Not surprisingly, highlights from most of my trips are the meals. Two dining options I recommend: 

• Be Our Guest Restaurant, which was staged as The Beast’s castle. I don’t know the last time I ate a filet and two French beers for lunch, but I felt the occasion justified it.
• Chef Mickey really spoke to my inner fat kid, as the servers kept bringing platters of family-style dishes spanning various meats, vegetables, potatoes, and deserts to conclude. I've heard the breakfast is even better, which may be the single biggest motivating factor for a return trip.

 
It was important to refuel (i.e., overindulge) given we walked 28 miles in three days spent across Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Epcot, and Hollywood Studios. Covid protocols across the parks were basically nonexistent, aside from not being able to touch or come into close proximity with the mascots. I found it interesting that the one job in the parks that required a huge mask was not allowed to be near the guests, but someone smarter than me can explain that one. [UPDATE: literally the same day this published, we read in one of our favorite mommy blogs that Mickey will hug again!]

All of the rides were terrific, but not surprisingly, Space Mountain was a family favorite and lived up to the hype. I highly recommend the new Star Wars section for any Star Wars enthusiast. My mind was blown by the Kilimanjaro Safari and the proximity to a variety of animals. A few others were memorable: Mickey’s PhilharMagic, Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure, Slinky Dog Dash, Avatar Flight of Passage, and the Winnie the Pooh ride (but I might be biased, since I’m a Pooh guy).

Part of the carrot for our timing of our trip, was that the high school marching band that my brother-in-law is the director for was marching in the parade. It's always awesome to see his amazing band, but Disney parades are beyond any other I've seen before.

When we’d get back to the resort at night, the kids would ask if we could go swimming. As tired as I was, this trip was once in a lifetime, so I happily obliged. I certainly have no regret ending every long day with a pool session and to hear their laughs a little while longer before passing out.

Disney World is hot, crowded and expensive, but man, you can’t beat the memories created and the wonder in your children’s eyes as they experience this mecca for family entertainment and amusement. We’ve been home a week, and my kids are still asking for and cracking up at my amateur Mickey, Goofy and Donald impressions.

I don’t know if and when a return trip might be, but I’m truly grateful we had this time as a family at the happiest place on Earth.

-Steve Michalovich, contributor, CBUS Dads

No matter your personal views, the events unfolding in Ukraine impact all of us to some degree, and children are no different. War is not a novel concept in the world, but the stakes seem to be higher as two large countries are embroiled in a conflict that can potentially draw involvement from other nations as well. Many of us would like to think that we can shield our children from distressing and scary events in the world, but that is not the case. Kids hear and see things even if we try to shield them from it, especially as they get older. If you don't address it with them, they are left to process it themselves or turn to other unreliable sources. As of 2019, more than 50 percent of teens were getting their news primarily from social media. I can imagine that number has only gone up since then.

So, today I would like to share some advice on how to talk with the children in your lives about scary, violent or otherwise traumatic events they may be exposed to:

 Be proactive - don't wait for them to come to you

•  If there is time, think through the issues yourself, or talk them through with someone else so you can work through how you feel about it before talking with kids about it
• Ask them what they know or have seen/heard
• Be ready to listen and not discount what they are telling you
• Empathize with their concerns, even if some are unjustified, but correct misperceptions

Reassure them in a realistic way

• "I'm here to help you understand this and get through it"
• "You are safe now here at home," or "our job as adults who love you is to keep you safe"
• Steer clear of unrealistic promises, like "Nothing bad will ever happen to you," or "I would never let anyone hurt you."  Those are promises you can't always follow through on.

Leave the door open for further discussion

• Try to ask open-ended questions
• How do you feel about that?
• What does that make you think about?
• Do you have questions about what is happening/happened?

Encourage them to use emotion words and share your own feelings, appropriately

• I'm feeling very upset right now, I'm worried for the people impacted by it, I'm scared too
• Avoid sensationalizing - try not to say you are terrified, horrified, overcome (even if that's how you feel at the moment)
• Follow these comments with how you are managing your emotions
  • I'm talking with…
  • I'm going to go for a walk
  • I want some extra hugs today

You don't have to know all the answers

• Use reliable online sources to find an answer together if possible
• Tell them that you don't know an answer yet, but you'll try to find out for them
• Accept that not every event has a good reason

Focus on who is trying to help

• International organizations, countries, leaders
• Talk about people in your own community who are helpers to make it relevant

Avoid blaming or chastising entire groups of people

• Political groups, races, religions, countries, etc.
• Focus on the reality that in most cases, tragic events are carried out by a small number of people or decision-makers

When you are able to have these conversations with the children in your life, it not only helps to work through the current issue and stress they may be experiencing. These talks will open the door for them to come to you with other questions and concerns they have to ensure that they get reliable and realistic information.  It is incredibly important for children to have adults in their lives who model effective ways to discuss difficult issues, manage emotions and resolve conflict. These skills are crucial throughout life and contribute to resilience and overall success in life. A relatively short conversation now can have a ripple of positive effect throughout their development.

This a guest post authored by Dr. Parker Huston, formerly the director of the Nationwide Children's Hospital On Our Sleeves campaign and now owner of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health. Check out his recent appearance on The Dadass Podcast.

