First Annual Dad Blogs Conference

I know I say this many times, but this site was created as a place for parents to come and hang out, get some valuable information and find resources but to also have a place to go for some entertaining stories and hopefully discover a community of people among those who comment and stop by.

Dad Blogs discovered my site a while back, or perhaps I discovered them first (more than likely) but I'm excited to share with you some news that they've announced just this morning.

From the lovely Dad Blogs Team (Pete and Joe):

There is so much going at Dad Blogs it is ridiculous. First, we have had a ton of new folks sign up. Apparently we were right when we said that Dad Bloggers are the up and coming genre on the net. There are so many high quality bloggers joining the Dad Blogging ranks every day it is truly exciting to witness.

Updates:

The Bar

There are a lot of updates. First, you may have noticed the new Facebook like bar at the bottom of Dad Blogs. It includes a chat feature and hot buttons that wisk you away to great places all around the site. Those hot buttons are important to remember because when you add videos, photos, reviews (I'll get into those i a second) and update your profile--you get karma. What's so important about karma? Karma can get you paid. Stay tuned because we are giving away loot in an awesome contest starting Sept 1^st.

Reviews

We used to be big into reviews for like a week there, but they are now back. The review section is completely revamped and totally awesome. You can review everything from toys for your kids, to parenting books, to TV shows for grown ups and beer. Basically, just take a spin through review land and see what I mean. The great thing about reviews is that they are great places to earn karma and weigh heavily in that area--remember you can get paid to be karma king.

Chat

Yeah, we experimented with moving it around, but folks didn't seem to keen on that. So, group chat is back where it always was. One of the things that makes Dad Blogs so special is the ability for people to connect through avenues like group chat and we will never take that away.

Contest

There are two contest announcements for Dad Blogs. First, the current contest. PJ from realmendriveminivans and an illustrious columnist at Dad Blogs is hosting a contest to giveaway a children's music CD. The question you need to ask yourself is, "Do I want to win something fun and cool for my offspring?" If the answer is 'yes' proceed to the contest post and enter to win the new album from Milkshake. They are from my home town of Baltimore (go Ravens) and have been on PBS Kids, Noggin and Discovery Kids (their superstars--to your kids).

The next contest is forthcoming so this bit of info is meant to be a teaser. So, what I am going to say is that you can win money or a ticket to the upcoming Dad Blogs Conference. That's right--it's booked. Details are forthcoming so you can save the date. Anyways, the contest--yeah, you can also win a t-shirt if you come in 2nd or 3rd which isn't a bad consolation prize if you ask me.

The First Annual Dad Blogs Conference

This will be huge. Dad. Blogs. Conference. I just like the way that sounds. We are planning useful, informative sessions during the day, cocktail hours at night and much more. The conference is set for Chicago, Illinois from July 15-18. It will be all that and a bag of chips (chips not included). The first conference will have an emphasis on fellowship, networking and getting to know each other--like a big family reunion. The objective is to steal some of BlogHer's thunder and point the spotlight on the guys for a change. If anyone has any suggestion or amazing corporate sponsors that would love to throw money at the convention--let us know. Also, wait for the official post before you go etching dates on the side of your car door.

So, keep an eye on Dad Blogs. Big things are going down and we want each of you to be a part of it.

I hope I can be a part of it. After all, what better way to discover what dads want to read, write or talk about then to attend a conference that they created? Besides, this blog was just listed in the Top Dad Blogs directory over at The Daily Reviewer so they've just gotta let me in now!

LIVE from Chicago

I'm sitting in a room full, I mean - FULL - of bloggers - women who are writers and who either get paid (0r not) for what they, I mean WE do all day!

We're just SECONDS away from the major announcement this year. They're just making us wait a few minutes before letting us know where BlogHer 2010 will take place and everyone here is bracing themselves and praying that it'll be in their hometown.

At my table are a few women from the Denver - based carpool are hoping that it'll be there and I have to admit that it would be a beautiful place for a conference.

OMG! They're making us WAIT....I swear. This is crazy. I'm getting text messages from my Blog Her Carpoolers ' roommate from somewhere in this room, but where is she? Is she broadcasting LIVE as well?

THERE SHE IS!!

I can see her. She's at the next table and it looks like her coffee mug ...

NEW YORK CITY

Hilton New York
near Rockefeller Center
August 5 - 7, 2010

Woo-hoo!

Oh, and I'm going to head to the GM booth today so that they can set me up with another Test Drive with the 2010 Chevy Camaro.

Community Members

I celebrated the one year anniversary of this blog not that long ago and I'm amazed at how quickly things have evolved for me and how many wonderful people I have met along over the last twelve months.

People often ask me how I find the time to write and how I find the content to include. I read articles about parenting, blog posts about children, and I receive newsletters that inspire me as well as discovering people through our connections on line, whether it be through LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or from reading the comments left on the blogs that I read and simply clicking through and making new friends in the process.

