to ask the kids about it right now I’m sure they’d get a big grin on their faces. Even if you don’t have the time or money to swim with them, be sure to at least swing by the Dolphin Cay to watch them at any time during the day for free.

Lego was involved in this trip because this summer your kids can begin attending Lego Fantasy Camp on site at Atlantis. We were even accompanied by a Master Lego Builder to celebrate the launch. He traveled with us on the plane and had projects for the kids to do. Dylan is a huge Lego fan and Emily enjoyed it too. I hope they keep the scavenger hunt that we took part in as part of the experience at the resort because it forced us to check out locations that we might not have gone to including the Atlantis Library.

The trip exposed us to the variety of buffets that the resort offers. There are also a variety of sit down restaurants such as Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill (which Emily & I really wanted to check out), but none of them were on the itinerary so I can’t speak to how good they are. Your kids will not have any problem finding food to eat. There is plenty of options that they will recognize and love.

Personally, I was severely disappointed in the lack of fresh seafood and local flavors at the buffets. We did sneak away one lunch to check out Mosaic in The Cove section of the resort and it was the best meal we had during the entire trip including a made to order bowl of seafood soup that left me with a perma-grin on my face. The food is not cheap, but they do offer a variety of dining plans that you will want to look into for sure.

While Atlantis has certainly transformed from an adults only escape to a family friendly environment they do have a few things that I hope they change moving forward. All of the pools close at 5pm which is far to early. If I were to spend the money to have a night alone from the kids, I want to be able to take a dip in the pool. In addition, while the grounds are beautiful, the pool areas are not kept as clean as I had hoped for. Cups, napkins and other snack remains could be seen floating on the edge of most of the pools and under the deck chairs everywhere. The seagulls certainly don’t go hungry.

Finally, this is not a cheap vacation, but neither is a full on Disney experience or other resorts. As with any family vacation I suggest you look for package deals and special trips to save money. Upon return, I’ve been seeing banner ads for Atlantis everywhere offering special deals so be sure to take advantage of those.

Atlantis is not an all inclusive resort and there are no options really to get food and bring it in so you have to pay the high prices for everything on site. The resort is invisibly sliced into different price points meaning on one end is the most value and on the other the most expensive. As with any vacation, be sure to do your research before leaving so that you are fully aware of what to expect before arriving on site.

The resort is top notch and we had an excellent time. We loved the weather and enjoyed that while we were told it was a busy time of year for the resort, it never felt over filled or as if there were too many people there. Because of just how vast the resort is, there is plenty of room for everyone.

Everything shared here is one family’s experience of this trip. If you’d like to read some other review from people on the same trip I was on then check out the reviews posted on Yummy Mummy, Boston Mamas, Cool Mom Picks and The Mother of All Trips.

Disclosure: http://cmp.ly/3

Tags: atlantis, bahamas, destinations, family vacation, jetadventure, jetblue, lego, lego camp, Travel
Posted in Events, Reviews, Travel, Vacations | Comments

Not the Normal Valentine’s Day

Thursday, February 11th, 2010

I’m going to tell you right up front that I’m not a fan of Valentine’s Day. I’m a romantic in every sense of the word and I think that is why I don’t like a Hallmark Holiday like this to exist. People shouldn’t need a single day with over priced flowers and cards that will get thrown away to show their love. Call me old fashion like that, but I’m ok with it.

If you really must do something this weekend, then at least be original about it.

This picture is what is on my white board right now in the office. My daughter made it out of my Buckyballs (the coolest birthday gift I got last year BTW) and when I saw it I couldn’t stop smiling. The fact that it is original and from the heart is what matters the most and the same goes for anything else you are thinking about doing on February 14th.

So here are some personal suggestions on how to move beyond the same old, same old:

Chocolates & Flowers
This is Grade A boring and what everyone does. BUT, if you are going to do it then at least be original about it and have some fun with it. I’m a pretty big hater of the major flower chains because I’ve had bad experiences with them all. Instead why not get your flowers from a local florist that will make you a custom order and you know it’ll come out right. Every town has one so ask around.

