As I work long hours, a lot recently overseas I often feel I don’t spend enough quality time with my daughter or equally share the parenting duties.
Some weekends to give my SO a break I will take our daughter out for a morning or afternoon, at home we refer to this as ‘daddy day’ as mum gets left home. She enjoys this a lot as she can do anything she likes, which usually consists of going back to bed…
For me it is fun, a good chance to strengthen our bond as well as challenging at the same time (you don’t see too many dads changing nappies at Sogo) even if we are only out for 3~4hrs.
Our daughter is only 15mths so I do not get too adventurous, usually end up at Sogo or Warner Village strolling around.
Anyway It would be fun to get a few other dads together am sure it would earn you a few bonus points with the missus, could also get a bit more adventurous and go to a softplay area (not that I know of any).
What a great idea. If you want to play indoors with children that young, you can also take them to this great place called Playspace playspace.com.tw in the city, by Xinyi/Anho. Nice clean indoor sandpit, toys to ride, soft mat for very little ones, puzzles, lots of blocks, art room and climbing wall and costumes for when they’re a little bigger. $2500 for 30 hours or split the 30 hours (3 cards) with 2 other parents. 2-3 hours there is plenty at that age.
[I’m curious, which “Fuxing Road (the other one)” do you live at? Jingmei? There are so many mixed/foreign/English-speakng families with young children in that area, you could easily start a whole Jingmei/Muzha playgroup there.]
Hmm, think the Tavern Captain would rope off the back section for a play area whilst Dads watch the nba playoff games?
Hmmmm.
I prefer to get out of doors as much as possible, as I’m pretty much stuck in the school all day. How about a beach jaunt? It might be cool on an overcast day. Kids digging, making sand castles (my son and I have a blast throwing driftwood out to see and waiting for the tides to bring it back…or making art creations out of driftwood…we could bury the toddlers’…feet in the sand
Low stress Dad chat…
no wife who hides under an umbrella (oops, have I said too much?)
[quote=“jdsmith”]Hmm, think the Tavern Captain would rope off the back section for a play area whilst Dads watch the nba playoff games?
Hmmmm.
[/quote]
I would be fine as my daughter loves TV, and can handle a remote already…
If I were to dip her dummy in my beer she would sleep most of the afternoon
[quote=“jdsmith”]How about a beach jaunt? It might be cool on an overcast day. Kids digging, making sand castles (my son and I have a blast throwing driftwood out to see and waiting for the tides to bring it back…or making art creations out of driftwood…we could bury the toddlers’…feet in the sand
Low stress Dad chat…
no wife who hides under an umbrella (oops, have I said too much?)
[/quote]
The family day fox mentioned in the other thread is also something I’m interested in, I love the beach, the wife less so, concerned she will get too tanned :loco:
I was thinking a daddy day type of thing could be more of a ‘part day’ thing, even meeting up in Carnegies for a bite to eat and chew the fat(although less fun for the kids), a soft playarea with a coffee shop would do me even. Maybe even swimming at a pool as I plan to teach my child this summer…
I just thought it would be fun to get some dads together as I am sure there would be some common experiances to share… or moral support to offer… plus I need help with those damn nappies
Well, I’m a mom so I won’t be joining the daddy day, but have you thought about Youth Park? My husband takes our son there to hang out in the stroller while he is at the golf range and I go for a swim, then we meet up to hang out in the park, feed the ducks, lie down on a rug and watch the people. Their pool is really nice (indoor and outdoor pools, kiddy pool, water slides etc) but might be crowded on the weekend, and daddies can take beer/old man tea and sit under the trees with their kids.
I also like playspace, they have the little area where you can sit and drink/eat, and the place is safe and interesting for kids of different ages.
As for your issue with nappies, I might be able to help you out with that… check out my FUZZI BUNZ!
In principle, I agree with the idea of an outdoor outing (we take our girl to the good, neighborhood park almost every day and she loves it, as well as taking her for bike rides, etc.). She and I are cooped up inside all day, so I welcome the chance to be out with the birds and trees and dogs and cats. But, it is starting to get HOT and I also agree about the half-day concept. More than a few hours is unavailable.
I’m also curious about the Playspace place and will keep watching this thread.
well if Daddy Day isn’t gender specific then maybe you could consider joining some of the existing playgroups - check out the parentpages for info. www.parentpages.net
or better still, start up a daddy playgroup cos I’m sure half the point is sharing ‘Dad’ experiences. My husband is a little intimidated by hanging out with a lot of mums and babies but I’m sure would feel less self-conscious with a group of guys.
My 13-month-old son is also looking for a date (a few hours would be nice). He likes playgrounds and would probably love one of those indoor places with soft bouncy furniture.
