That Tiffany song. You know the one. It played in sixth grade at my first school dance.

There I stood for the first time in close physical proximity to a female who didn’t birth me and in a way that would’ve said, “Hey there, beautiful,” if a chubby boy in a peach knit cardigan sweater and a regrettable volume of Drakkar Noir could have exuded such a brand of clumsy middle school pre-sexual energy.

These are not memories I reflect upon so often that they spill like spring rain from an overly saturated flower pot. These faint brush strokes and passing scents remain with me after a quarter century of neglect. So much new and good has come that there isn’t room for what won’t promote growth. Onward and upward. Everything else goes overboard.

This is awkwardness in retrospect, the opposite of nostalgia. I didn’t enjoy my grade school career, to put it bluntly. That first dance was a tidy microcosm of my school life. Mostly alone. Portly. Embarrassed, before I knew what meaning the word could hold. And with a girl who, rightfully, didn’t see me as a threat. It would be years before I’d realize this was the role of a lifetime.

My 10-year-old daughter has her first school dance this Friday evening, a sock hop with music from her grandparents’ heyday on the cutting-a-rug circuit. She’s over the moon with excitement, as am I, for her.

She’s said some kids are asking each other to the dance, less a date, from what I understand, as it is a ritual of accompaniment. No one wants to be alone. She has asked a friend, a girl, if she’d “go with her.” That’s great because none of the fifth graders will likely have full dance cards.

This dance will be charming in its formality. Bow ties will be straightened by moms who’ll find it damn near impossible to keep their hands from shaking long enough to capture a single clear iPhone photo to commemorate the night. Car doors will swing open and glittering silver-and-black shoes will clatter down the concrete walkway to the grade school gym while dads drive back home in cars emptied of their most precious cargo. I think we’re alone now. There doesn’t seem to be anyone around.

As I write this, it is Tuesday afternoon. I sit here anxious for the 8 p.m. Friday pickup time to arrive. But not because I want my daughter to stop dancing. It’s because I cannot wait to listen as she puts her head on my shoulder and recounts the entire Technicolor evening in hi-def detail.

Those will be memories worth letting soak in for a quarter century or more.

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This blog post, which first appeared here in 2017, is part of the #NoDadAlone campaign. Fathering Together/City Dads Group, the National At-Home Dad Network, and Fathers Eve are joining forces to amplify messages that help dads recognize we are not alone! Follow #NoDadAlone on Instagram, and learn more at NoDadAlone.com.

A version of this first appeared on Out with the Kids. First dance photo: gsdsw via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-SA)

Remember when you were a kid and every year on Thanksgiving your family would …

And on every July 4th you would …

Can you fill in the blanks?

I’m sure if you can’t for those holidays, there are others where you had a standing family tradition. You looked forward to it, and the holiday was not complete without it. Then you went through a stage in your teens where you rolled your eyes at this tradition.

As you look back on your childhood, it’s those traditions you remember. It’s those traditions that make you smile and form the picture in your mind when the holiday comes up. It’s those traditions you talk about with anyone who will listen.

There’s no secret formula to forming those traditions – at least none I’m aware of. Sure, repetition seems like a needed ingredient. Sprinkle in some loved ones and fun. And well, I think you have a tradition.

I believe our Thanksgiving tradition will remain memorable for my children. My wife has made dinner for her family ever since her father’s last Thanksgiving, and he passed away nearly 30 years ago. It’s the one holiday that we know where we’ll be and who we will be spending it with.

The family has another Thanksgiving tradition: naming the turkey. That’s right: while eating the bird, everyone is given a slip of paper and a pen. They write a name on the paper, fold it up, and drop it into a hat (when someone has not been able to make Thanksgiving dinner, they’ve texted). The names are read aloud, and a winner is selected based on crowd reaction. Last year’s winner was Num Num, named by our great niece (those were her only words at the time).