On the sweet side there are boutique chocolate shops popping up all over and many of them are now online. Two personal favorites of mine are Lake Champlain Chocolates and 5th Avenue Chocolatiere. Both are better then any heart shape boxed of boring that you are going to pick off a store shelf.
Cook Dinner
I once heard someone say that there was no faster way into a woman’s pants then through her stomach and they were right. Unfortunately, this years Sex on a Plate has been postponed (put it on your calendar now for next year), but that doesn’t mean that you can’t make a romantic meal. Even if you don’t know how to cook there are tons of great and simple recipes out there. When in doubt go with some pasta and a good bottle of wine. Yes, it may be overly simple, but again it is the thought that counts the most. Just don’t over eat because that will get in the way of other things.
Get Offline
This may sound like an obvious one, but seriously, turn off the cell phones, unplug the router if you need to and get away from the screens. Spend time together! Go for a long walk. Play cards. Get naked. Whatever it is, just don’t involve anyone else for a while. The few hours of dedicated YOU time will be well worth it and your partner will appreciate it.
Make Something
I’m not much of the crafty kind of guy, but anyone can make a home made card. Think beyond the obvious. Make a photo collage, write a poem or go over the top and buy and MP3 player and fill it with a “mixed tape” of tunes that you love. Have fun with it, but don’t do it at the last minute just because you forgot everything else. Homemade needs to show you put some love and thought into it for it to really shine through.
Pampering
I’ve met many women who say they are not into the spa treatment, but after they go for their first time I’ve never heard them ever say that again. Look for a local place that she can get her nails or hair done and better yet can get a massage. If you have no idea where to look ask some other women around the obvious or go online. You are sure to find someplace within driving distance of you. This doesn’t come cheap, but is well worth it. I still remember the first time I gave my wife a 6 Massages gift card. She told me I could give her one again anytime.
Get Unique
Two of my favorite companies to get unique but awesome gifts from are Uncommon Goods and RedEnvelope. I’ve ordered from both a number of times and have never had a bad experience. The best part is that your bound to find something that will make her go “wow” over and over.

These are just a couple of ideas to get you going and thinking beyond the normal. Plus, I can’t give away all my secrets can I?

We want to hear what other ideas you have. Please share them in the comments.

Tags: gifts, romance, valentines day
Posted in Holidays, Sex & Romance | Comments

I Miss the Boy Scouts

Monday, February 8th, 2010

Today marks the 100th birthday for The Boy Scouts of America. Happy birthday BSA!

I grew up as a scout. I raced pine wood derby cars, went to summer camp, learned how to make a fire, went to a National Jamboree and spent many nights under the stars on a variety of camping trips. The day I was was given my Order of the Arrow Vigil sash is still one of my fondest and proudest memories. I loved it all and know that it had a ton to do with shaping me into the man I am today.

But, the scouts I grew up loving are lost to me now. I can’t find them anywhere.

After graduating from college and moving to Virginia, I looked to get back active with the scouts as I hadn’t done a lot with them during college. I didn’t have kids yet and knew that it would be a great way to give back and have fun at the same time. But, the troops I found were more interested in badges and the latest gear rather then the skills I had hoped to be teaching the kids. As I’ve interacted with scouts here and there since then I’ve found that they don’t seem to teach the same skills that I grew up loving any more. Sure, they are there in the books and you can earn badges for them, but they don’t seem to be as important as they were before.

I know that there are plenty of Scout Masters and troops out there who do still teach kids how to survive in the woods and how to truly camp rather then pulling up, parking and setting up a tent. I don’t want to discount that. I just haven’t found the right group to work with.

But, even if I could find the right troop to work with I personally can’t support the organization any more either. Their rules about not allowing atheists to be members and banning of homosexuals from being involved are two inexcusable faults that will keep me and my son from ever being involved in the program. It pains me to say that, but it it is the truth. I can’t support organizations that openly support discrimination.

I’ve been lucky that Dylan has never asked much about joining the Boy Scouts. Not many of his friends are involved so we’ve never had the tough chat that I figured was coming. I want my children to try out every adventure they wish for, but this is one that I won’t allow to happen.

The Scouts have lost their way in my opinion. I don’t know if it it is just mine or not, but I really hope that someday they change their mind and go back to embracing their root values and teachings for all boys. I firmly believe in the Boy Scouts and what they stand for. I think getting kids away from the computers, iPods and other devices and throwing a backpack full of gear on them and spending a weekend in the woods (multiple times) is a great thing for every kid to go through.

