Father’s Day is a great time to appreciate the men in your life who share all of those silly jokes, have crazy dance moves, and own more polo shirts than Ralph Lauren himself. So why not treat those special guys to something special? Here are a few favorite gift options for every type of dad out there!

Razor MD

For the dad who loves his beard, look to Razor MD to provide him with all the things he needs to keep his beard trimmed, silky, and smooth. They have everything from great razors to essential oil based products that help style and condition his beard. Help him take his beard game to the next level with all of the tools and accessories he needs!

Photoshoot

Grab your semi-pro photographer friend, find a fun spot-think large field, wall with cool street art, etc- and get the kids dressed up for a photoshoot! Bonus points if there’s a theme! While it may take an entire day, 12 juice boxes, and 20 bribes to get them all to pose, it’ll definitely be worth an adorable picture of everyone. Plus, you’ll be able to use this as a Father’s Day gift for every dad in your life, and it doubles as a gift for you too! If you want to turn to a professional photographer, look to Groupon to find great deals on pros that’ll help you take beautiful pictures!

Annie B’s Popcorn and Caramels

For the dad who just wants to snack and watch the game, get him something truly delicious to try from Annie B’s Popcorn and Caramels! They offer a wide array of popcorn flavors like Jalapeno, Triple Threat, Original, Sea Salt, and Sharp Cheddar, along with an incredible number of different flavored caramels, such as Coconut and Cappuccino- yum! Pair this with his favorite beer and you just won Father’s Day!

Bespoke post

If you want to get him the gift that just keeps giving, try Bespoke Post. You can get him monthly subscription boxes that include limited edition products he wouldn’t be able to find anywhere else! You can also peruse their online store to find beautiful gifts that he’s sure to love!

Custom Pint Glass

These are the perfect edition to any man cave/ living room after the kids go to bed. The Wild & Free Prints shop on Etsy has a ton of options for customizing the perfect pint glass, wine glass, or even mason jar! The glasses are etched and made to order, so you can truly make it his own.

Turn their artwork into a gift

Take your mini Picasso’s artwork and turn it into something really special that won’t just get put on the fridge! Use a site like Shutterfly.com to help you put their artwork on mugs, pillows, and even on an actual canvas. All you have to do is scan or take a clear, high resolution photo of the artwork, then peruse the website for your favorite way to display it!

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Dad can be hard to shop for sometimes. Of course, he can never have too many ties, coffee mugs or tools. But doesn’t the man who taught you how to ride a bike, to play catch and to always try your best deserve something more personal and unique.

Sure, he will be happy regardless of what you get him, but why not help him enjoy more time with the interests he has outside of being a great father. Here are some Father’s Day gift ideas for every kind of dad – from the grill master to the car enthusiast and the clean freak to the hygiene centric and every kind of dad in between.

Let Dad Stand Out with a Million-Dollar Shine

Your dad can now achieve the million-dollar appearance of Barrett-Jackson car auctions in his garage. Their Premium Auto Care line includes washes, waxes and detailers formulated with synthetic hydrophobic polymers and genuine carnauba wax for lasting brilliance and easy application. Learn more about how to bring a long-lasting and brilliant, deep shine to your dad’s car at Barrett-JacksonAutoCare.com. Barrett-Jackson Premium Auto Care products, which range in price from $5.49 to $17.99, are available at retailers nationwide, including Walmart, Pepboys, Menards and select Home Depots, and through online retailers including Amazon.com. For the ultimate gift, go a step further and wash his car for him.

For the Dad Who Loves to Drive

What do you get a dad who loves his car and truly loves to drive? How about something that connects him to his car, like a shoe that enhances his driving experience? While comfortable and stylish enough for everyday wear, the Piloti Spyder S1 driving shoe features patented Roll Control heel technology, superior red suede and mesh panels for maximum comfort and flexibility as well as the perfect combination of support, size, grip and feel. Check out the Spyder S1 ($150) as well as Piloti’s complete line of luxury, casual and performance driving shoes at Piloti.com.

