Like A Dad - Toronto Dad Blogger & Big Green Egg Enthusiast

Potty Training Boys in only 3 Days – Tips, Tales and Takes

By Michael Cusden in Kids, Parenting March 30, 2021 4 Comments

At this stage of parenting, I did not think I would ever think about potty training ever again. But recently I did.

I had one of those moments when you look at your kids and wonder when it all happened? When did they grow so big? When did they grow into a young adult?

It happens right in front of your eyes and yet, it’s still a shock to the system.

One minute they are small enough to carry in a pouch, the next they are tall enough to almost stare you in the eyes.

Last week I was ordering new underwear online for our oldest boy. Medium briefs!? No superheroes, no trucks, just plain-coloured, boring underwear. It seems like yesterday I was buying a bulk pack of size three Spider-Man undies.

Then even before the confirmation email from Amazon hit my inbox, I was taken back to the days of why we needed those tiny undies in the first place.

The long weekend that I was potty training our first child using a three day bootcamp friends had shared with us.

Parents and Discord – What You Need to Know

By Michael Cusden in Kids, Media & Entertainment, Parenting March 23, 2021

As a parent, I knew the day would come that my kids would start talking about music, movies, celebs etc. that I would not know about.

It’s impossible to keep up. But one area I thought I would hold my own and be able to talk the talk, was with technology and online apps.

But that quickly vanished over the past few years and especially since our oldest son added a phone and Chromebook to his life. Now my brain checks out when the boys talk about Minecraft, Among Us and Roblox.

I tried to understand each by creating profiles and playing, but it just never caught on. For the record I am horrible at Among Us.

The latest and maybe the most unknown app to me is Discord. Have you heard of it? If you have young kids or teens, I know you have.

Do you know what it is? What it does? If it’s safe?

You really should because at least in our house it’s becoming the number one way our oldest son communicates with the online world (and us).

I know I am late to the party, but for those who don’t know about Discord, here is my explanation including what parents need to know.

Kyle Lowry, Walter White, March Madness and More

By Michael Cusden in Big Green Egg, Food, Kids, Media & Entertainment, Sports, Toronto March 16, 2021

Well it’s Mid-March and we are officially a year into this mess known as the pandemic and now the media is pushing the arrival of the third wave. Cool.

Does anyone else feel like March 2020 and March 2021 have merged? Thank goodness I have an Instagram feed to remind me that the last 12 months existed. Seriously, if I close my eyes, I can instantly go back to this time last year and it feels like it is now. We were on the kid’s March Break, or March Broke as I was calling it, and trying to navigate staying busy with the boys.

It’s been a year since signing up for Disney +. It’s been a year since I started playing Red Dead Redemption. It’s been a year since I watched no March Madness.

Anyways, how are you? How is life going for you? Gotten your vaccine yet?

How about a brain dump?

6 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Big Green Egg

By Michael Cusden in Big Green Egg, Food, Toronto March 9, 2021

Every March it happens. We have that first day of sun and mild temperatures and my mind starts to think – Big Green Egg time! But if you are like me, you were lazy and left your Egg in a sad state last fall. So before you get smoking, grilling and roasting, your Egg needs a good spring cleaning.

Here are my 6 tips for spring cleaning your Big Green Egg.

I Can’t Believe it Has Been a Year!

By Michael Cusden in Toronto March 3, 2021

As the 2021 calendar turned to March, the first thought I had was, we have been living the COVID-19 pandemic life for a year! Seriously, it has been 12 months of this shit. And while the vaccine rollout is happening (slowly), brighter days are finally ahead. But leaving February behind has been a mental kick in the gut if you take a moment to really reflect on the last 12 months.

For me my first memories of how it started was the daily tracking of the Diamond Princess. You remember? The floating coronavirus event that was really the first sign of what was to come. Reading in horror, all of the people trapped in their rooms literally. At the time, I doubt anyone felt that 12 months later we would all know the feeling. But it was on the other side of the planet. Everything was going to be okay and not reach Canada. Right?