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Things I Say Everyday

By Howard Ludwig • Aug 3rd, 2010 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

Parenting can sound repetetive. Here’s a list of some of the things I say every day. I took the time to listen to myself recently and realized rather quickly I say the same things every day. I’m basically a broken record of reminders, corrections and tired incentives. Some call it nagging, but I prefer to [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] Kids and Crocs

By Howard Ludwig • Jul 16th, 2010 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

Summer means backyard barbecues, swimming pools, ice cream, and Crocs. Many of the kids in my neighborhood wear uniforms to school. During the summer, they wear a uniform of a different sort – shorts, T-shirts and Crocs. Crocs are flexible foam shoes often sold in bright colors. The plastic clogs are riddled with air holes. [...]



[CARS] Inside Toyota’s Secret Design Studios

By Howard Ludwig • May 25th, 2010 • Category: Cars, Cover Story

The Father Life gets an inside look at Toyota’s secret design studio in So Cal NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Did you ever have an experience where you found yourself asking, “How the hell did I end up here?” That’s how I felt last week when I was invited to tour Toyota’s secret North American design [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] A Guy’s Guide to Breastfeeding

By Howard Ludwig • May 18th, 2010 • Category: Cover Story, Fatherhood

Fellas, here’s what you need to know about breastfeeding but never asked. If you’re a breast man, pregnancy is better than Christmas. But this growth spurt isn’t solely for your viewing pleasure. Those mammaries are about to be put to work. Back when breastfeeding was on the horizon, I sat quietly as The Wife attended [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] Poop Jokes Are a Gas

By Howard Ludwig • Mar 11th, 2010 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

“Jingle Bells, Daddy smells. Daddy poops on rocks!” My three-year-old comedian thinks this joke is hilarious. I usually roll my eyes and remind my son that his take on the Christmas classic isn’t funny. My critique doesn’t seem to matter. I’m treated to about a dozen zingers about pee-pee, poop, and toots every day. Don’t [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] Ten Tips for the Soon-To-Be-Dad

By Howard Ludwig • Jan 12th, 2010 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

Parker Alan Ludwig was born at 1:45 a.m. on Dec.19, making me an uncle – again. Both mom and baby are doing fine, as is my beaming brother. After visiting the baby at the hospital, The Wife and I attended a cocktail party and learned a close friend and his bride are expecting. All this [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] Bye-bye Boo-boo: Why Kissing Is a Kiddie Cure-all

By Howard Ludwig • Dec 15th, 2009 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

Call me Dr. Smooch. That’s because I’m a big believer in the time-honored tradition of kissing boo-boos. I’ve seen my two toddlers involved in some disastrous falls and high-speed collisions. After the sobbing subsides, they’re usually content to walk away with a peck on the knee, head, or whatever bruised body part. If the accident [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] Boys Will Be Boys: Will Toy Guns Turn Your Son Violent?

By Howard Ludwig • Sep 14th, 2009 • Category: Cover Story, Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

Sticks, guns, swords – boys and their toys, it’s all very Freudian. My three-year-old son doesn’t have a toy gun, nor does he have a plastic sword. That hasn’t stopped Bubba from turning every jagged stick he finds into Lightsaber or imagining his dinosaur figurines are handguns. I’ve tried to deflect this behavior for months. [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] My Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

By Howard Ludwig • Aug 11th, 2009 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

The word “furlough” snuck into our vernacular recently. It’s commonly used to describe an unpaid day off of work. These pro bono vacations have become mandates in both the public and private sectors as a way to balance budgets during a recession. The Wife took one of her “furlough days” last week. It could be [...]



[LUDWIG@HOME] Backyard Birthday: Not As Easy As It Sounds

By Howard Ludwig • Jul 15th, 2009 • Category: Fatherhood, LUDWIG@HOME by Howard Ludwig

Bubba celebrated his third birthday last week with a party in our backyard. I imagined setting up lawn chairs, lighting the grill, and relaxing as 20 toddlers splashed in the kiddie pool and shoveled in the sandbox. Turns out I grossly underestimated the amount of work required for a backyard birthday party. Looking back, it [...]