My wife spends Thanksgiving morning cooking and watching March of the Wooden Soldiers, and the boys and I go to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. This will be my oldest son’s seventh year of attendance and his brother’s third. We’ll point out our favorite floats, complain about the cold, and wish we were taller to get a better view.

But they love being in New York City.

They love taking the bus and train.

They love the snacks.

One day, my boys will be getting ready for Thanksgiving. Maybe they’ll be getting together for the holiday, like their mom and her sister. Maybe they’ll just be calling each other sometime during the day and sharing memories of naming the turkey, or trip to New York City. Either way, I’m happy and proud that we gave them this Thanksgiving tradition.

A version of this first appeared on Me, Myself and Kids. Photo: mgstanton via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Families will find a Halloween Paradise in Hershey, Pa.! Our family recently went to Hersheypark Halloween for a spooky-filled weekend at “Dark Nights” and it was a spook-tacular experience that exceeded all expectations!

#DarkNights features five haunted houses, three frightening scare zones, rollercoasters in the dark, loads of festive treats, and priceless family fun!

Hersheypark kept all the amazing things you loved about their Dark Nights experiences from last year. And added much more!

Admission tickets to Hersheypark Halloween now include all the Dark Nights haunted houses. This is fantastic that you only pay one price and get all the Dark Nights attractions included!

The scare zones have increased in scale, jaw-dropping immersive features, and have added loads more scare actors. Plus, the pyrotechnic features are a marvel.

The awesome Chocolatier Restaurant Bar + Patio transformed its patio into “Spirits Rooftop” Bar with its own unique, spooktacular menu. We stopped in for a meal and deemed their food to be the best on the property. Can you say Chocolate Martini?

Stay at one of the official resorts of Hersheypark to make the most of your haunted holiday. We stayed at Hershey Lodge and it was as amazing as ever. It allowed our family to make a weekend trip out of our visit from New York City. It also added lots of VIP benefits. These include front gate shuttle service to the park, character meet and greets, and Hershey Chocolate bars for the family at check in. Staying so close to Hersheypark means a short commute to our comfortable beds after staying out late in the thrill park.

A new haunted house, Estate of Evil, is insanity! It features so many rooms (unlucky 13 of them), jump scares, and frightening creativity infused at every turn. We had to go four times during our weekend visit!

Treatville’s Trick-or-Treat Trail is still a star attraction distributing your favorite treats and open until 8:30pm each night. Adults don’t get candy, but you can still “steal” a few favorites from your kids like I did!

NEW THIS YEAR: “Avenue of the Afterlife” scare-free path in the water park featuring a DJ dance party, Dark Nights Character Meet & Greets and street performers. This is the perfect opportunity to meet up-close-and-personal with your favorite Decayed Brigade sliders and snap some selfies.

Experiencing “dark ride” rollercoasters at Hersheypark Halloween when it’s after dark and the lights are turned off was out of this world. It’s a game changer for all coaster fans. Additionally, the light packages on display at some of the rides like Lightening Racer and the Ferris Wheel were truly mesmerizing. If you think Wildcat’s Revenge Rollercoaster was spectacular and thrilling before … try it as a dark ride after the sun goes down! Plus, Laff Trakk is in the pitch-black all day long!

NEW THIS YEAR: ENTERTAINMENT! Performances featuring all of your favorite Hershey characters dressed in Halloween costumes happen at the Music Box Theater several times each day. The infamous Decayed Brigade sliders have their own highlight show with nightly performances. Additionally, there’s an all new “Battle for Spring Creek” Pyrotechnics Show happening by the bridge in Darkstone’s Hollow each night.

Hersheypark Halloween and Dark Nights happen on weekends from now through Nov. 3, starting at 6 p.m. The closing hour varies by day.

We loved our adventure to Hersheypark for their autumn-themed Halloween festivities as much as we love visiting during the summer. The majority of our favorite rides were open with the added thrill of the Dark Nights attractions, making it a holiday wonderland for our family. What are you waiting for? Plan your family visit to the Sweetest Place on Earth for their Halloween festivities now! There’s only a few more weekends left.