A Gift Dad Can Sink His Teeth Into

Make Father’s Day complete with a dinner he’ll remember for years. The Omaha Steaks Father’s Day T-Bone Gift package is a meal dad will be willing and eager to fire up the grill for. The package is headlined by two 18-ounce T-Bones and includes four Brisket Burgers and four Gourmet Jumbo Franks along with Omaha Steaks Seasoning. Regularly $194.95, you can now bring the family together to enjoy this incredible fare for just $69.99. For more information, visit omahasteaks.com.

A Spotless Man Cave, Workshop and Car

It’s the ultimate gift for dad and his man cave. The Dirt Devil FlipOut™ is a premium cordless hand vac, perfectly designed to keep his man cave, workshop or set of wheels spotless. The 16-volt, fade-free lithium battery means faster charging, longer runtime and continuous power. It’s compact and lightweight, and has versatile tools for quick and easy cleaning. The FlipOut is $49.99. For more information, visit DirtDevil.com.

Power Dad’s Smile

Be the power behind dad’s smile this Father’s Day with the Oral-B 7000 SmartSeries Electric Toothbrush with Bluetooth connectivity. The brush connects to the Oral-B App, which provides real-time guidance while brushing and records brushing activity that can be shared with dental professionals. With six different cleaning modes, it removes 300 percent more plaque compared to a manual brush. Upgrade your dad’s oral care routine and visit oralb.com for additional details.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

*FF

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You fathered a child, and now it’s time to step up and be a present, active participant in that child’s life. Dads play an important role in raising a child, and there are many reasons why dads should be active, including:

1. Love: The love shared between a child and a parent is special. Active dads have the opportunity to not only show their children love, but to help teach them how to build and nurture loving relationships. The loving bond a dad builds with his child can begin when a child is born. An active dad will change diapers, swaddle baby, talk to baby, make eye contact with baby and more in order to begin building a bond from day one. When it comes right down to it, love comes from the building of trust and bonds, and love is one of the strongest emotions we feel. Being both physical and emotional, it’s incredibly important to show your child love as often as possible. Hugs and kisses are great, but you can also tell them you love them and miss them and can’t wait to get back home to them when you’re away.

2. Role Model: Of course children need positive and healthy role models in their lives, and an active dad can provide a child with just that. A role model helps a child learn about goals, respect, appreciation, love and more. An active dad will teach their child about positive relationships by building an excellent relationship with the child’s mom. An active dad will always lead by example, because they know their children are watching and learning from every move they make. An active dad will strive to be the best role model he can be.

3. Experience: An active dad allows for extra or more active experiences. Dads who are active in their child’s lives encourage more activity, adventure and learning opportunities. Active dads offer their children different experiences such as learning to fish. Maybe fishing is something mom doesn’t enjoy, so without dad around a child may never experience fishing. As a dad encourages a new experience such as trying a new sport they’ll develop ongoing opportunities to be involved with things like: practice, coaching, games, travel, etc. The more experiences a child can have the more well-rounded and worldly they’ll grow up to be.

Being an active dad is easier than you might think. There are lots of ways to get involved and it’s of the utmost importance that you do! Have fun with it and do your very best.

Happy parenting!

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Parenting Expert and father of 7, Robert Nickell (aka Daddy Nickell) offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddy & Co., delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel for every stage of fatherhood, and the Daily Daddy Blog. He is also the creator and producer of “My Life as a Dad,” the groundbreaking new web series that showcases celebrity fathers offering their personal experiences and parenting tips.

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We all know how important father/son bonding time is. The relationship a boy has with his father greatly shapes the man he will become in the future. But building a great father/son relationship can be tricky as your son hits his tween and teen years. All of a sudden Dad isn’t as cool as he used to be and your son will most likely lean toward spending time with friends. Although it may be tougher, this is a crucial time for Dads to be involved and maintain the relationship with their sons. With a little advanced planning, you can make the most of your father/son time and create great memories.

