My wife is impressed with many of the creative things I do with our son, saying, "I never thought to do that with him." This blog is my outlet to share such experiences with the world of dads.
As dads, we need to look for opportunities to do cool things with our child...not just traditional "kids stuff". Seek out cool events/places you will enjoy too...and find a way to involve kids in your routine.
Example 1: If you find yourself near a furniture store...go in! Last weekend we were in Crate&Barrel, so I broke way from the "design session" and took my son over to the couches. He played with pillows and fabric samples for 20 minutes! The colors and textures are great exposure...and everyone that walked by thought it was so sweet that daddy was teaching him colors. Of course, please be respectful of the store. If someone is interested in purchasing the stuff you're playing on...move along. And try to keep the drool off the nice furniture. :-) 
Example 2: I found a pedestrian overpass of a busy highway. I took my
son there for a walk one morning during rush hour. He loved it! Cars of
all colors, shapes and sounds zooming in both directions. A birds eye
view of traffic that you don't get from your driveway. I am a car guy, so I would try to call out the makes/models as they drove by...not so easy when you are 20 feet above them at rush hour. For those in the
area, it was the Greenway overpass of 64/1 near Cary Parkway exit. You can reach it from either the Kids-Together playground or the MacDonald Woods play area off Seabrook. Summary for this post...don't be afraid to take your child out and do the things you need to do. Look for those opportunities to expose them to something new...and if you are stuck in a "shopping situation", make the best of it. Your child (and spouse) will love you for it.
