All dates involve an assessment of the other party – their looks, intelligence, wit, humour, style etc. What a dad new to dating shouldn’t do is focus on looks alone. Any new relationships will ultimately impact on his children so it’s important that prospective partners will have a positive affect on them. This means looking for things like a naturally affectionate and fun-loving personality, a flexible approach to life and evidence that she has healthy habits.

Conversation

The function of the date is so each party can learn more about the other person. No woman wants to hear in-depth monologues about a man’s past relationship – especially if that monologue is inherently negative. Everyone likes talking about themselves so ask your date plenty of questions. If any shared interests come up in conversation, focus on these. Don’t lie about your past, but don’t make it the basis of the evening. Humour, positivity and light-heartedness are a great combination for making a good first date impression.

Clothing

It’s very likely that a newly dating dad will need to buy some new clothes. First impressions really do count and an out-of-date ensemble isn’t likely to create a good one. The ‘take me as you fine me’ attitude is a little arrogant and doesn’t show much respect for the other party. Luckily for men, making an investment in a new shirt and suit will provide an ideal outfit for most types of dates. Opt for something that fits well and is relatively simple. There is a glut of men’s magazines available that provide in-depth sartorial advice for the chronically unfashionable.

Don’t be scared to be original when choosing the venue for a first, second, or even third, date. Just because the favourite dating choice for UK singles is an Italian restaurant, it doesn’t mean that this is somehow the ‘ideal’ destination. The most important thing is to select somewhere where both parties feel comfortable and can get to know each other.

Time

Whether a single dad is dating in Leeds, Cardiff or Essex, the thing to remember is that there is no rush to find a new partner. It’s easy to get over-excited and come across as desperate in the search for new love. If a date goes badly, don’t worry about it. Although practice many not make perfect, it certainly does help. Seek advice from female (and male) friends or use internet-based resources for single dads.

While it used to be the case that support networks were non-existent, an increasing number of groups exist in both the online and off-line worlds that provide help for single dads new to the dating game. According to research, there are more than 210,000 single fathers in the UK, so there’s no reason to feel isolated.

SUWANEE, Ga.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Brainy Brands Company, Inc. (the “Company”) (OTCBB: TBBC.OB), a producer and marketer of the Brainy Baby® line of children’s educational videos and products aimed at early development for preschoolers, today announced a new line of wooden toys, with the first series being “FlashCars”, which will be available for purchase in 4th Quarter this year.

The Company has expanded its children’s educational product line to include four new wooden toys that provide academic, cognitive and play value. The rollout of the first series of the all-in-one product line, “FlashCars”, will consist of wooden toys in a form of vehicles including a school bus, fire truck, airplane and recycle truck. Each vehicle’s flashcards will cover a specific subject such as ABC’s 123’s, Shapes and Colors, and Animals. The Company expects to introduce other series of wooden toys in the future.

“Our development team continues to create innovative educational tools for children of all ages, combining our core focus with the ‘fun’ factor. The toys are unique and even ‘green’ which many parents will appreciate,” said John Benfield, CEO of The Brainy Brands Company. “Judging from the enthusiasm that buyers displayed for this product at this year’s Toy Fair in NYC when we introduced the concept this year, we are looking forward to ‘FlashCars’ becoming one of our more popular signature products.”

Brainy Baby’s products have won more than 75 awards and offer a complete line of DVDs, books, CDs, games, flashcards and toys that encourage exploration and reinforce basic preschool concepts. For more information on the “FlashCars” and other Brainy Baby products, please visit: www.brainybaby.com.

About The Brainy Brands Company, Inc.

Headquartered in Suwanee, GA The Brainy Brands Company, Inc. develops and markets an extensive library of early childhood learning products, including a full range of puzzles, books, games, toys and audio-visual materials for the US market and international marketplace. The Company’s strategy is to support its existing line of high quality educational toys, media, and activities and develop new product and offerings optimizing new technologies, delivery systems, and advances in early childhood education.

A father posted this on his son’s Facebook account:

A father posted this on his son’s Facebook account, as a way to teach his son to log out of his account when he is not on the computer:

“To all of Chris’ friends: This is his father. My son carelessly left his account logged in so I decided to snoop around. Upon reading my son’s personal information, I would like to clear a few things up. My son is not a “gangsta,” he will not “beat a ho’s ass” and he will most certainly not “roll a fatty wit his boyz.” So for all of those who think he is some hard ass thug, think again…he is Chris _______, a 15 year old kid that was afraid of the dark until he was 12 and cried at the end of Marley and Me.”

To his son’s friends, this was funny and quite revealing.

But I wonder if the boy felt humiliated by the act.

Do you and your kids Facebook together? I’m friends with my own kids, but as much as possible, I stay away from their activities and have limited their access to my wall.

As teenagers, they can get easily embarrased by their parents, that much I know. I don’t even tag my son as much, since he may not want his friends to see photos of him as a naked 3 year old or something like that.

Do you think this father crossed the line or do you find what he did as amusing?

A group of friends, all of whom are also both actors and new moms, have joined together out in LA to raise funds for the March of Dimes.  The March of Dimes advocates for all aspects of babyhood, from conception to early infancy, and is perhaps best known for its work fighting to prevent birth defects. 

I think this is so great.  Not only are these moms supporting each other through pregnancies and the young babyhood of their kids, but they’re reaching beyond themselves to help make life better for other parents, other kids. 

And it’s not like these ladies are any less busy than the rest of us.  So, how about it, moms?  What can we be doing to help support other moms, and make life better for babies we might never meet?  Kudos to you, Elizabeth Rohm, Melissa Joan Hart, Nancy O’Dell, Julie Bowen, Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon, Jenny Garth, Diane Farr, Kellie Martin, and Nancy O’Dell.

Do any of you out there use these adorable things for your infants?  They’re precious; I mean, look at that picture!  That’s what we think of when we think of babies in baskets or carriers.  And of course, these things have been around since…well, Moses.  They’re so traditional and cozy and picturesque; exactly what we think of in our baby day dreams.

I just can’t imagine what how we would actually use them.  I mean, we have car seats.  Babies sit around the house in car seats–or maybe bouncy seats, if they can bounce yet.  Then we pick up the whole unit–baby, seat and all–and toss it in the car or hook it up to the stroller and off we go.  Who is going to bother to transfer the baby from car seat to Moses basket to shoping cart back Moses basket to car seat, etc?  We don’t even usually bother to transfer the baby from car seat to crib if she falls asleep (that would waker her up!)–so who adds an extra step? 

It’s so pretty, though.  It just occured to me that it looks exactly like the sort of thing a childless friend would give as a shower gift.  God bless those childless friends–don’t they always get us the coolest stuff?  Stuff we’d never get ourselves–because we know better!