Dads Unplugged

Bill Gates did not write this list (http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/schoolrules.asp), but Kent and Todd did go through it one by one and analyzed with their incredibly intelligent brains. Remember, they actually drank beer on one episode they recorded at 10am (http://www.dadsunplugged.com/shows/the-holiday-ale-festival-from-portland-oregon/).  You will learn that Kent actually remembers one thing he learned at school from his Social Studies teacher and it's something we all should have learned...and they also discovered that the list shouldn't be just 14 things long. Every school should make it longer... because when they do, all of a sudden the kids become grow up to more efficient employees. And there is a swear word in this episode.

Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time for the real Holiday season to hit. That means one thing around the northwest! Beer! Yeah, really good beers, and it starts with the Portland Holiday Ale Festival (http://holidayale.com/). Now, I know maybe you are listening to this episode from somewhere else in the country and you can't get to the Portland Holiday Ale Festival, but use the show as a reminder to attend your Holiday Ale Festival in your town. If you don't have one, then use this episode as the incentive to start your own. Speaking of starting your own, that what's our two experts did. One started at age 12 and the other started his own brewery in 1997.   Jerry Fechter of Lompoc Brewery (http://www.lompocbrewing.com/) co-owner of the company over 15 years ago and it's been his passion ever since. Ron Gansberg from Cascade Brewing (http://cascadebrewingbarrelhouse.com/), who started brewing Root Beer at age 12, is well known in these parts and appears to be a stand up comedian in his spare time, in which he has none. Jerry brought in two holidays ales for Kent and Todd to try, C-Sons Greetings IPA (http://www.lompocbrewing.com/brewery_seasonals_winter_c_sons.html) and 8 Malty Nights Porter (http://www.lompocbrewing.com/brewery_seasonals_winter_8_malty_nights.html). Nothing like some fine refreshments at 10:30am when we recorded this. They shared their stories and Ron shared many of his wonderful tales about the business. If you are a beer lover, an aspiring beer maker or just someone who loves a tall tale and a tall pint, this is the episode for you and your friends and a nice 6-pack!

If you are a trail Blazer fan, then you know what it is like to hear Brian Wheeler call a game. You are always on the edge of your seat. You can feel the highs and the lows, because Brian delivers the emotion in the ups and downs of his own broadcast. It is a always a  journey that leaves you drained and that's just how all of us sports fans love it. To hear Brian Wheeler tell his own story of adoption is just as emotional and draining. The man who Portland has fallen in love with has more twists and turns that Antonio Harvey's double digit career. Adopted at birth, he grew up just like any of us. But that's about where the comparisons end and his story gets better. The Voice of the Trail Blazers got a second chance. It's a story only he can tell. This will top any Trail Blazer vs. Laker finishes or even the ending of a nail biter at the Rose Garden. I suggest you turn up the volume and listen. Because at the end of this one you will just be sitting there, shaking your head, saying, "I don't believe it."

Recently, Lisa Belkin of HuffingtonPost.com (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/lisa-belkin/quitting-law-life-work-balance_b_2104259.html) wrote a column about a DC Lawyer mom who quit because she couldn't balance the two. It's not an easy choice but one she felt had to make. Good for her. Then I read what her days look like and I think she copped out. There is no reason she should have quit her job. In fact, there is no reason any women should quit their jobs. Plus Dads need to occaisionally be reminded of what is so great about being a Dad and Tom Matlack did that with his list of "25 Things I have learned from being a dad (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/14/things-ive-learned-from-being-a-dad_n_2100709.html?utm_hp_ref=parents&ir=Parents)". I didn't read them all, but I did share the ones I thought were the best. And finally, the Gay community (http://www.collegehumor.com/video/6846855/gay-men-will-marry-your-girlfriends) gives you one more reason to fear them.

Who is coming to dinner this Thanksgiving? With all the stress, it can be tough on your kids but Divorce Lawyer, Jody Stahancyk (http://www.childcenteredsolutions.org/) has a few tricks up her sleeve and knows how to make it easier for everyone this Holiday season. She shares those secrets with Todd and Kent. Here is a a teaser... Before the guests arrive, explain to your kids what each guest does for a profession and how you know them and even add in why you like them. This will help the child when they are introduced at the party. Todd and Kent also debate the most important question of all: dark meat or white. Share your Thanksgiving traditions on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/DadsUnplugged?ref=ts&fref=ts) or comment below. So you know, we do had a sponsor mention right at the beginning of the show, so don't be surprised!