I live in Taipei county but am ready to meet you(s) anywhere in Taipei (must be close to the MRT), Danshui or Jilong.
I wish I’d seen it a few hours earlier. I’m open to suggestions until 10 am tomorrow. Takes me 2 hours to get to the civilisation. But my kid is 4 years younger than jdsmith’s son - 13 months and doesn’t walk (but a hellova climber).
I look forward to Daddy’s day with other dads and kids one of these days, but in the meantime, every saturday and sunday is Daddy’s Day for us. Took her out for a couple of bike rides yesterday, down tree-lined streets to the river, stopped at a park where everyone brings their dogs on the weekends and set her in the grass with over a dozen dogs (a thrilling and slightly scary experience for her), then to another large neighborhood park where she played with a couple other kids her age and watched someone’s pet gerbil for a while. After dinner I gave her a bath, as always, and she fell asleep in an instant.
Then again early this morning, long bike ride and stopped at another park where she climbed, slid down the slides and played on the swings, I took photos for the grandparents, before coming home to feed her grapes and cheese for breakfast and now she’s napping. If she doesn’t get outside enough she starts getting restless and cranky, so as long as it’s not the blazing middle of the day, I’m always happy to take her for a ride or to the park.
If you don’t have a bike w a child seat I recommend getting one. Our girl starting riding at 8 months and she loves it. Nice change of scenery and sometimes the heat and rythm puts her to sleep. And, I certainly hope any kid over a year old is getting out and climbing on the playground equipment in the local parks.
Yesterday, I tried to take my two kids aged 5 and 2 to Dansui. It was one o’clock and overcast and raining a little bit so I thought it would be okay. So we wore our hats and took our umbrellas and caught the bus to the MRT. Except Daddy got on the wrong bus so we ended up walking a little way to the MRT stop. By that time the sun had come out and when we got to the station the kids were already tired and cranky. My idea was to get off the stop before Dansui and walk along the river, but guess what? You can’t get there from the station. It’s all fenced off. There is probably a way, but we didn’t have the energy to walk around and look for it. We hung around the station, ate some potato chips, and drank some water and then took the MRT back home. By the time we got to our station, the youngest one was asleep so we got a taxi home.
Not quite a success, but at least we got outside and did some walking. I have a couple of weeks to get it right while Mom is off making moon cakes. Probably go to the zoo one day. Maybe back to Dansui. It’s very tiring.
Richard, do you work Wednesdays? (Not everyone works 8-5 hours here, I know.)
If not, come meet our playgroup this Wed at Rong Xing Park, the public pool. 10:30 to sometime after lunch, but I’ll be arriving late with my three, around 12:30 or so.
It’s not the nicest pool, but what we like about it is the big kidney shaped kiddle pool that is shallow enough for a one year old in a swimring to walk around, deep enough at the other end for our bigger kids to play. The kids love it, it’s less busy at this time of year with kids in school, and there’s a snack bar where handicapped young adults and a nice older gentleman sell us cold drinks, coffee, noodle soup and hot dogs.
[quote=“braxtonhicks”]Richard, do you work Wednesdays? (Not everyone works 8-5 hours here, I know.)
If not, come meet our playgroup this Wed at Rong Xing Park, the public pool. 10:30 to sometime after lunch, but I’ll be arriving late with my three, around 12:30 or so.
It’s not the nicest pool, but what we like about it is the big kidney shaped kiddle pool that is shallow enough for a one year old in a swimring to walk around, deep enough at the other end for our bigger kids to play. The kids love it, it’s less busy at this time of year with kids in school, and there’s a snack bar where handicapped young adults and a nice older gentleman sell us cold drinks, coffee, noodle soup and hot dogs.[/quote]
Thanks. I might go next week. That’s the one by the Chung Shan Middle school MRT right?
I’m waiting to hear back fromone of the moms who goes there often–we’re hoping it’s not closed for renovation.
And, you’re right, it’s the one by the Zhongshan Middle School MRT stop.
Write me at contact@parentpages.net if you want an update or want to get on our mailing list. Even if you don’t/can’t come, sometimes we have good info for getting to places.
We went to this pool on Wednesday and it was fantastic! Especially for the younger ones as the goes from about ankle deep just above an adults knee. Also a nice park, we watched some old guys ball room dancing before we went swimming
the pool will be open until the end of this month, then it is going to be renovated, and the plan is to turn it into an indoor pool. The staff there are not too happy about that, neither am I! I wrote an email to the City Govt and I am looking for a person to call/write to on paper, if anyone wants to join me in saving this great outdoor pool please PM and I will pass on the information I get to you.
May I ask, in Taiwan, what would be bad about an indoor pool? Perhaps it’s the park like atmosphere created by an outdoor pool?? I’d just like to escape the heat, and in the winter, escape the cold.