Learning to be a leader and working with teams are vital skills that everyone needs to succeed in life and the Boy Scouts helped teach me that. I’m sure that they are still teaching those skills to a new generation of boys.

I’m not looking to stir up controversy, but when I saw that the birthday was today I had to share my thoughts.

The Boy Scouts of America is a great organization that was a crucial part of my life. I hope that sometime in the future it can be again.

Tags: boy scouts, boys, bsa, camping
Posted in General Parenting | Comments

7 Can Chili Recipe

Saturday, January 16th, 2010

Ok guys, time to get in the kitchen again. Don’t freak out, this is so easy that anyone can make it and the end results will be well worth it. I promise.

While I’m all about using fresh ingredients whenever possible, there are times when canned good will do the trick and this super simple chili recipe works great for a weekday dinner or a football game tailgate.

It is NFL Playoff time so you need a recipe that you can put together without any thought and eat when you are ready. So today I give you:

7 Can Chili

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs Ground Beef or Bison
1 large can Tomato Sauce
1 can Diced Tomatoes
1 can Dark Red Kidney Beans
1 can Light Red Kidney Beans
1 can Black Beans
2 cans Corn
2 packages Chili Seasoning
Beer, Tequila & BBQ Sauce to taste

Instructions

In your largest pot (a dutch oven is perfect) brown the meat until fully cooked. Drain the fat.
Add the tomatoes and sauce
Drain the beans and corn and add to the pot
Add chili seasoning
Stir and cook over medium low heat until hot
I like to put a healthy squirt of BBQ Sauce, a pour of beer and a shot of a tequila into the mix as well, but they are all completely optional

The great thing about this recipe is that anyone can make it and it works as a great base of a recipe that can be tweaked and added to as you see fit. I often will make it in the morning and let it sit on low heat until later in the day when we are ready to eat.

Best of all is that the left overs work great on nachos or baked potatoes. Yummy all around!

Tags: chili, recipe, tailgate
Posted in Recipes | Comments

I Have a Penis = I Am Not a Mom

Thursday, January 7th, 2010

Mom and Dad both have three letters and describe someone who has children, but in many ways they are very different words.

mom_dad

This post is not a slight against Walt Disney. It is a brand that I love and had a blast last summer when our family took our vacation there for the first time. So please do not take this as a slam against them, because so many brands do this, but they were the ones the broke the camel’s back.

Yesterday on Twitter I saw several women I know tweeting about a Social Media program that Disney was doing and an e-mail address to reach out to for more information. It was clearly a mom focused program from what I could see, but I still dropped them a note asking if I as a Dad might be interested in whatever it was that was going on.

I got a great reply saying that of course Dads were welcomed and to watch my e-mail for more information.

Then today I received an e-mail with the subject line: Social Media Moms Celebration at Walt Disney World!

It was, of course, an invitation sent to me.

Again, this is NOT about Disney, because the event looks amazing and very smartly put together. In fact the programming sounds like something I’d love to attend. But, the fact that I’m not part of any of that subject line means that the event is not of interest to me. I don’t know why it couldn’t be about Social Media Parents or Social Media Moms & Dads instead.

I love moms. My wife is one of the most amazing women in the world. I hug my mother every time I see her. I’m friends with lots of women who are great moms.

But, guess what? I am not a mom. I’ve got the wrong plumbing to be a mother. As a guy I’m a Dad, Father, Pops, Padre or whatever word you want. Something I can never be is a “mom.”

I remember right after I launched this site I was asked if I would ever join a “PR for Moms” group. I didn’t know the woman all that well, but I chuckled a bit and said that I wouldn’t because I’m not a mom. If it was a “PR for Parents” group I’d join up in a heart beat.

Sure, maybe I’m splitting hairs and harping on technicalities, but I’m sick of the Dads being left out of the parenting equation. I’m an active Dad. Most of the guys out there that I know are also active parts of the parenting equation. Yes, Moms make a ton of decisions and in a majority of households probably control the checkbook as well. But, companies need to wake up that Dads every day are becoming more and more involved in these decisions.

This is not the 1950’s when men went off to work in a suit and hat and the women stayed at home in an apron with the kids. We’ve all moved beyond that and yet brands only want to talk to the moms.

