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]

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]

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.

Admittedly, this is 20 times more stupid, if true, than leaving a baby in a locked car. The news reports though says there is some question whether he actually new the child was being towed. Even if he did know, I would think the judge would have to either say he was basically not competent to do anything rather than try to “punish” him for his stupidity. What good does that do anyone?

DECATUR, Ill. – A central Illinois man has been sentenced to 60 days in jail and 18 months probation for running over his 12-year-old son while towing the boy on a skateboard.

Timothy W. Melvin on Monday said he didn’t realize he was pleading guilty to child endangerment. He says he didn’t mean to say he knew his son was standing on a skateboard and hanging on to a window of Melvin’s car on April 2, 2008.

[From Ill. dad gets jail for son's skateboarding death -- chicagotribune.com]

If you work in a large company, or even a small one, you’re likely feeling the change in power balance at work.

History suggests that when our economy slumps, employers gain an edge in setting the rules of work, thanks to the basic economics of supply and demand.

“In good times, employers may be willing to put up with things,” said Heather Boushey, a senior economist at the Center for American Progress. “These are bad times. There are 10 people who can take the job you have if you have any sort of extenuating circumstances.”

[From Working Dad: Work-life balance is suffering from economic stress]

When things are good, and managers are afraid of losing good and even mediocre players, parents have more freedom to be there for their kids. The corporation and the bottom line doesn’t really care though if your child has a runny nose or if you need to bond with your baby. In down times, without stating as much, it will demand more of each employee, only noting when you aren’t there, or don’t produce.

Count this as another effect of the growing recession. Moms and dads will have to work even harder to be there for the family, making sacrifices even if both have good jobs and want to keep them until we’re out of this thing, whenever that is.

“I thought it would be good to have a baby”
“I didn’t think about how we could afford it”

Unfortunately, in this case, it’s a 13-year-old who has become a dad as reported by The Australian.

The British couple, only 12 when the baby was conceived, hid the pregnancy from their parents until 12 weeks.

So far, the kids have been very responsible parents and are trying very hard. Still, I can only imagine all the stresses on their lives as they try to take care of a baby while still children themselves.

If you’re a dad with a daughter, you know that dancing with her is a magical moment for both of you, whether she is just three and you’re giving her a twirl, or if you’re dancing at her wedding.

Knowing this, moms put on this father-daughter dance to raise money for a village in Africa. It’s a nice idea.

In contrast to “The Chicken Dance,” “The Macarena,” “The Twist” and “The Electric Slide,” there was “Imagine.”

Little girls in their fanciest party dresses paused, lifted their faces and watched the pictures projected on the wall of the gym where they had been dancing with their dads.

» Click to enlarge image

Four-year-old Amelia Hebel of Naperville dances with her father Matt during the Daddy Daughter Dance on Saturday at the Community Life Center in Naperville.
Corey R. Minkanic / For The Sun

John Lennon’s song accompanied a slide show that reminded everyone why they were there: A village in Africa needs clean water, and they were raising money to provide it.

Ticket sales from Saturday night’s Daddy-Daughter Dance, sponsored by Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Naperville, will benefit the children of Derre, Mozambique, and their families through the Christian humanitarian organization World Vision. Pictures of the sponsored children decorated the tables around the dance floor.

Doug Clermont and his 4-year-old daughter Lily made an evening of it.

“We grabbed dinner beforehand, kind of like a date,” Doug said. “Colonial (Cafe). High class. Pancakes and bacon.”

[From Dads and daughters enjoy chance to dance :: Naperville Sun :: News]

This story is just fascinating for all of its implications for parents’ rights. So much of what we do with our own children is up to us; how they learn, what they eat,what they watch on TV. It’s tempting to think they are under our complete control, like little pets. But in reality, we are only custodians for several years and for good, and sometimes bad, the State watches how and what we do as parents.

This story appears to be more complicated than just the naming part, but it’s always hard to know what goes on inside a family and what is really happening. As much as I think naming your children after genocidal historical figures is completely stupid, I would hope that they were not removed solely because of the father’s irresponsible choice of names.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — The father of three children who have names associated with Nazis is accusing the state Division of Youth and Family Services of taking his children under false pretenses and says one of the kids appeared neglected when he saw them last week.
Heath Campbell told The Associated Press on Saturday that he and his wife, Deborah, have been allowed to see their children once since state child welfare workers removed them from the family’s home on Jan. 9.
Campbell said his 2-year-old daughter, JoyceLynn Aryan Nation Campbell, appeared sick and had a runny nose and dirty diaper when he and his wife visited the children last week under the supervision of state social workers.
DYFS has not said why JoyceLynn and siblings Adolf Hitler Campbell, 3, and Honszlynn Hinler Jeannie Campbell, who will be 1 in April, were removed. Kate Bernyk, a DYFS spokeswoman, said Saturday that confidentiality laws prevent the agency from commenting on specific cases.
Campbell said the agency told him the children were taken because they were in “imminent danger,” but he believed the removal was spurred by publicity surrounding the children’s names.

[From The Associated Press: NJ dad who named kids after Nazis decries removal]

I guess the mom was screening for head size and not total body length. She’s lucky she didn’t have a five foot long baby though, with this history.

CHIFENG, China, Nov. 19 (UPI) — The world’s tallest man, who hails from China’s Inner Mongolia autonomous region, said he has become the world’s tallest dad at the age of 58.
Bao Xishun, who stands at 7 feet and 9 inches tall, said his newborn son, Tianyou, was born at an average 22-inch height, The Sun reported Wednesday.

[From World's tallest man becomes tallest dad - UPI.com]