Geeky Parent Guide (156)
The Geeky Parent Guide is a semi-monthly editorial series by Fanbase Press Contributor (and father of two) Travis Lakata that will help parents and other caregivers to safely and positively navigate various avenues of pop culture with their children.
What If…? is a wonderfully fun series on Disney+ that examines the possibilities of life in the Marvel universe, how every choice impacts the outcomes we’ve come to know, and how the characters we love might be different in some way. Is this series appropriate for kids similar in age to my own? As my own kids are ages 7 and 9, the answer is probably not, especially since What If…? is rated as TV-14. Some ratings don’t always have to be adhered to so strictly, but in this case, I would avoid the series for parents with kids near my own kids’ ages.
The Halloween season is a perfect opportunity for kids and parents to share fun experiences. Halloween brings about fun movies, special TV episodes from favorite series, and one of the biggest components which I’ll share with you today: costumes!
“[Wonder Woman] has come to represent the possibility and potential of life without war, hate or violence, and she is a beacon of hope to all who find themselves in need. She stands as an equal among the most powerful Super Heroes, with a sense of purpose to protect the world from injustice in all forms." – DC Comics
We’ve reached a second year of homeschooling in our household. It’s a geeky parent’s delight, if I’m being honest. It’s a challenging endeavor to find ways to keep my kids engaged during the learning process, especially when they’re experiencing the “end of summertime” blues. It’s not easy for kids to switch gears when they’ve had a couple months off.
I hope my kids will want to watch Star Wars Rebels one day. Obviously, to fully appreciate this amazing series, they will need to watch many more stories within the Star Wars universe to get the full picture of this galaxy far, far away. Star Wars Rebels: Season 4 is masterfully done, heart wrenching, and full proof that messages within stories matter to its audience. It’s why I love storytelling and why I hope my kids will be able to enjoy and take something away from a cast of characters who are more than a rebel crew – they’re family.
When the summer temperatures near the 100 F mark or higher, sometimes, it’s the perfect opportunity to get back to the basics when it comes to family fun. I want to share with you what my family did on a couple of days scattered over the course of a few weeks, and how we let creativity defeat the heat. Our kids love playing outside, but when the temps are that high, we try to avoid sustained play, if any at all.
The Bad Batch has many parental themes that I did not imagine when I initially started watching this season: from looking out for little ones; being a role model; and listening to what children have to say. These are all vital components of parenthood. If you were to imagine what’s been coined, “The Dad Batch,” it’s safe to say this wonderful animated series is a crossover between Star Wars and Three Men and a Baby (or Three Men and a Little Lady).
I try to provide activities that I know my kids will enjoy, and with a summer that’s already reducing outside time because of extreme heat, I’m trying to find some productive use of that time. Science experiments, STEM activities, or really anything that’s hands-on usually garners a lot of interest from my 7 and 8-year-old kiddos; however, like this past week, things don’t always go as planned. But that’s okay. Parenthood is all about adapting and “reading the room” when it comes to our kids, and sometimes that means letting them make the call.
Family movie time is so much more than one to two hours of sitting in the same room with your kids. When they’re still wanting snuggles like my kids (ages 7 and 8), they love sitting next to or against me or my wife. Not only that, fictional worlds are a wonderful way to connect with our kids, especially when it comes to animated films. We watched Raya and the Last Dragon on Disney+ this week, and it was definitely worth the wait.
When gifted with the opportunity to contribute an entry to the Geeky Parent Guide regarding how I’ve maneuvered the pandemic as a parent, I was both honored and completely terrified. As a relatively new parent (to twin 6-month-old girls), it is always exciting to be able to share your lived experience with others; however, my Imposter Syndrome of *only* having been a parent for 6 months (and, therefore, unworthy of speaking to the concept of parenting) was weighing on me heavily.