Disclosure: Lance Somerfeld is a member of Hersheypark’s Sweet Insiders Program. The program includes complimentary park passes and one-night hotel accommodations provided by the kind folks at Hershey’s Entertainment & Resorts. His thoughts and opinions are genuine and have not been influenced by the brand. All photos were provided by his family. Photos: Somerfeld family.

Dads can celebrate and appreciate each others’ parenting work on the night of June 15, 2024 — Fathers Eve.

The annual event, now in its 13th year, is meant to allow dads to have a chance to show gratitude and support for one another. This differs from Father’s Day as that holiday is for families to honor dads.

Since 2012, groups of fathers have gathered formally or informally in public or private spaces to swap parenting stories, offer support to each other and help foster a positive fathering environment. John Francis, a co-organizer of our Twin Cities Dads Group in Minnesota, began the tradition by inviting several dad friends to his house for beers, billiards and swapping stories about fatherhood. Fathers Eve is now recognized as an official “national day” by the National Day Archives.

Over the years, scores of celebrations have been held annually in backyards and businesses across the United States and a few international locations. The organization has also helped raise thousands of dollars for parenting and children’s organizations.

Where to celebrate Fathers Eve 2024

Several City Dads chapters will be among those hosting Fathers Eve 2024 events (click city to find event listing and RSVP) :

• Charlotte, N.C.
• Chicago
• Cincinnati
• Columbus, Ohio
• Denver
• Fresno, Calif.
• Los Angeles
• Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minn. – Twin Cities
• New York City – Port Washington
• Phoenix

(DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group has been a longtime sponsor for Fathers Eve, donating money and helping organize events through our chapters. Fathering Together is also a sponsor.)

A complete listing of Fathers Eve 2024 events can be found on its website.

Virtual celebration available online

If you can’t attend a Fathers Eve 2024 event in person, don’t despair. A virtual online live-streaming of celebrations will again be held this year. A live stream replaced in-person events in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has supplemented organized celebrations since.

The online event starts at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on June 15. The countdowns to the annual celebratory toast start shortly before the start of 8 p.m. local time in each U.S. time zone. You can sign up for the live stream to share at your event or watch individually.

“Ohhhh, turn it up! It’s Graduation Week!”

That was my message to my 4-year-old who was about to finish pre-kindergarten and to my 10-year-old who was graduating 5th grade. Yup, two in the same week!

Graduation Day will make any dad proud and, since my dad never made it to any of my graduations, it means even more to me. My dad never made it because he had to work. How many other parents are in that same situation? I understand some people can’t make it, but if you can make up for a lost day of wages and still choose your work or other things over an hour or two of showing love — that’s no bueno.

Kids can only graduate from a grade once, so missing it when you could be there is lame. It’s a proud moment that doesn’t happen every week, and you should never miss an event at which your child is the star. Pictures of this special day are cool, but being there is priceless.

Have fun with graduation

Graduation is supposed to be for the kids, but you know dads like me still have to have our own fun with it. We wake up every day and make sure our kids get to school, so we deserve this day as much as they do.

I found a deal for $5 “big heads” on Groupon and jumped on the opportunity. It was a simple and cheap process that brought us tons of fun and memories.

The look on my kids’ faces when they saw themselves as huge cardboard heads was insane. All their friends and parents smiled while asking where we got them from.

I’m a sucker for making my kids feel like stars and making sure I had fun with it helped big time.

Take lots of photos

We have all encountered rude parents who block your view and photo ops at graduation. Often they are so excited they don’t even know they are doing it. It is what it is.

If you have to get in someone’s way to take pics of your kids, do so but don’t be rude. Don’t just barrel people over. Think about what you are doing.

Whenever my kids got called for an award or even their diploma, I weaved my way to the front to take a picture. If you’re a little shy like me, you do need to get over it. If you don’t, you will end up with some wack photos.

