Ben's Best Practices and Myth Busters to be the Best Father Ever!

As many of you might now, Lindsey is pregnant. We are both very excited. In fact, we went for a check-up a couple of weeks ago. We were able to do an ultra-sound to hear the baby's heart beat. It was so amazing. Lindsey feels as though it might be a boy. I have no reason to argue with a mother's instinct so I'm in agreement that it is a boy. Lindsey will be beginning her fourth month this week. I've imagined before what it would be like to be a father and now that I'm almost there, I want to make sure I'm prepared. As I have spent time pondering what it will be like to be a father and as I learn from other peoples experiences and through my own observations, I have learned a few things and compiled them into my best pracitces and myths about parenthood. When the baby is born, I want to make sure that I am the best father ever and not led astray by tradition and myths. To any of you who might be preparing for fatherhood, or maybe if you are already are a father but just can't seem to figure it out yet, allow me to share with you "Ben's Best Practices and Myth Busters to be the Best Father Ever!"

• Myth #1: Baby wipes are the only way to wipe a baby's bum.
  
• Best Practice #1: Although wipes have been used for decades, why should I stick my hand anywhere near a baby's mess. An ol'fashion bidet will do the trick. I call it a hose.
  
• Myth #2: Gerber is the only baby food.
  
• Best Practice #2: I think I can make baby food just as good if not better than Gerber. All you need are a few veggies and fruits and mixer and there you go! In fact, why doesn't someone compete with Gerber. Why not something like Jensen with baby food that taste so good babies just can't stop eating it?
• Myth #3: If it's surrounds the babies mouth, the baby most likely doesn't want to eat it.
• Best Practice #3: If you find yourself repeatedly feeding the baby the same spoon of food but just off of his/her chin, maybe he/she doesn't want to it? Have you ever thought of that before? Would you like it if food you had stuck on your face was then forced down your chute?
• Myth #4: Babies scream because they're hungry
• Best Practice #4: Food is not the answer. I don't remember screaming when I was hungry. According to my observations, babies scream simply because they are frustrated with their inabiltiy to communicate adequately enough to convey emotion and frustration. How productive would life be if all I was able to communicate was the word "wah?" It would be so frustrating that I think even I would cry.
  
• Myth 5#: Babies are innocent.
• Best Practice #5: In some ways, yes but have you ever thought that some times babies take advantage you? How is that after every diaper change, almost instantly does the baby release its bodily waste? I believe the baby is just playing games and knows very well the cost of diapers and the smell parents endure. Change the baby's diaper only once a day. That way the baby will grow uncomfortable with the smell and squish. You may ask, why doesn't the baby grow uncomfortable now? Because the baby knows that it is only moments until his/her diaper is gone. Beware!

I hope you find these tips to be helpful and useful. I am sure that I will learn so much more when our baby is born. May all of us learn from this important tips and grow as close as possible to the children we raise.