Want to talk to a Dad? I’m right here.

Tags: blogger outreach, dads, influencer outreach, mommy bloggers, moms, Parents
Posted in Rants | Comments

National Geographic Kids Almanac 2010

Friday, December 18th, 2009

I grew up looking through copies of National Geographic at the library and my aunt’s house. I’m sure for most of us, the signature yellow cover instantly pops in our head when we hear the name. I know even today I look forward to the arrival of the newest issue every month to our house.

That is why last year when we discovered they were now doing full color almanacs for kids we bought a copy right away. The kids loved looking through all the pictures and more then once would ask us, “did you know?” and then share some fact they had just learned about from the book.

National Geographic Kids is a whole new brand focused on the same teaching about the world we live in, but in a way that is much more digestible for kids. The site has games, videos, stories and more to keep kids coming back and learning at the same time. Their yearly almanacs are a great addition to any house that has kids in it. Trust me that you won’t be disappointed.

They sent me one of the 2010 editions and I was happy to see a lot of new information for the kids. I’m actually planning on giving this copy to some relatives for Christmas since I don’t think they have a copy in their house and I think they would really benefit from it. Shhh…don’t tell them.

One of the great things about when I got contacted by National Geographic is that they are allowing us to give away a copy to the readers of Digital Dads. I don’t think it’ll get to you before Christmas, but it’ll make a great birthday or just because gift as well.

All you need to do to enter is leave a comment on this post and we’ll pick a winner at random.

If you want to learn a bit more about the 2010 Almanac watch this video to get the full flavor of it.

Disclosure: cmp.ly/2/h0ljuj

Tags: almanac, Books, kids, national geographic
Posted in Books | Comments

Two Great Playstation 3 Family Games

Thursday, December 17th, 2009

Sony sent me a PlayStation 3 and a couple of family friendly games to try out with my family. This is going to be an ongoing relationship with them that I’m looking forward to. I am a total casual gamer so I’m hoping to be able to find some new favorites from this.

Buzz! Quiz World

buzz

The first game was the Buzz! Quiz World Bundle which in addition to the game comes with 4 wireless controllers. These allowed me and the family to spread out in my office and get comfortable while we played. Definitely a plus when you don’t have to be tethered to the gaming station with wires!

Anyone that is a fan of trivia will love this game and don’t worry about knowing all the answers. With a database of over 5,000 questions you are not going to be hitting repeats anytime soon.

One problem we did run into is that this is geared more towards adults than it is kids. I would love to be able to adjust the settings so that I could make the questions more kid friendly. More often then not, both kids would announce they were just hitting buttons because they had no idea what the answer were.

That being said, we did have an absolute blast playing. The ability to pick unique avatars for your character as well as fun names from a pre-determined list gave us all good laughs. The silliness of some of the game types adds to the fun. Laura and I commented more then once that we hope to get to play this with some other adults.

Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time

Dylan loves adventure games and we had both played previous releases in in this series before so when Ratchet & Clank Future: A Crack In Time showed up he instantly popped it in and started playing.

While there is plenty of destruction in this game it is done in a very G rated way. Everything that is destroyed falls apart and gives you nuts and bolts to collect. There is no blood or other things found in many games and because of that I feel it is one of the most family friendly game series out there that is also engaging enough to keep kids into it.

The visuals and story line are something straight off the big screen. During the cut scenes, you might forget that you are actually watching a video game rather then a movie. In fact they should think about making this into a movie. I know I’d go see it.

I liked how instead of playing a single character, the plot actually switches back and forth between the two main characters and the shift in game play between the two of them may be a bit startling at first, but you quickly fall into the groove. I am not much of a puzzle fan, so some of the unique game play was not appealing to me, but Dylan loved it. The ability to customize weapons and the addition of game play in space brought some great new features that fans of the previous games will welcome.

Dylan completed the game and loved how it ended, but I’m still working my way slowly through it and hope to actually finish it because I want to know what happens.

I’m glad that Sony gave me a chance to try out the games and I look forward to reviewing other games in the future. I hope that if you are looking for some last minute gifts for the holidays, you’ll consider either of these as great options.

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Tags: Buzz Quiz World, family gaming, Playstation 3, rachet clank, sony, Video game
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