The DadPack: 5 Things That Should Always Be Included

Being a dad, there are always going to be set things that you need to have with you in life. When you have small kids, you’re probably not all that far from a spit up rag or the diapers. As your kids get older, you may swap those for footballs and dolls! No matter how old your children are, you’ll always find that there are things you need to take around in life with you to make sure they’re taken care of. And this is where your DadPack comes in. The Dad-Backpack is your go-to sack full of everything that you need in life. Whether it’s to pack for a family break or just for your day-today life, here are the five essential things that you should always include.

backpack

1. Snacks

Kicking off with everyone’s favorite, we have snacks. And by everyone, we’re of course referring to you as well as the kids. Because it’s always a great idea to have healthy snacks with you at all times. Not only will your children often want to have a snack just when you leave the house or get to your destination, but you may also find that they save you when you’re low on energy too. So make sure that you always have a few go-to snacks packed.

2. Cleaning Products

Maybe cleaning products isn’t the right subheading here, because we’re not talking about bleach and sponges. Instead, we’re talking about those kid cleaning products that you always need to have with you. Think wipes and tissues! Although this is probably something you always have in the car and dotted around the home, you need to have a couple of options stuffed into your DadPack too. That way, when your kids get messy after their snacks, or just in general, you’re covered.

3. Essential Tech

Then it’s onto the good stuff – the essential tech that you’re going to need to take with you. Wherever you’re going, it’s safe to say that your cell phone, a tablet, an iPhone cable, and your charger will be coming in tow. Not only may you need the cell for safety reasons, but it’s also handy to have different devices around if you need a quick distraction!

4. Entertainment

Next, you need some entertainment. We can all do road trip activities, and of course, your kids are covered at home, but when you’re at dinner or doing something more ‘adult’ than child-friendly, some kind of entertainment is always good. So pack a toy or two to make sure your kids can stay content.

5. Survival Stuff

Finally, there’s all that stuff that you need to have with you to prevent meltdowns or quickly diffuse them in the moment. As much as you might like your child to be able to go a few hours without throwing a fit, it doesn’t always happen. So pack up the pacifiers, blankets, teddies, and what over comfort stuff is essential to your survival. And then, your DadPack should finally feel complete.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

Outdo Yourself This Easter Holiday With Ease

So Easter is just around the corner, and the kids are nagging at you because they want to do something really fun this year (even though you ensure they have fun every year!). You’re under pressure to make sure that your kids have the best possible time, and what you do will define the experience they have. But there comes a time where you run out of ideas and you don’t know what there is left to do for them that hasn’t already been done before. Having said that, it’s not impossible, you just need to get creative.

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Here are some of the best ideas.

Live show

Whether it be in the theatre watching a play, of your child’s favourite musician playing in concert, have a look what’s on offer in your area. There are plenty of sites that display all the things that are coming up, so have a browse and then purchase some concert tickets and surprise them with a fun evening out. You can make a whole day of it by getting dressed up, grabbing something nice to eat, and then finally spilling the beans on where you’re taking them.

Bunny race

Get out your old pillowcases and give your child one each. The aim of the game is for them to get from A to B first. You can make this more difficult by making a course for them to follow with various obstacles in the way that they’ll need to jump over or climb under. You could even get stuck in with the fun and jump into one of those cases yourself. They are many other games that you can do that are Easter inspired, the same as an egg and spoon race.

Throw a party

If you have a relatively spacious home or garden, then ask your children to invite their favourite friends over for Easter and celebrate in style. All you need is a little bit of music and some snacks and the kids will be happy. You could even hide easter eggs around the house and garden and hold a scavenger hunt. Make sure the easter eggs are only small though so you don’t find children fighting over huge amounts of chocolate. You can even make little party bags to send home with the kids.

Have a picnic

Sometimes it can be as easy as taking your kids out of the house and having a picnic in your local park. It’s simple, but fun. You can prepare sandwiches and potato salad the night before so everything is ready the next day. Then just bring a ball with you down to the park and have a fun kick around in the sun. If you have access to water like a lake, go down there and have a go at fishing. Make a barbeque and invite your friends to come along with their own kids. The more the merrier.

Don’t think you always need to spend a lot of money in order to do things that are exciting, because sometimes, just being with one another is enough.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.

3 Ways You Can Save Up For That Dream Family Holiday

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What’s your dream family holiday? Is it Disney World? A European vacation? Or something else entirely? Everyone has that one holiday they dream about going on with their family, it’s something you almost aim to achieve one day. The elephant in the room is that dream holidays tend to be expensive ones, which is why they often remain dreams forever.

Not anymore! If you want to go on a dream holiday, then here are some ways you can save up for yours:

Get An Extra Job

The easiest way to save up fast is to get an extra job. Naturally, this is also the least attractive way of getting the money too! No one wants to work two jobs, but it may be necessary if you want to go on your dream family holiday. Making a list of expenses to achieve your goal is a great start, such as how much does it cost to rent a private jet? Or staying in a hotel versus renting a house. Just think about what you’re working towards, and keep in mind you can quit as soon as the funds are raised. Plus, nowadays, jobs come in all shapes and sizes. You can easily get another job where you work from home for a few hours on the weekend, so it’s not too taxing. Or, become a part-time blogger and earn money the fun way!

Play The Lottery

Let’s face it, the lottery is the one thing we all hope to win one day. It will solve all of life’s financial problems, and give us more than enough money for a holiday. Okay, granted, you aren’t guaranteed to win the lottery in your lifetime, but it’s worth a try, right? There are other lottery-related games you can try instead as well. These days, you can play US Powerball online and be in with the chance of a huge jackpot. I only include these ideas because I just think you may as well give yourself every chance you can find of falling into a large sum of cash. Just buy one less cup of coffee a week if you’re worried about how much it costs to pay. Plus, a lot of the money spent on lottery games gets put towards good causes, so you’re doing a good thing!

Work Together As A Family

Finally, you will save up for your holiday a lot quicker if you work together as a family. Make sure everyone does their bit to save money, and you’ll find the funds in half the time. Especially if you have older kids with jobs themselves. Kids in their teenage years can get part-time jobs to help save for the holiday as well. This means you have everyone pitching in, which takes the pressure off your own shoulders a little bit as well. This is my favorite idea purely because it just makes the holiday that little bit sweeter because it becomes like a joint goal for everyone.

Do you want to make your dream a reality? Then think about some of the ideas I’ve discussed in this article. Don’t assume you’ll never be able to afford that dream holiday. One day, it could happen by a sheer stroke of luck or months of hard work.

This post is a collaborative effort by St. Louis Dad.