I abide by the rule of asking for forgiveness later, not asking for permission to capture the moment. however, always make sure you don’t mess it up for someone else. Get out of the way once you have your shot.

In conclusion, graduations are special for everyone involved. Childhood goes by way too fast and you never get a replay of moments like these. Do all you can to be there, take dope pictures and have fun. You will thank yourself when you see how proud your kids are and the smiles on their faces when you hug them. That feeling is the best.

A version of this first appeared on Cool4Dads. It first ran here in 2019 and has since been updated. Photos: James Lopez family.

Stay-at-home dads and work-at-home fathers are scheduled to gather in St. Louis this October for HomeDadCon 2024, the annual conference for these dads to add to their parenting skills, support each other and socialize.

Speakers and topics have yet to be announced for the event, which runs Oct. 17 to 19. Breakout topics at past conventions ranged from dealing with picky eaters to teaching children about sexual consent. Outreach or social activities, such as attending a sporting event, are often part of the program.

The National At-Home Dad Network (NAHDN) event is for stay- and work-at-home fathers who embrace parenting as their most important job. It allows them to network with other active fathers, learn from experts about various parenting and social issues, and take a brief respite from parenting duties. (DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group has been a long-time sponsor and partner with The National At-Home Dad Network for the at-home dads convention.)

HomeDadCon 2024 ticket, hotel information

A ticket to the HomeDadCon 2024 costs $230 for members. It includes access to all event programs, three meals, and a T-shirt. Tickets are only available to NAHDN members. It costs an additional $35 to join the organization for a year.

Discounted hotel reservations are available while they last at the Drury Plaza Hotel St. Louis at the Arch, which doubles as the event venue. The cost is $169 a night for double occupancy. For people wanting to split the rooming costs, the organization has a Discord group to help attendees find a roommate.

+ Buy a St. Louis HomeDadCon ticket +

The nonprofit National At-Home Dad Network offers advocacy, community, education, and support for families where fathers are their children’s primary caregivers. Its stated purpose is to empower fathers and champion a culture that recognizes them as competent parents.

The organization has expanded its work in recent years. It now runs parenting webinars and podcasts plus regular online gatherings for members to discuss issues. The National At-Home Dad Network has also recorded some of the past HomeDadCon sessions, some of which are made available only to dues-paying members.

Growing up, watching the Harlem Globetrotters with my family was a cherished annual tradition. Every year, our family would venture into The Big City from Long Island to watch basketball wizardry, insane dunks and trick shots, and laugh at all the team’s comical antics. It was one of those memorable childhood traditions I couldn’t wait to share with my own children.

I was finally able to fulfill that promise last week. My kids and I went to Madison Square Garden along with a dozen other NYC Dads Group members and their kids to see the World Famous Harlem Globetrotters during their 2024 World Tour. They put on an insane performance that had all of us laughing in our seats watching these masters ham it up while sinking shots from half-court.

The farcical basketball game had something for everyone — alley oops, jaw-dropping skills, and a dancing mascot (Globie) that captivated the crowd. My 9-year-old daughter was loving every minute of the experience and it converted her into a lifelong fan. My older son was dazzled by the extraordinary ball-handling skills of the players. We were all confused by the wacky scoring system, but that didn’t seem to be very important. Of course, the Harlem Globetrotters pulled out the victory to continue their undefeated win streak.

All of the NYC Dads and kids loved the experience and had many positive things to say about the game. Many of them were making memories at their first-ever Harlem Globetrotter game. For our family, we highly recommend this new version of The Original Harlem Globetrotters that features former Louisana State University women’s basketball captain, NCAA Champion and WNBA draft pick Alexis Morris, a.k.a The Show.

Definitely plan to catch the Harlem Globetrotters when they visit your city as they conduct the spring leg of their 2024 World Tour – traveling across North America, including Nova Scotia and New Brunswick! See their tour schedule here.

There are at least two tried-and-true New Year’s dad jokes in every father’s repertoire.

