New, Must-See Parenting Site

It's here!  OrdinaryParent.com has been set-up with the sole focus on parenting and the challenges faced for all of us ordinary parents.  Parenting posts from Middle Class Keith have been migrated over.  I really appreciate the thousands of visitors that came to the site over it's first two months, and based on feedback and statistics have decided to focus solely on parenting at ordinaryparent.com.  I will continue to post non-parenting posts on middleclasskeith.blogspot.com.  Thanks for reading, and continue to provide feedback to make this site and my new site even better.

A Sick Child

Well, I knew the healthy streak couldn’t last forever, but this past week my daughter wasn’t feeling well.  We thought she was just teething as she seemed a little fussy and is usually a very happy baby.  She wanted to bite on things, and would occasionally grab at her ear but my wife had read that babies sometimes do that when they’re teething.  But then on Wednesday she woke up with a fever, so I stayed home to take care of her and take her to the doctor. 

What I'll Teach My Kids About 9/11

This article has been moved to my parenting blog, and I thank you for taking time to read it.

http://www.ordinaryparent.com/fatherhood/what-my-children-will-learn-about-9-11/

8 Photo Ideas for New Parents



Abby with Leon the Lion

Moved this article to a new site here: http://www.ordinaryparent.com/advice/8-photo-ideas-for-new-parents/ Check it out!

 

Parenting - Good Ideas, Bad Ideas

As much as I’d like to say that my wife and I have made no mistakes over the last 6 months of raising our daughter, that’s just not possible.  So with some examples of our own mistakes and other good/bad ideas I could think of, I’ve put together 10 sets of good ideas and bad ideas.  I just won’t mention which ones we’ve actually done and which ones I’ve made up.  Enjoy!

Your Child's First Scrapbook

We've moved to a new site and reposted this article here: http://www.ordinaryparent.com/fatherhood/getting-started-on-your-childs-first-scrapbook/

Expectations for Your Child

Moved to a new site and reposted this article here: http://www.ordinaryparent.com/fatherhood/expectations-for-your-child/

10 Great Ways to Get Fired

The other day at the office I was thinking it would be hilarious if someone sent an inappropriate email forward to the entire company by mistake.  And with that motivation, I’ve created a list of some of the funniest ways I can imagine someone could be fired from work.  By no means do I endorse you doing any of the following, but would love to tell the stories for years to come.

Simple Ways to Save Money

All middle-class families find ways to save money, and all families should be on a constant lookout for new ways to save.  So I’ve provided you with several money-saving options that could save you thousands of dollars each year; money that could be going to mandatory expenses, college savings, or retirement.

10 Must-Have Baby Items

Moved to a new site and reposted the 10 must-have baby items here: http://www.ordinaryparent.com/lessons-learned/10-must-have-baby-items/

Early Fatherhood - Lessons Learned

Though I’ve only been a father for about 5 months now, I’ve learned some valuable lessons that I feel all new and expectant fathers should know.   5 months, 5 lessons learned:

Single Parent...I Can't Imagine



Photo coutresy of pregnancycaretips.com



When I found out I would be a daddy, I can honestly say I underestimated the amount of effort it would take to take care of my baby girl.  Even with the parenting classes, videos, articles, and constant barrage of parenting advice during my wife’s pregnancy, I didn’t realize how my life would change.  That being said, the stresses my wife and I have faced certainly can’t compare with that of a single parent.  So I’d like to count my blessings, and salute the single parents that work hard every day to raise their child.

I can’t imagine…

Take Advantage of Your Bank

Ever since working for a major bank, I’ve learned several ways to take advantage of the products and services they have to offer.  

In a middle-class family, it’s important to make the most of the money you have coming in, and minimize the expenses you may incur.  And there are several ways that you can make the bank work for you.

Horrible Bosses

Despite what I originally thought, some of my previous managers are not in the new movie Horrible Bosses!  Really?  I can attest to the fact that they are more than qualified to star in the movie (or at least co-star).  But the release of this movie made me start to think about exactly what it is that makes a boss qualify for a “horrible” tag.  So I’ve come up with my Top Ten ways to tell if you have a horrible boss.

Getting started

I recently decided to start blogging about my life experiences, both as a way to share my thoughts with the world and to provide an outlet for the daily joys and frustrations that I think others will be able to relate to.  I'll post about my daily life, family, work, hobbies, and anything that I feel is worthwhile to share.

I think a great place to start for my new blog is to tell you a little about myself.  I'm a 27 year old married man, living in Louisville, Ky.  I graduated with my BS in Business Administration in 2006 and have been working since then, first at bank, and now for an insurance company.  My wife and I recently celebrated the birth of our first child, which has completely changed our lives.  We look forward to the experiences, memories, up, and downs that life has in store for us.

My wife an I are proud members of a Baptist church in downtown Louisville, and I expect some of my posts to be about the church, religion, and other spiritual aspects of my life.  While I'm still young, I hope to share some words of wisdom that I've gained in my 27 years. 

Feel free to share your questions, comments, and smart remarks.  Just like my life, I expect my blog experiences to be a journey of ups and downs, successes and failures.  I hope you enjoy!