101 Uses for Dirty Diapers

As the father of a toddler, I am an expert on dirty diapers. I know exactly what to do with them: throw them out!

But along comes a New York waste company and a town in California who want me to do something else with my dirty diapers. Like cover my roof with them. Or walk on them. Or build a doghouse with them, perhaps.

Does this sound nuts? Well, it's not. In fact, this project won the world's top happiness award: the 2003 Happy Guy Award (www.The HappyGuy.com).

If you have never had children, you may not realize how much a little child can dispose of.  In olden days, a couple would have a dozen kids, give or take a few. In these modern times of disposable diapers that just is not possible – the diapers from the first child take up more place on this planet than several dozen siblings would.

So along comes the town of Santa Clarita and Knowaste Inc. proposing to recycle dirty diapers. They've figured out how to extract the plastics from the diapers in a way that actually reclaims over 90% of the source material. Sure, you think, just mix them all together, throw in a bit of water, steam them clean and slap them back on baby. Ironically, the only product that does not seem to be on the list of end uses is diapers. Roofing shingles, sure. Shoe insoles, yes. But not diapers. As I pondered how the world might look if the massive force of dirty diapers was unleashed, it became clear that there could be several big markets. Imagine the pitches...

From Milan and Paris:  "Next we have Oo-La-La Picotte strutting her stuff in a lovely ensemble of pure recycled diapers.  Notice the fashionable fuchsia on the upper tilt of the collar. This line will be all the rage in parlors and bars this spring."

From Detroit and Tokyo:  "Feel the energy and invigoration. That's the power of 100% pure recycled diapers under the hood.  Go ahead.  Kick the tires.  Pick your color.  And drive away safe in the knowledge that you are being protected by 2000 pound of pure recycled baby poop!"

From Los Angeles: "It's a smash hit. Dirty Diapers II: The Recycled Story opened in theatres across the country yesterday and immediately claimed the number one spot. What a movie!"

From New York and Toronto: "This just in.  Citizens are being asked NOT to hoard dirty diapers. I repeat, do NOT hoard dirty diapers. The shortage has already slowed the economy by three percent and housing starts have ground to a halt. Please take all your dirty diapers immediately to a drop-off depot.  This has been a public service announcement."

So what will YOU be doing with your dirty diapers?

10 Steps For Cooking Up Family Memories

The kitchen is the perfect place for making memories. When you spend time baking, cooking and enjoying meals with your family, you create happy memories you and your children will cherish forever.

The benefits of preparing and enjoying food as a family are clear. You save money and eat healthier meals. You create opportunities to connect and communicate with your children and spouse. And most importantly, you show love for your family when you spend time cooking and eating with them. Children of all ages need your attention and your time. By working together to create a meal or bake a batch of cookies, you spend valuable time together.

So, here are 10 steps to get your family cooking up memories.

Step 1:
Teach small children the fun of cooking by helping them bake cookies and cakes. If you are short on time, you can use a boxed cookie mix and spend more time decorating.

Step 2:
Encourage the littlest ones to play pretend cooking. Kids love to play with real mixing bowls, strainers and wooden spoons. These make harmless toys and can be easily thrown in the dishwasher for quick cleanup.

Step 3:
If you live by your day-timer, schedule in baking cookies with your kids. Our schedules can be so hectic that something as simple as baking a batch of chocolate chip cookies can get skipped over. Write it down and do it.

Step 4:
If you have teenagers, let them play their favorite music while they wash the lettuce and set the table.

Step 5:
Work together with your spouse to prepare the dinner and use the time to catch up on each other's day.

Step 6:
Even if you are in a rush preparing dinner, remember to reduce your stress and focus on creating a fun atmosphere that naturally encourages the whole family to participate.

Step 7:
When spending time preparing food with your children, include lessons about healthy eating choices. Keep the conversation positive and avoid listing foods they can't have.

Step 8:
On days where you anticipate time will be tight, consider taking a short cut by using a frozen stir-fry mix or pasta with a jar of pre-made sauce. Your family will appreciate your relaxed mood much more than a made-from-scratch dinner.

Step 9:
Share the job of grocery shopping. One week have mom take one of the children as a helper, the next week dad can go with another child. Always work from a grocery list and let your children help you retrieve items and cross them off the list.

Step 10:
Have big family meals where you share about your day. Keep the conversation fun and avoid negative lectures over dinner. Remember to laugh.

Take these steps today and make your kitchen a fun and memorable place for your whole family.

Parenting Resources You Can't Live Without

Until I saw the job listing (sent to me by a friend) earlier this week, I'd never heard of the Yummy Mummy Club. When I saw the link, naturally my first thought was, oh jeez...this is just another one of those "Sex and the City" girly girl websites about wine and lampshades with feathers on them.


OK, that wasn't my initial reaction, but you know the kind of website I'm talking about.

On closer inspection, however, the breadth of parenting info available through YMC is really impressive. Yes, the brand is geared toward mothers, with emphasis on moms who prefer to work in the "L" zone (from "Liberation"...the last stage of Tim Ferriss' 4-Hour Work Week, referring to removal of the individual from an assigned 4x4 cubicle in order to get their work done). But once you dig in a bit, there's no reason -- NO REASON -- why a dad can't make use of Gav Martell's Chicken Vindaloo Soup with Mango Curry Dumplings recipe.

The fact that the site includes a daddy section is of course a bonus. Of course, the savvy dad knows that 99% of the parenting websites out there are built with moms in mind, and knows therefore how to navigate these with a discerning eye and a little masculine adaptation; all of which is certainly possible with very little effort at YMC. But including a section for dads is a nice touch. It's a bit like knowing that once you're a dad, your space will be filled with cuteness and pink stuff and stuff that smells like baby powder. But, you can always escape to the garage with your buddies for a cold beer and something involving spark plugs.

Overall, it's a site I plan to spend a lot of time on, regardless of the outcome of my little campaign here. And if you're an active, engaged parent at any stage (even just the planning-to-eventually-be stage), you'd be smart to hang out there too.