Autism! Aspergers! Anything on the spectrum can be tough to handle as a parent but do most people really know much about Aspergers? Justin Eugene Evans (http://www.mcmenamins.com/events/107396-A-Lonely-Place-For-Dying-NR) does. He is an award winning film director who just recently found out his 6 year old son has Aspergers. Only 6 months later, Evans discovered his son wasn't alone. The Oregon native is returning home to showcase his latest film, a low budget, high tech, award winning piece called, A Lonely Place for Dying (http://www.alonelyplacefordying.com/). This thriller (http://www.fastcompany.com/1767633/vodo-netflix-meets-kickstarter-indie-film-fans), starring James Cromwell, was made for under 200K. Much like someone with Aspergers, you couldn't tell from just looking at it. Evans' story is a difficult one to tell because of what everyone else understands about someone with Aspergers. He overcame bullying and beatings at the hands of his many tormentors as a child, mainly because he knew he was different. He was better, much like a few others we now know have have Aspergers (http://www.asperger-syndrome.me.uk/people.htm): Bill Gates, Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton, Jane Austen, etc... As is pointed out in our interview, without Aspergers, this world may be in much different, less advance place. Evans had never admitted out loud in public that he had Aspergers, as it has carried the weight of much personal torment. We are proud and honored that he felt he could do it on our show. If you have a child with Aspergers, or know of someone who does, please find the time to listen to the entire episode. If you have no connection with Aspergers, you will be thankful you found the time to hear Evans' entire story. How often do you get to hear from a man who has overcome so many odds and found a way to make his life and his child's life richer because of something they share: Aspergers.  

The American Academy of Pediatrics (http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Weighs-In-For-the-First-Time-on-Organic-Foods-for-Children.aspx) says Just Eat It! They say it doesn't matter whether it's Organic or Conventional, even though they admit that conventionally grown fruits and vegetables have many more pesticides. Todd and Kent had a field day with this one. How can our Doctors want us to be healthy and yet tell us to eat foods that can make us sick? By the way, click here (http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary/) to see the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 fruits and vegetables. You don't have to buy everything organic. Speaking of what to buy, Todd and Laura want a new car, well a used Subaru. But is that the best car to buy? Kent unveils his hidden talent as a car guy. He almost sold Todd on the Volvo, but he had some other suggestions that might keep all of us and our kids safe this winter. Finally, is College over-rated? Newsweek (http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2012/09/09/megan-mcardle-on-the-coming-burst-of-the-college-bubble.html) is asking that question. Todd and Kent are answering it. Hey, college is for partying and socializing, so if you are up for paying $100,000 foryour kid to learn those skills, then it's a great deal. How can we fix this problem? It's easy. Todd's answer could change the way you prepare your teen for the next few years. It might also help get rid of the whole "Kids living at home after college" issue.

Are your online passwords safe (https://www.unitusccu.com/our-community/community-blog/post/how-secure-are-your-online-passwords)? Are they safe because you have memorized the one that you consistently use? Are they safe because you have a special code that nobody can break? Are they safe because they are written down and behind lock and key?  There are Hackers out there who will stop at nothing to get at your personal information. In fact, on July 12th, 2012, Yahoo, who has very formidable protection for all their users, was hacked and the personal information of over 400,000 people was stolen. How do you protect yourself from Hackers? Our dads didn't need to know how to do that back before Al Gore invented the internet. Now we have to.  We must protect ourselves. On this episode we give you 6 tips on how to keep yourself safe from Hackers and other online security breaches, plus we teach you more than a little about the safety of your PIN codes (https://www.unitusccu.com/our-community/community-blog/post/how-secure-are-your-online-passwords). Do you know how easy they are to break? Don't be part of the 25%! We begin the episode with a story about Fatherpreneurship (http://thenextweb.com/lifehacks/2012/10/13/how-to-be-a-fatherpreneur/?utm_medium=Spreadus&utm_campaign=social%20media&awesm=tnw.to_n5gU&utm_source=Twitter). It's a difficult balance but some very successful men have found a way to live both lives and be successful in the office and at home. If you have been afraid to ask those questions, don't worry, we deliver the answers for you.

Jody Stahancyk (http://stahancyk.com/) joined us to talk directly to dads. Stop standing on the sideline and become Super Dad! It's easy to play a Super role in your child's life. (http://www.childcenteredsolutions.org/) This is especially important for divorced dads, but married dads are not exempt. Jody has over 30 years experience as a Divorce Lawyer (http://www.divorceondemand.com/) and has seen it all.

