How to Make the Most of Family Dinner

As parents, most of us want to instill in our children the character attributes and soft skills they need to become successful adults. What does that mean to you and how can you put it into practice? Kids need perseverance, resilience, the understanding that failures and setbacks are part of the learning process, and a can-do attitude are all necessary attributes if you want your child to succeed. Of course, there are many factors that influence a child’s development, from personality and their environment, but parents have a large impact on how their kids react to the situations they face in their lives. Would it surprise you to learn that you can instill some of these positive character traits during ordinary activities like family dinner?

• Give kids more responsibilities. At dinnertime, involve them in meal prep, let them take on increasingly challenging tasks, and don’t be afraid to let them make mistakes. Making mistakes is part of learning and growing; by the time your children leave your house they need to know how to cook an entire meal, and the way they’ll learn is by trying and sometimes failing when they’re young.
  • Little kids can set the table.
  • As they grow, involve them in meal planning.
  • Let your older kids be responsible for one dish, then graduate them into cooking one meal, then one meal each week.
  • Don’t forget to involve children in the clean-up, as well.
• At dinner, discuss your day. Don’t hesitate to share stories of your own failures, setbacks, and disappointments, because it will help your kids gain perspective about how to use difficult experiences as opportunities to learn and grow. You don’t have to share your deepest regrets, but acknowledging your small mistakes and modeling a positive attitude as you overcome them will set a good example for your children.
• Play games with your kids. During dinner, try silly challenges, like eating while balancing paper plates on your heads. Play guessing games, twenty questions, or concentration ABCs. After dinner, if you have time, you can linger at the table (after you’ve all cleared it together) with a favorite board game. By playing games with your children, you give them opportunities to “fail safely” and learn from the experience.

If you’re ready to start a family and are considering a vasectomy reversal, the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is here to help. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other concerns about their fertility. We accept major credit cards as well as cash and checks, and offer a payment plan for those who are unable to pay the entire fee at the time of surgery. Whether you’re ready to schedule a procedure or just want to learn more, you can contact us through our website, or call 941-894-6428 to arrange a free consultation.

Best Books for New Dads

Becoming a dad is often equal parts exciting and terrifying. What’s in store for you? What do you need to do during the pregnancy and birth? What will your role be in your new little one’s babyhood? Why did you think this was a good idea?! Relax, it’s all going to be fine, and it was a very good idea. We’ve even got a list of helpful books to help you navigate the unfamiliar parts.

• Pregnancy for Dads-To-Be: This book by Adam Carpenter focuses solely on dads, helping men learn everything they need to know about pregnancy and how to be a supportive partner. It takes you through the nine-month process, teaching things like the development of the baby, what to do before the baby arrives, and how to be there for your partner during pregnancy, labor, and after the birth. It also provides helpful tips on adjusting your lifestyle before the baby gets here, to avoid the shock of doing it all at once after the birth.
• Commando Dad: This book by Neil Sinclair, a real-life commando, is a basic training manual for fatherhood. It’s got clear and logical advice on things like preparing your “base camp” and dealing with “minor combat injuries.” It’s a great reference book, packed with easily accessible knowledge.
• Fatherhood- The Truth: Marcus Berkmann wrote this book in 2005, when there weren’t very many new dad books out there. It doesn’t shy away from topics like the misery of night feeding and the likelihood of projectile vomiting as it takes you through that crucial time between conception and the first birthday.
• The Expectant Dad’s Survival Guide: Covering pregnancy and the early weeks of babyhood, this survival guide by Rob Kemp includes expert advice and firsthand accounts. It covers all the bases and offers a range of expert views.
• Babies and Toddlers for Men: Mark Woods has an original and witty way of providing practical advice, and this book covers birth to three years in a way that’s funny yet useful. It offers tips on looking after your child while supporting the child’s mother as well, and there is a companion book, Babies and Toddlers for Men- 101 Tips, which breaks it all down into manageable chunks.

If you’re ready to start a family, the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is here to help. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other concerns about their fertility. We accept major credit cards as well as cash and checks, and offer a payment plan for those who are unable to pay the entire fee at the time of surgery. Whether you’re ready to schedule a procedure or just want to learn more, you can contact us through our website, or call 941-894-6428 to arrange a free consultation.

What to Expect with Your Vasectomy Reversal

Are you considering a vasectomy reversal? Maybe you’ve changed your mind about your ideal family size, and now you want to try for a child. The good news is that vasectomy reversals are more successful today than they’ve ever been before. However, the procedure is more complicated than your vasectomy was, and it’s important for you to know what to expect.

