nerdmommy314

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(photo via princessmisery)

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“Don’t marry a man unless you’d be proud to have a son exactly like him” - Unknown

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Once you’ve had a baby, nothing is tmi.

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When Tom Burns’ daughter asked him, “Do you think I could be Han Solo for Halloween?” his answer was, “Yeah, why, of course, you could. That would be amazing. Why couldn’t you be Han Solo?” Her tentative response: “Well…. I’m a girl.” To prove to his daughter that dressing up as a great character has nothing to do with whether you’re a girl or a boy, this Mighty Dad decided to dress up with her — as Princess Leia!

After his daughter expressed her concern about dressing up as Han Solo as a girl, Burns showed her photos of female cosplayers dressed as the popular Star Wars character. After that, his daughter was set on the costume and, since she and her father often dress in themed costumes for Halloween, she said to him: “Well, if I’m a Han Solo, you should probably be Princess Leia, I guess…”

“She looked at me with an implied question in her eyes,” writes Burns, “And, c’mon, if I immediately told her “YES, a girl can be Han Solo,” it would’ve been pretty hypocritical of me to say “Nope, a boy can’t be Princess Leia.” So, as quickly as I could, I said, “That would be FANTASTIC. I totally should be Leia.” And that’s exactly what I did. Because that’s what dads do.

In his post, Burns details how he pulled together his Leia costume for an adult man, noting that “my take on Princess Leia Organa isn’t 100% flattering to Carrie Fisher, but, you know, I made due with what I had.” Nevertheless, he thinks that he and his daughter will make a “great pair for Halloween.”

Ultimately, he concludes, “my big take-away from all this will be — equality goes both ways. If I’m going to tell my daughter that she can do almost anything a man can do (excepting some very specific biological acts), then I also need to show her that a man can do almost anything a woman can do too… especially when it’s something awesome like dressing up as a character from one of the best movies ever.”

[Via A Mighty Girl]

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I see your shifting gaze, that disgusted glance. I know you’re questioning my parenting from across the elementary school assembly.

Let me tell you a little story about the kindergarten student with bright purple hair, my little Raven Marie…

A month before school started she decided to play hair stylist with the craft scissors, and to save what was left I had to opt for a pixie cut. She was absolutely devastated. It was about three hours before she stopped her harsh sobbing and hiccups.

Why?

She has thought that the length of a girls hair was what made her “girly”. I know I’ve personally had many hairstyles around her before, including a purple mohawk, which many people criticized as not being “girly” enough. Media, other children, other parents, and society made it worse. She would randomly burst in tears while out in public for the first week of her new style, screaming that she looked like a boy. That everyone would think she’s a boy.

At one point she took off her bow in her hair, threw it at a cashier and screamed, “I DON’T NEED THIS BOW TO TELL YOU THAT I’M NOT A BOY, BECAUSE I’M NOT”

Proudly stomping away in her blue jean overalls, head held high.

Once we edged closer to the first day of school she kept asking questions like, “Do you think the other kids will like me? Do you think they’ll be my friend? Will they think I’m a boy? Will they pick on me because I have boy hair?”

So I went to the grocery store, bought some dye, and spent the whole night transforming my bright blonde little girl into a plum punk rock fairy. I then assured her that if any of the kids didn’t like her, they were just jealous.

As for you, mothers and teachers with the wandering eyes filled with disgust and judgement, I’m in the business of raising a free spirit.

Here’s to you, Raven Marie. I love you.

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This Kid Is Going Places

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Like Mother, Like Daughter

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Like Mother, Like Daughter

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More Life Hacks Here

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when the boys pull your hair and push you to the ground during recess I promise not to tell you that it’s because they like you. when the teachers call home to tell me that you pushed them to the ground after you I’ll take you out of school early and buy you your favorite ice cream. when you get older and the boys try to touch you when you don’t want to be touched I’ll look at you like the sun when you come home with anger in your fists. they all tell you not to fight fire with fire but that is only because they are afraid of your flames. when the boys yell after you like hyenas you yell back, baby. I will not teach you to be afraid of your anger so that you look for it in others. I will not make you be the better person because you already are. you wanna fight ‘em? fight ‘em. don’t you dare apologize for the fierce love you have for yourself and the lengths you go to preserve it. when the boys try to tell you to soften up I hope you make them bleed with your edges. I hope you remember that you are not theirs that their disappointment in you is not yours. when the boys come to your door with pretty words and angry eyes I hope you show them the anger in yours. I hope you show them just how strong your mommy thinks you are. I hope you show them the animal they can’t always see in their own reflection. when the boys come with the intention of hurting you my advice will always stay the same, my darling: give ‘em hell.

when the boys come | Caitlyn S. (via friendzonked)

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Bringing Imagination to Life with Pancakes and @kevin_blankenship

For more of Kevin’s fantastical pancake art, follow @kevin_blankenship on Instagram.

For Oklahoma writer, producer and cartoonist Kevin Blankenship (@kevin_blankenship), keeping his creativity alive as a working dad came in an unlikely form: pancakes.

Forgoing an inkwell for a bowl of pancake batter, Kevin brings cartoon creations to life on his griddle. As he explains, “Becoming a parent really slows your creative juices if you’re not careful. A full-time job can sap the rest. Although I don’t get to draw as much as I used to, I found a way to incorporate it into Sunday breakfast every week. The results have gotten out of control and taken a life of its own.”

"I have two eager boys who like making pancake requests," he says, "so my feed is peppered with odd, but fun submissions. The three-year-old’s requests are the toughest. If it’s not a tree monster with skeletons hanging from it, it’s a velociraptor with boxing gloves or a monster with a chicken head and octopus arms, bunny ears and big feet. I love the creativity—and he’s a tough critic. Syrup won’t solve any of my mistakes."

Want to try your hand at pancake cartooning like Kevin? He shares some pointers below.

"I use Bisquick in every recipe, milk, one egg, three tablespoons of organic sugar and one tablespoon of vanilla," Kevin explains. "I thin the batter and use condiment bottles for control."

Most importantly, however, Kevin advises, “Let the kids participate. It’s fun that way. Enjoy the mistakes (with syrup) and start simple. I started with Mickey Mouse—It’s just three circles. You don’t have to have an artistic background to do it, just have fun.”

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Baby thinks she can eat food from the magazine

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Out having a pint with a friend when my wife sent me this.