All parents feel like they need to multitask. Thankfully we all have smart phones right? Wrong! Smartphones are making us stupid, or at least dumber parents. We are making poorer decisions and not helping our kids. In fact, more parents and kids are getting injured because of smart phones. Don't understand? Todd and Kent explain on this episode. Can you go 24 hours without your smart phone? Without your iPad? Can your kids go 24 hours without texting? (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10000872396390444772404577589683644202996.html) Are you willing to challenge yourself? Start by trying to go without your phone for 1 hour. Now make it 2. Now make it a whole day. Let us know how it went for you. Weekends and vacations don't count. Some studies (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-3445_162-57523072/texting-can-we-pull-the-plug-on-our-obsession/?tag=showDoorLeadStoriesAreaMain;SunMoLeadHero) have been done about young adults and smartphones, the results were staggering.

There's an App for that. No there isn't, there is an article (http://www.fastcoexist.com/1680579/what-is-this-app-doing-to-my-kids-brain?utm_source=twitter).  When it comes to kids brain development there isn't an app that can enhance it like actual tangible experiences. Kent and Todd debate how apps can help our children learn. Plus, technology is now driving kids to stay in touch with their parents much more when they go away to college. On average, kids are connecting with parents now 13 times per week (http://www.npr.org/2012/09/25/161716306/phone-home-tech-draws-parents-college-kids-closer). Todd loses his mind but not his ability to speak his mind. Finally, technology may be good, but it is creating health issues for kids (http://www.npr.org/2012/09/23/161584477/at-school-overweight-children-carry-a-heavy-burden). How can kids be entering their teenage years over 250 lbs? What has happened to kids and their healthy eating habits? Is America's next generation heading to an early grave? Not if we can all do something about it now. Find out what.

We debate jailing a teenager, Paul Tough's new book: How Children Succeed, and how teacher's expectations can influence a classroom. A teenager under the influence of some drug crashed in front of Todd's home Saturday night. He drove away. Todd got the license plate number and the kid was arrested. Should Todd press charges? It's a debate that lots of people responded to. What's your take? That lead into the discussion of Paul Tough's new book, How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity and the Hidden Power of Character. The research can open your eyes; the stories leave your jaw hanging low and the reality makes your heart hurt. But Paul tells it like it is. When you are done, you should go here (http://www.parentingunpluggedradio.com/2012/09/19/author-paul-tough-how-children-succeed/) to listen to a full interview with him on Parenting Unplugged Radio (http://parentingunpluggedradio.com). Finally, Kent and Todd touched upon how teachers are unexpectedly influencing classrooms and kids education. With a horrible ratio of nearly 1 teacher to 36 kids, it's easy for an educator to lean towards those who are better in a certain subject. But a subtle move like that can have disastrous effects on the entire class.

It may seem crazy, but crazy like a fox. An public elementary school in Maryland has decided to abolish homework. What do the kids do instead and why has it increased their tests scores up to over 75%? And keep listening because there is an important part at about the 20 minute where we tell you what makes this entire story one of the most inspiring you have heard since yesterday... Also, just because you are int he White House doesn't mean you don't have to parent. The Obama's have their approach and Kent and Todd replied to 5 things Michelle does with Malia and Sasha. Do we agree or disagree? Would you do any of this with your kids? We both think if we don't, we are not helping our children be their best. Finally, one Dad has a few things he wants to say to his son, 25 different things. One actually involves porn, but not in a bad way. Check out the list and let us know what you think, because Kent and Todd aren't afraid to share their thoughts.

What are parents really concerned about? White? African American? Hispanic? Each community has different needs, but on this episode, Todd and Kent share a recently post Top 10 list. It may or may not shock you, but hopefully it will open your eyes to what other parents are feeling. You are not alone. And the second half of the show is something that is scary for parents as well... talking to their kids about money. How much do you give your child per week in allowance? Why? What do they do to deserve that? Also, have you talked to your kids about the family money? Have you talked to your own parents about money? It's not a four letter word but everyone seems to stay away from it like it is. This could be a conversation that lasts long beyond this show. Make to sure to answer our questions on Facebook at Dads Unplugged (https://www.facebook.com/DadsUnplugged).

Your child is excited about going to a new school or just returning to school and seeing all of his or her friends. But this year, he/she is greeted by something new and terrible: Bullying. It can tear a child, a family and a community apart. Each year thousands of children are bullied and nothing is done about it. Kent and Todd tackle the topic, share their own experiences being the bully and being bullied. At the end, they have a solution to stop bullying in it's tracks. Yeah, we believe it is going to change the world.