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Dads at Election Day 2012
Here we are finally at Election Day. This has to be the longest slog to the first Tuesday in November in recorded history. Even we political junkies are tired of the repetition of talking points and downward spiral of the last months. Our kids are tired too. They’ve listened to too many conventions, debates and last speeches. They long ago decided who they would vote for, along with some other choice opinions on the veracity of the candidates and their sartorial choices. They know that they have one more evening of the family huddled around the TV watching election coverage. It all comes down to this. Even though we are also in the middle of watching Harry Potter, The Deadly Hallows Part 2, with only 45 minutes left to go, they know that will have to wait until Wednesday night after all the results are in.
In past years, I’ve taken the kids to the polls with me. Cradled in a Baby Bjorn, or trailing behind in a stroller, I’ve then hoisted them up to see what daddy was doing as I scrutinized the small print of our mainly state and local ballot initiatives here in California. The kids know we take the seriously, studying up for election day the same way they do for a science or history exam. Hopefully, they take away some reverence for this democratic ritual. It’s easy to be cynical about voting since you’re only one drop in an immense ocean of ballots, X’s and chads, but as we saw in Florida in 2000, sometimes it does come down to just a few votes and they really can count, especially for local races and ballot initiatives.
So tonight, we’ll finally see how it all turns out. We had pizza last night so we’ll have to find another suitable TV-watching food for this evening, something that can be nervously nibbled at without being too bad for us. After a decade of nightly salads to combat middle-age bloat, I might need something a big more comforting to get through the night, especially since it will likely be a long one.
My plan for the evening is to get the kids at 3:30 and bring them home. They will start piano practice while I watch the last hour of pre-results coverage leading up to 8PM EST, the witching hour. Apparently, some polls will have already closed by then, so some states might already be in. By 6PM PST, we’ll already be deep into it, but with still 2/3 the country to go. By 9PM PST bedtime, maybe it will already be over but the whimpering, shouting and blaming. The experts say it might take a lot longer than that, into the wee hours, or not until a week later. For a statistical prediction of when the election will be called, check out this video by Bruce Nash, a statistician for the movie industry. He doesn’t make any predictions on who will win, but he does go state by state, based on his modeling and calls when he thinks the winner will be announced. Spoiler alert: Nash thinks you’ll be up until 4AM EST if you want to know who has finally won the big election of 2012.
Popularity: 1%
Worst Dads: Dad charged with binding girl with tape
Maybe at this point, it’s just piling on, but sometimes things people do with or to kids, supposedly thinking it’s all in good fun, are just too much. Here a single dad saw his daughter playing with packing tape and decided it would be funny to wrap it around her legs and hands and over her mouth and post a picture on Facebook. To make matters worse, he labeled the photo “Here’s wut (sic) happens when my baby hits me back. ; )”
And, now of course, he is clogging the courts with an aggravated assault charge. He can’t have contact with his daughter or any child under 18 while the case is pending. He is also not allowed on the Internet.
Amazingly stupid and lacking any humor for a dad whose mom says her son is a “big jokester.”
[From Dad charged with binding girl with tape ‘feels awful’ - Chicago Sun-Times]
Popularity: 1%
That does it for me: Dad’s harness breaks while parasailing
DAD SAID: ‘IT’S GREAT UP HERE’.. THEN FELL – mirror.co.uk
I just took my daughter parasailing in Hawaii. Several days before, I spent a ton of time researching whether there are ever accidents and if I was the worst dad ever for thinking of taking my nine year old daughter on a ride a couple hundred feet over the Pacific.
The more I read, the better I felt though. Accidents like the one described here, which is about as horrible as they come, appear to now only happen outside the US, where there are few if any controls. I would never think of parasailing in Mexico, for example.
The day of, we spent about two hours waiting for the winds to calm down so we could take our turn. More accidents do happen when conditions are bad enough to think about canceling but aren’t severe enough for local entrepreneurs to shut off the money machine. I was reassured that this team had a perfect safety record. Our ride went off without a hitch, and all I could really complain about was the nausea that started to intensify after sailing around for 15 minutes. At a certain point, you just want down.
It’s hard not to think about every ten seconds about the possibility of this happening: the harness breaks or the chute is punctured and you fall like the proverbial stone. It isn’t really that ironic that this poor guy was just saying what would happen, because, when you’re up there, it tends to be what you talk about because it’s always on your mind. Sad story. All I can say is that I’m glad she wasn’t just a little girl like mine, though the tragedy is just as horrible.
My little boy is six and now wants to try it. Maybe next time, it’s my wife’s turn.
Dad Glenn Hudson was happily tandem parasailing with his daughter Emma when he joked at 150ft they would be goners if their harnesses snapped.
Tragically, just moments later, the very thing Glenn had laughed about happened – as his harness broke and he hurtled helplessly to his death after hitting the beach.
[From DAD SAID: 'IT'S GREAT UP HERE'.. THEN FELL - mirror.co.uk]
Popularity: 2%
Study: Time with dad key to kids’ happiness
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Recall on Infantino SlingRider baby slings – 3 dead
We had previously recommended the Infantino SlingRider for its easy access and comfort. However, this sling, perhaps more than some others has a potential to suffocate underweight or premature babies, or those with breathing difficulties such as a cold. The recall also includes the Infantino “Wendy Bellisimo” sling.
WASHINGTON – More than 1 million baby slings made by Infantino were recalled Wednesday after claims linking them to three infant deaths.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission said babies could suffocate in the soft fabric slings. The agency urged parents to immediately stop using the slings for babies under 4 months.
The recall involves 1 million Infantino “SlingRider” and “Wendy Bellissimo” slings in the United States and 15,000 in Canada.[From More than 1 million baby slings recalled - Yahoo! News]
The Consumer Product Safety Commission also warned that all slings can be dangerous if used improperly. Make sure that babies mouth and face are clear of fabric and plainly in view when using. Small babies, especially, can not twist themselves into a breathing position and may become stuck without being able to breathe.
Popularity: 1%