1. Just before the clock strikes midnight, he will swear not to make any more dad jokes for the rest of the year.
2. Shortly after midnight, he’ll yawn and say he’s so tired because he hasn’t slept since last year.

Some might even have a third. At breakfast on New Year’s Day, a clever father will claim he’s starving because — yep — he hasn’t eaten since last year.

To expand your inventory of New Year’s dad jokes, we have searched high and low (OK … mostly low) to find the best, funniest, silliest dad jokes to welcome in another 12 months with laughter. When you’ve exhausted this supply (as well as the patience of your audience), check out our winter dad jokes or, if you’re feeling romantic, move on to our Valentine’s Day laughers.

Best (and worst) New Year’s dad jokes, riddles and puns

Q. What’s the one type of pain that’s enjoyable on New Year’s?
A. Champagne.

Q. What did the woman say when she was offered a raisin on New Year’s Eve?
A. “No thanks, I already have a date.”

Q. Why is New Year’s Eve the least favorite holiday of a slice of bread?
A. It has to make a toast.

Q. Why should you always go easy on your drinking on New Year’s Eve?
A. Because you don’t want to make too many pour decisions.

Q. What did one IPA say to the other IPA after the clock struck midnight on January 1?
A. “Hoppy New Year!”

Q. Why did the dad start making breakfast at 11:59 p.m. on December 31?
A. Because he wanted to make a New Year’s toast!

Q. Where did the chef celebrate New Year’s Eve?
A. Thyme’s Square.

Q. What happened to the dad who stole a calendar on New Year’s Eve?
A. He got 12 months.

Q. What does a ghost say on January 1st?
A. Happy Boo Year!

Q. What is corn’s favorite holiday?
A. New Ear’s Day.

Q. What’s a cow’s favorite holiday?
A. Moo Year’s Day!

Q. What’s the one group that hates New Year’s Day?
A. The Times Square clean-up crew.

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A guy who had too much to drink decided to walk home on New Year’s Eve. A policeman stopped him and asked where he was going.

“I’m on my way to a lecture,” said the man.

“Who gives a lecture on New Year’s Eve?” asked the cop.

The guy answered: “My wife.”

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Q. What do you call a fear of New Year’s songs?
A. Ole Langxiety.

Q. Why did the boy sprinkle sugar on his pillow on New Year’s Eve?
A. Because he wanted to start the new year with sweet dreams.

Q. Where do butchers go to party on New Year’s Eve?
A. To a meat ball!

Q. Who finds New Year’s Eve most stressful?
A. People diagnosed with “Ole Langxiety.”

Q. Who gets the most excited about the countdown on New Year’s Eve?
A. Calendar companies.

Q. Why is partying in Times Square on New Year’s Eve overrated?
A. Because every year they drop the ball.

Q. What’s the problem with jogging on New Year’s Eve?
A. You spill too much champagne.

New Year resolution jokes

Dad: Son, are you going to resolve to quit all your bad habits in the new year?
Son: Of course not, Dad! You always told me that nobody likes a quitter.

Q. What is the snowman’s New Year’s resolution?
A. To chill out more

Q. What was the priest’s New Year’s resolution?
A. To exorcise more.

Mom: Wow, did the old year go by in a blur!
Dad: Your resolution must’ve been too low.

Q. What New Year’s resolution should a basketball player never make?
A. To travel more.

Dad: My New Year’s resolution was to eat only 1,000 calories a day.
Mom: How have you been doing?
Dad: Great! So far, I’ve surpassed my goal every day!

Q. What’s the easiest way to keep your New Year’s resolution to read more?
A. Turn on your TV’s closed captioning.

New Year’s dad jokes photo: ©soupstock / Adobe Stock.

Clear your calendar and line up some childcare for early May! You’re invited to attend the Mom 2.0 Summit parenting conference in Scottdale, Ariz.