Here are a few ideas to get you started: 

1) Meet him on his Turf. Go for a bike ride, lace up some skates, kick a soccer ball; you may even need to grab the wii remote and give video games a try. If you want to hang out and relate with your son, you will need to do it in a way he understands and desires.

2) Go to Movies. This gives you time together, but you don’t need to talk. Then when the movie is over, you’ll have something to talk about. But again, you may have to go to a movie that is out of your comfort zone, let him choose and love it no matter what.

3) Take him out to Dinner. Let your son choose where you eat and make have fun! Whether it is an impromptu dinner or one that is planned for weeks, food is always a good hit with boys.

4) Go to a Sporting Event Together. Boys usually love sports and it’s a perfect time for father and son to bond over a favorite sport or team.

5) Keep Talking. Most boys aren’t as verbal and chatty as girls which can make them hard to talk to. But ultimately, everyone loves to talk about themselves so if you ask questions and keep the conversation going, your son is sure to let down his guard and talk with you.  

6) Invite his Friends Over for Pizza. Nothing gathers teenage boys faster than food. If you are willing and able to provide, the boys will come. You may not get the one-on-one time with your son you were hoping for, but you will get to see him in his natural environment. Plus, his friends will probably strike up conversations with you which will give you a glimpse into your child’s life.

7) Turn off the Electronics in the Car. Don’t allow your teen to bury his face in his phone while you are driving around. He can put the phone down for 15 minutes. If conversation doesn’t come easily, turn on the tunes and bond over music. Car rides are a fantastic time to catch up and converse with your kids.

8) Don’t take it Personally. It can be hard when your son chooses to hang with his friends instead of you, but try not to get too bent out of shape over it. In truth, your nagging and pestering will only drive him away more. Understand that he wants to be with his buddies and let that happen.

9) Be Vulnerable with Him. Let your teen know what scares you, what you like, mistakes you’ve made. If you seem like a “real person” to him, he is more likely to hang out with you.

10) Don’t Give a Guilt Trip. “Guilting” your son into hanging out with you will not result in quality bonding. Instead you’ll have a child who resents you for making him skip something fun to hang with his parent.

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

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Navigating through Daddyhood can be tricky, and even downright confusing at times. I’ve come up with the 4 C’s of Daddyhood. These 4 C’s remind me of what’s most important, they show me how to handle various daddy situations and help keep me calmly on the (sometimes bumpy) road that is daddyhood.

1. Consistency: First things first – being a dad is all about consistency. Success in daddyhood requires consistency in all aspects of parenthood: consistently making it home in time for family dinner; developing a routine your children will consistently look forward to every day; consistently finding quality time to spend with your kids; consistently setting a good example for your children to follow.  You kids will look to you, their dad, for advice, for help, for ideas, for really just about everything, and you need to be ready to be a dad who is consistent.

2. Communication: One of the single most important things you can do to navigate smoothly through daddyhood is to communicate effectively – not only with your wife but with your children, too. If something is unclear, ask questions; if you’re expected to be somewhere you find out all the details; and most importantly you let your family know just how much they mean to you each and every day. Sit down with your children and talk to them about anything and everything. You’ll be surprised by the things they tell you and your father-child bond will grow because of this special time spent working on keeping open lines of communication.

3. Control: Yes, you’re the man of the house, but that doesn’t mean you control how that house is run day-to-day. In fact, if there’s one thing I’ve learned through daddyhood it’s that you’ll have to give up a great deal of control. Things are not always going to work out how you wanted them to and you’ll have to learn to be flexible and roll with the punches. Your wife will likely have control over the weekly calendar and schedule, and you should thank her daily for keeping your family’s lives moving smoothly from day-to-day. You, as the daddy, however, can find control in organization and routine; figure out what works for you and stick to it!

4. Creativity: Possibly my favorite of the 4 C’s is creativity. As we struggle through day-to-day life it can be easy to forget to have fun and find enjoyment in the seeming mundane everyday moments. As a dad I work hard to turn simple tasks into enjoyable moments making my wife and children smile and laugh as often as possible. Be creative every single day and strive to make every moment enjoyable as time is fleeting and your children will be grown up before you know it.