There are several people I have met that I'd like to introduce my community members to. One, in particular, is a woman named Cathy Northcutt who I spent yesterday afternoon with. She's a wonderful example of Passionate Parenting and has inspired me to take my company in new directions and I applaud her efforts of using her experience as a Life Coach and mother of two to inspire others to explore their opportunities through insight and support.

Cathy and I met through our connection with the RCB Team of Certified Parent Educators here in San Diego. She too, taught at the RCB conference and sat in on my class about The Birds & the Bees.

She does many wonderful things which I will highlight in future posts, such as her journal entitled Who Am I? (which I'll be reviewing soon), but the one thing I can't wait to share is her weekly Telegathering which is held every Tuesday night.

Join in the Passionate Parent Coaching Call which is free (other than the long-distance phone call to dial in). During the first half of the sixty-minute session, Cathy will discuss a specific parenting issue, such as teaching self-control, handling sibling rivalry, or balancing work & family. The second half of the session will be open for questions.

I plan on being there this, and every, Tuesday night so I encourage you to visit Cathy's website, learn more about her, whether or not you're ready for a Life Coach, or get to know yourself better by answering the questions she provides.

Be sure to RSVP for the Tuesday night Coaching Call and please let Cathy know that you heard about her here. Once you confirm that you'll be calling in, she'll provide you with the phone number and access code. I'll see you on the call Tuesday, October 7th at 8:30pm (PST).

To learn more about her services and retreats by visiting her site:
www.CathyNorthcutt.com

BlogHer and Other Influentials

Is it any surprise that the women behind BlogHer were named the top most influential female bloggers this year? BlogHer is a national organization that holds a conference every year - since 2005 - to bring women bloggers together for networking, education and pure fun! The next conference is just around the corner, from July 18 - 20 in San Francisco.

Introduce yourself to the rest of the influential women from NxE's 50 Most Influential Female Bloggers. Don't ask why they've put the word female in quotes. The important thing is that they're profiling these entrepreneurs and giving them their time in the spotlight.

Momference 2008

New Momference Make-Over Starting in the Spring of 2008, Momference will present events geared toward truly changing and empowering the lives of women everywhere! Events will focus around the areas of: Divorce Special Needs Families Domestic Violence Parenting Teens Child Safety Mompreneurs Visit our new online Momference events calendar to see a complete listing of online tele-conferences and webinars lead by leading experts in the fields of parenting and women's coaching.
Calling all Divorced Women Are you divorced, going through a divorce, or know someone who is getting a divorce? Everyone does! The April 9th and 12th Momference event, sponsored by Laura Campbell of the DSpot, "Divorce: Passion, Power, and Play," is the ideal way to help yourself or someone you love deal with the issues surrounded the break up of a marriage. As the perfect gift of healing for yourself or a way to help a loved one struggling with the pain of divorce, the small registration fee of $39 includes both days of the event, a special virtual goodie bag, and podcasts of all of the sessions to review at your leisure! The keynote speaker of the "Divorce: Passion, Power, and Play" event will be Dr. Pepper Schwartz, the author of Prime: Adventures and Advice about Sex, Love and the Sensual Years. She is a renowned author, lecturer and authority on the subject of sexuality and relationships. Pepper wrote the column “Sex and Health” for Glamour magazine for seven years. She has appeared on such television programs as The Oprah Winfrey Show, Dateline and Dr. Phil, and on programs for the cable television network Lifetime. If you have not signed up for the upcoming FREE "Divorce: Passion, Power, and Play" event with Dr. Pepper Schwartz or Linda Ward (or both--they are FREE right??), then do it now before all the spaces are taken!
Addressing Special Needs Did you know...1 in 5 families in the United States have Special Needs children? If you have a special needs child or know someone who does, then you can fully understand the trials and tribulations associated with caring for their needs. In our April 26th "Special Needs: Managing STRESS with a SMILE" event, sponsored by Stephanie Haber of The Special Needs Family, special needs families are given the best tips and tactics finding happiness in the chaos. Whether you join the Momference "Special Needs: Managing STRESS with a SMILE" to bring peace to your own home or provide sanity to a loved one struggling to manage, the small registration fee of $39 includes a full day of tele-classes and webinars, a special virtual goodie bag, and podcasts of all of the sessions to review at your leisure! NOTE: This event qualifies for a special discount for groups of 5 or more! If you have group that would like to register for the "Special Needs: Managing STRESS with a SMILE" event, then please contact marketing@momference.com for details. If you have not signed up for the upcoming FREE Special Needs: Shut Up about your Perfect Kid event with Patty Konjoian, then do it now before all the spaces are taken!
Getting Bloggy with Momference Through connecting moms across the blogosphere in our Momference community and sharing valuable articles with tips from Momference experts, the Momference blog is a gathering place for moms to share their experiences and help each other promote stronger families. Stop by today by leaving a comment on our blog at http://momference.wordpress.com!