Mom 2.0, scheduled for May 7-9, 2023, brings together influencers who create content online and on air in parenting, entertainment, food, politics, business, marketing, technology, social change, travel and design. City Dads Group is a media partner for the conference.

Despite the name, the Mom 2.0 Summit is not exclusively for women. Since its start in 2008, the annual conference has brought together like-minded parents passionate about creating content online, digital entrepreneurship, and writing.

 “We have partnered with the Mom 2.0 team in a variety of ways since our inception, and we know this will be a valuable experience for parent content creators and entrepreneurs,” said City Dads Group co-founder Matt Schneider.

Organizers have loaded the 2023 Mom 2.0 Summit with information from experienced creators and industry professionals. Slated discussions include:

• Turning your content into cash
• Building a successful online writing community, newsletter, or TikTok feed
• Becoming a local influencer
• Prioritizing, organizing and simplifying your life
• Working with brands and using affiliate links

+ + Get more info on 2023 Mom 2.0 Summit + +

Scheduled keynote speakers include:

• Jen Hatmaker. A New York Times bestselling author and podcaster. Her books include For the Love, Of Mess and Moxie and Fierce, Free and Full of Fire. She also hosts the award-winning For the Love podcast and leads an online community that reaches millions of people each week.
• Attica Locke. An award-winning author and writer/producer for television and film. A former writer and producer of the hit TV show Empire, Locke is also a New York Times best-selling author. Her novels include Heaven, My Home and Bluebird.
• Tembi Locke. Actor, screenwriter, TV producer, and like her sister, Attica, a New York Times best-selling author. Her memoir From Scratch: A Memoir of Love, Sicily, and Finding Home was adapted by Attica into the Netflix series From Scratch. The show earned six NAACP Image Award nods and a Los Angeles Film Italy award. 
• Austin Channing Brown. The CEO of Herself Media is a media producer, author, and speaker focused on racial justice in America. She is also the New York Times bestselling author of I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness. 

Along with scheduled speakers, panels and workshops, attendees will have ample time to network and connect with brands that work with online creators.

Mom 2.0 is to be held May 7-9, 2023, at the JW Marriott Scottsdale Camelback Inn Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. Tickets cost $599.

Photo: Courtesy Mom 2.0 Summit.

Milwaukee will host HomeDadCon 2023, the annual conference to help at-home fathers hone their parenting skills, this September.

The National At-Home Dad Network (NAHDN) event is for stay- and work-at-home fathers who embrace parenting as their most important job. It allows them to network with other active and involved dads, learn from experts about various parenting and social issues, and take a brief respite from parenting duties.

The Milwaukee Dads Group will have a hand in planning and coordinating this year’s event. (DISCLOSURE: City Dads Group has been and is a long-time sponsor and partner with The National At-Home Dad Network for the at-home dads convention.)

Speakers and topics have yet to be announced for the event, which kicks off with a welcoming party the evening of Sept. 21 and runs through Sept. 23. Breakout topics at past conventions ranged from dealing with picky eaters to teaching children about sexual consent. Outreach or social activities, such as attending a sporting event, are often part of the program.

Ticket, hotel information

A ticket to the HomeDadCon 2023 costs $225. It includes access to all event programs, three meals and a T-shirt. Tickets are only available to NAHDN members. It costs $35 to join the organization for a year.

Discounted hotel reservations are available through August 23 at Hyatt Regency Milwaukee, which doubles as the event venue. The cost is $167 a night for double occupancy. For people wanting to split the rooming costs, the organization has a Discord group to help attendees find a roommate.

+ Join NAHDN & buy a HomeDadCon 2023 ticket +

The nonprofit National At-Home Dad Network offers advocacy, community, education, and support for families where fathers are their children’s primary caregivers. Its stated purpose is to empower fathers and champion a culture that recognizes them as competent parents.

In the past few years, the organization has added parenting webinars and podcasts to its website. It has also recorded some of the past HomeDadCon sessions, some of which are made available only to dues-paying members.