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents. Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

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If you are nearing your wife’s due date you will absolutely want to be prepared and ready to go at a moment’s notice. There are certain items that all daddies need to bring to the hospital on delivery day. Keep in mind that Mother Nature does not always consider your plans. You should have a backpack ready to go, so you can get up and get moving – no matter when Baby decides to arrive.

The bag you pack for the hospital will be your toolbox for the incredible and unpredictable delivery of your baby.

You never know how long it is going to take. All women are different, and just because you’ve heard stories about a few moms squeezing their babies out before daddy can even put his scrubs on does not mean this will be your experience. Use the following list to create your perfect “Daddy Go Bag”.

1.  Bag – First and foremost you’ll need to obtain a bag.  Make sure the bag can be dedicated solely to the birth of your child, so it can sit by the door or in the trunk of your car and be ready to go; the bag should NOT have a dual purpose at this time.

2.  Reading material – Get your Kindle loaded with a new book to read, or pick up a paperback from your local bookstore that you would like to read and pack it away in your Daddy Go Bag.

3.  Music – An iPod, or similar music device is essential, and a portable speaker system is even better in case your wife wants to listen to music.  There are travel size speaker systems that work very well.   Also pack headphones in case mommy does not want to listen music at the same time you do.

4.  Toiletries – Don’t forget your toothbrush and toothpaste! Of equal importance are deodorant, a shave kit, personal shampoo and conditioner, face wash, contacts, solution, etc.

5.  Medications – If you take medication on a daily basis don’t leave this at home! I also suggest Advil or Tylenol for any aches, pains or headaches you may get from sleeping on that impossibly hard and uncomfortable hospital chair all night long.  Throat lozenges are good, as the hospital air can be dry, and you do not want to get sick.  I also suggest packing a bottle of personal hand sanitizer; there are machines all over the hospital, but it is always nice to have your own bottle to use whenever you want to or need to.  Chapstick will also help combat the dry hospital in the air so pack a tube or two.

6.  Nutrition – Pack plenty of water and snacks. Protein bars, nuts, cookies and fruit are always great go-to snack foods that you’ll be glad you have accessible when hunger strikes.

7.  Money – You’ll need change for parking, change for vending machines, possibly a Starbucks card as well as about $20 extra for that emergency run to the hospital cafeteria. Make sure you’re prepared for anything!

8.  Clothing – I highly recommend packing a set of DaddyScrubs for the big moment.  They are doctor inspired scrubs that are super comfortable for the new dad to wear throughout the entire hospital stay – from Labor to Delivery to Post Partum.  Pack a few extra t-shirts, socks and underwear, too. And take my advice on this one and pack a hat; you might not get a chance to shower and a hat will at least hide your crazy hair.

9.  For Her – Although she will pack her own hospital bag there are a few things you can pack in your bag for your wife that may come in handy. Preselect and sign a Hallmark Card to give to her after Baby arrives. Additionally, I suggest a “push gift,” which is a special something (necklace, earrings, bracelet, etc.) that you give to your wife once Baby arrives to share in the excitement and give her something extra to remember the day by.

10.  Most Important – Bring your “A-game”; be alert, awake, attentive, and ready to help and support your wife wherever and however you’re needed.  Remember, she is having the baby and you are there to help.  So bottom line: do not complain about being tired or hungry or express your reluctance to sleep on a chair. She is having a baby – cater to her every need!

Good luck guys – and welcome to fatherhood.

Sincerely,

Daddy Nickell

Robert Nickell, aka Daddy Nickell, father of 7, offers his “5 cents” worth of advice to expectant and new parents.  Daddy Nickell is the founder of Daddyscrubs.com, delivery room duds and daddy gifts and apparel, and the DaddyScrubs blog where he covers topics about parenting all from a Dad’s perspective.

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