I know what many of you are probably saying under your breath or to the screen: "There's only so much of this I can take. We all have a breaking point!" It's true, you might have seen or read news stories lately about how some parents are "hitting bottom" or "reaching new lows" at this stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. We all have a reason, no matter who you are or where you live, to be experiencing this right now.

So, why talk about happiness? Right now?!? Turns out, happiness is not an achievement and isn't totally dependent upon on your situation or current life circumstances. The science of happiness has come a long way in the past few decades, so let's talk about why happiness is so important and how we can teach our kids, and ourselves, ways to cultivate happiness (yes, even now during the pandemic!).

My favorite definition of happiness is "the experience of joy, contentment or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful and worthwhile.” This definition, by Sonja Lyubomirsky, captures both the experience in the moment and a long-term sense of life as a whole. What we're learning is that happiness is not the outcome of a process or success in a task. In fact, many people who study happiness now think that we have it backward, that greater success and achievement in life is a result of happiness instead of the cause.  

So, how can we help ourselves (and teach our kids) to cultivate positive emotions during tough times?  Here are five strategies to try out at home:

1. Create and Maintain Strong Social Connections - Most of us know that friends and family are important to us, but I don't think we know just HOW important they are. Having at least a small handful of close friends, the kind you can call with a flat tire on the interstate or to share really important news and get the support you need, increases our sense of belonging and self-worth. The same goes for kids. Make sure they are maintaining friendships, even when it takes some extra effort on our part as parents. Put energy into your friendships and relationships. Don't take them for granted.
2. Pay it Forward - Being kind to others actually improves our mood as well. Show the children in your life the power of kindness by doing something for a family member, friend, neighbor, or teacher. Have them join in or think of someone they would like to show kindness. It's a sure way to boost your mood today.  
3. Practice Gratitude - No one could fault themselves for focusing on what's not going well in the world right now. But, when we spend so much time looking for the next let-down, we can miss all of the good things still going on in our lives. It's like staring up at the storm clouds when you're walking through a flower garden. The storm is real, but so are the flowers. Find time each day as a family to focus on what you are grateful for today. They can be big (the love of family and friends, accomplishments at work, etc.) or small (I look good in this sweater, or this is one of my favorite meals for dinner).
4. Exercise - The connection between physical and mental health is very well established. Exercise helps to release certain endorphins in the brain which elevate your mood starting shortly after you finish exercising. You don't have to do a 500 calorie intense workout or run 10 miles to get the effect. 30 minutes of moderate exercise, like a brisk walk, jog, family bike ride, or anything else that gets your heart rate elevated, will help. Try this as a family activity and the effect will be even greater! Family yoga or exercise routines are easy to find online for free and work well in winter months if you're not up for a winter stroll.  
5. Tell a Joke - There's a reason why a good comedy show, funny movie or hilarious joke can be just the thing to help when we are feeling down. Believe it or not, the simple act of smiling and laughing communicates to our brain that we should consider being happy right now. If not, why are we laughing? Telling silly jokes, watching a funny family-friendly show or just doing something that makes us smile will help to improve your mood! Thankfully The Dadass Podcast has plenty of dad jokes for you! 

This a guest post authored by Dr. Parker Huston, formerly the director of the Nationwide Children's Hospital On Our Sleeves campaign and now owner of Central Ohio Pediatric Behavioral Health. Check out his recent appearance on The Dadass Podcast.

“I have a ridiculously beautiful wife who's super sexy, and as long as she's happy with me, I don't need to look in the mirror and think, "How do I stack up next to Bradley Cooper? Would Cooper rock this shirt?" Doesn't matter. He does not have your wife. You do.”
-Nick Offerman

​If you have the privilege to have a significant other take this quote to heart for several reasons:

For one, and I say this from personal experience, paying attention to each other is so important. Your partner matters and their opinion of you and your relationship absolutely matters.

Second, your opinion of yourself and they way you talk about and to yourself absolutely matters. You are your toughest critic and the voice you hear the most is your own. Stop playing the comparison olympics, it benefits no one. Instead of asking how you stack up to some celebrity or even friend, try asking how you stack up against a previous version of yourself. Have you made the progress you wanted to make? There is no first place prize for living life, just try to be the best version of yourself and do your best everyday.

That my friends is truly how to live like a DADASS!

"...you've never been in the dark with a mosquito”
-Betty Reese

Interesting things happen when you feel small. The world seems huge, and the tasks at hand often look like mountains despite them being mole hills. Here’s the thing though, a problem is a problem no matter the size. And everything plays into a larger narrative, we are in some ways all connected and feeling small has a way of showing you that.

I’ve recently been watching Tiny World on Apple TV+ and loving it. For those unfamiliar, it is a nature documentary narrated by Paul Rudd and it explores the world through small creatures eyes and experiences. It’s amazing to watch and quite honestly a good watch for the entire family. What strikes me is how absolutely crucial the tiniest of things in our world are even to species much larger. Do not forget, the work that you do as an adult, co-worker, parent, or spouse ABSOLUTELY MATTERS no matter how small it seems.