• On the day of your surgery, arrive 90 minutes before your scheduled operation. Make sure that you follow your doctor’s instructions, and don’t eat anything for eight hours before the surgery unless you are told otherwise by your doctor. You don’t need to do any special preparation, and the operating room staff will clip any hair as needed for the surgery, as part of their operative preparations.
• When you arrive, you’ll be taken to the surgical preoperative area. If your significant other would like to stay with you during this time, that’s perfectly fine. Your doctor will meet with you in the preoperative suite, in order to answer any questions and discuss your procedure. The anesthesiologist will come by as well, and help you decide on the best choice of anesthesia.
• While you’re still in the preoperative suite, you’ll be given an IV. After the nurse inserts the IV, you’ll be given a sedative. If you’re like most patients, you won’t remember anything after that until you’re back in the recovery area.
• Immediately after the surgery, you’re not likely to experience pain. You may feel some numbness in the scrotum, but until the anesthesia wears off a few hours later, you probably won’t feel any discomfort. When the local anesthesia wears off, you can use an ice pack, provided by the medical staff, to decrease swelling and ease soreness. Make sure to apply the cold pack over the scrotal support and never directly to the skin. A little bit of blood oozing from between the sutures or out of the drains is to be expected, and it’s very unlikely you’ll have any significant bleeding.
• Once you’re fully awake and alert, you’ll be discharged with prescriptions for antibiotics and pain medication. A responsible adult must escort you out of the Surgery Center and take you home, because you won’t be allowed to drive for 24 hours after surgery, nor take a cab alone.

If you’re considering a vasectomy reversal, the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is here to help. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other concerns about their fertility. We accept major credit cards as well as cash and checks, and offer a payment plan for those who are unable to pay the entire fee at the time of surgery. Whether you’re ready to schedule a procedure or just want to learn more, you can contact us through our website, or call 941-894-6428 to arrange a free consultation.

Things That Can Harm Male Fertility

For nearly 15 percent of American couples, infertility is a real struggle. Many factors have an impact on fertility, and both partners’ health plays a key role. Male infertility is about half the reason that couples fail to conceive, but do you know what factors into male fertility? Knowing the things that can harm male fertility can help you safeguard yours.

Low sperm production, abnormal sperm function, and blockages that prevent sperm delivery are the primary causes of male infertility. These issues may be the result of an underlying health problem, sometimes one over which you have no control. However, lifestyle factors can also have a major impact.

A recent study linked manual labor with low sperm counts. In a study of 456 men around the age of 32, researchers discovered that 13 percent of the men with physically demanding jobs had low sperm count, as opposed to only 6 percent of men without strenuous work. Other things that had a negative impact on fertility included:

• High blood pressure
• Smoking or using tobacco
• Using alcohol and marijuana excessively
• Taking certain illicit drugs including anabolic steroids and cocaine.
• Being overweight
• Suffering emotional stress
• Overheated testicles from frequent use of saunas or hot tubs, prolonged sitting, wearing tight clothing, or working on a laptop for extended periods
• Exposure to toxins like benzenes, pesticides, herbicides, etc. which can lower sperm count
• Current or past STIs including chlamydia and gonorrhea
• Certain prolonged activities like biking or horseback riding, especially on a hard seat or poorly adjusted bicycle

Other medical causes include hormonal imbalances, sperm duct defects, undescended testicles, tumors, and varicocele. A varicocele is a swelling of the veins that drain the testicles, and this swelling can prevent normal cooling. This is the most common cause of male infertility, but it’s also, fortunately, reversible. Varicoceles are often asymptomatic at first, but can enlarge, becoming noticeable or causing pain.

Unless you’re trying to conceive and having difficulty, you may not be aware that you have fertility issues. However, in some cases, there are signs and symptoms. If you experience problems with sexual function, pain, swelling or a lump in the testicle area, frequent respiratory infections, or decreased facial or body hair, schedule a visit with your doctor to check on your fertility.

If you’re struggling with infertility or considering a vasectomy reversal, the Center for Vasectomy Reversal is here to help. Under the direction of Dr. Joshua Green, our team provides state-of-the-art treatment for men who need a reversal of their vasectomy or have other concerns about their fertility. We accept major credit cards as well as cash and checks, and offer a payment plan for those who are unable to pay the entire fee at the time of surgery. Whether you’re ready to schedule a procedure or just want to learn more, you can contact us through our website, or call 941-894-6428 to arrange a free consultation.