Yeah, I know most of the posts today were either grumpy and/or depressing. How's that working for you?
As regular readers of Daddy Types well know, most, if not all, of the best content, news, tips, and advice around here comes from you. So thank you.
Now what else do you think should be covered on Daddy Types? What should be expanded and what should be flung out the window on the Turnpike like a rancid diaper? What do you think works? What needs a little bit of baby massage? What needs to be bundled up and left on the convent doorstep?
Some things I'm thinking about for 2007 for Daddy Types:
more typers: dads and dads-to-be [who are at different stages? different parenting philosophies? who are adopting or who have a boy, or who work in a normal (sic) job, or...]
more other daddies typing: the thing I miss most lately is more, even daily, links and coverage of other dadblogs. I get so behind in my reading my own favorites, then I know I'm missing a ton more on sites I haven't ever clicked through on or heard of...
email: I've resisted creating any email newsletters or whatever because personally, I find most of the ones I end up on rather useless. Most of them seem like transparent attempts to monetize your audience and community, including/especially many that are all, "When is your baby due, and what's your extended family's household income?" That said, I've thought of moving some things like the Namewatch to email, and maybe doing a regular, expanded listing of interesting eBay finds [not just one brand of old toys] and/or other deals, which might work better in email.
more books: I've gotten a ton of pitches for books, mostly aimed at parents, which I haven't followed up on, partly because I don't have time to read and review them properly, but also because I haven't heard much from readers clamoring for advice on good parenting or kid-related books. What do you think?
more books: One of the best things I like about DT, though, is discovering new books to read with the kid. Adding more baby and kid books that don't suck feels like a no-brainer.
more video: I'm as conflicted as the next parent about letting a kid watch TV, maybe moreso because I've been in the entertainment industry and know the shallow blackness of those peoples' souls firsthand [haha kidding! They just want to help.] But parent-controlled media like the DVD and more importantly for us, the YouTube, can be indispensible tools for helping to shift a kid's mood in a moment of at-home crisis. And if you can load them onto her video iPod for the plane, all the better, right?
more Uma: asked and answered, Kaz.
I dunno about others, but I've kind of stopped reading the Namewatch posts... I wouldn't mind more contests to win prizes, though!
Oh, and more Uma.
[how did I know? -ed]
Hi Greg,
I'd like more posts about actual parenting and less about furniture, gadgets, videos, ebay auctions, cars, etc etc. I started reading your blog because you posted about what it was like to be a new parent and I could relate to that. In the two and a half years since, I read your blog less and less because I find less and less about your interaction with your kid and more and more about ... well, everything but. Now it's ads, namewatches, mommy/daddy wars hype and nonsense, book promos and whatnot. It might not be profitable to just write about human interaction but that's what I'd like to see you get back to.
Thanks,
Chris
Sorry for the double comment - your server returned an error after the first "post" attempt.
[oh yeah, my #1 to do: switch to a better server and get the search and comments working again. day-um, thanks for reminding me. -ed.]
I love the design reviews, furniture conference musings, and vintage toy sightings. I mean, sure, it's nice to hear about your kid and all, but bring on the lofty discerning consumerism! I need it! (So does my husband, who frequently asks, "any more cool stuff on that daddy blog?")
Also I confess to rather enjoying the namewatch. Wouldn't subscribe to an email list for it, tho.
I disagree with Chris - the furniture, the design collectables and the manhattan changing table map are the best parts about this site. I value it all that much more now that I have a kid who does not have a single outfit without cars/trains/animals on it in a color other than pastel blue. Who makes this shit and can we ask them to stop. There are pleanty of other dad blogs with the touching fatherhood stories. This is where to come to find the newest and coolest (and most expensive - sheesh).
Agree with Josh -- I can go anywhere and have people give me advice on parenting, complete with free guilt trip for all my failings as a parent, father, and all around human. Here, I get links to pregnancy, cars, child care, funny names, morning sickness, and herbal teas to increase milk production. All that and anatomically-impossible Uma too. Plus the best selection of affiliate links that somehow fail to be annoying, which oddly enough makes me actually want to click them. I don't see any pressing need for change. Just go with your gut and the rest of us will follow.
Agree with Chris - It'd be cool if this site had more tales from the cliff face - I'd like to hear how other dads are facing up to the whole thing, and I would like to laugh at other dad's terrible embarrasing painful experiences.
Agree with bits of what everyone has said above me, I love hearing about more interesting, less mass market type baby stuff. Though I will echo the expensive part -- no way I could ever afford 90% of it! Is that what's posted cause that's what you happen to come across, or does it really cost that much more to not have your kid be a disney/nickelodeon clone? The namewatch doesn't do much for me -- maybe that could be plugged into a separate sidebar, with just an "updated on X date" note? But I also do love the stories about your family personally, as some of your best, most memorable posts have been about your experience as a dad.
The only thing that I could absolutely, 1000% do without is the celeb parent stuff...ironic, considering your upcoming book (which I'll still buy, if only to help support you and the site). If there's one thing that drives me nuts, it's the neverending parade of celebrity worship in our culture, and it's a bummer to see it intruding even here.
Greg, I'd enjoy continuing to see product profiles because you talk about stuff not usually found on the endless crop of "hip mama and papa" blogs.
I'd also welcome the return of Other Daddies Typing because I crave attention.
I could care less about videos, but more book reviews would be great.
But disregard our individual tastes. We stuck around because something interested us. Decide what you do best and stick to it. If you wrote about what the majority of parents want, every post would be about Dora, Thomas and Sponge Bob.
Conveniently, Greg, your kid is slightly older than mine are, so I'm pretty fortunate that you are finding cool age-appropriate stuff right before I feel I need to start looking. You seem to cover a wide swatch of age-groups. I love the product stuff, especially the ebay finds, even though I probably won't buy them.
Themes are also good: Bizarre Books, Creative Things, etc.
Not so into cars (cuz I just bought one, and it only hurts that much more...) or the namewatch.
And guest bloggers might be cool every once in a while. granted, most people have their own blogs, but it'd work out when associated with a special week's theme. Twin's week, maybe?
Change your CMS system ?? I'm on a mac and I get alot of broken links, Other than that, Contentwise I'd like to see more Furniture reviews or maybe some finance stuff would be good I think