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"Don't touch Daddy's cds."

“Stay away from Daddy's cds.”

"Put down Daddy's cds.”

"Leave Daddy's cds alone.”

“What did I tell you about Daddy's cds?”

What we have here is a classic failure to communicate. Daddy states, in words of two syllables or less, that he does not want Jack to touch his compact discs. Jack looks up at Daddy with his innocent baby blue eyes and repeats “Don't play with Daddy's cds.” Within five minutes, Jack is once again playing with Daddy's cds.

W hen the most recent issue of Toronto Life hit the stands – the one with the “Stroller Mafia” cover story – it was bound to cause a commotion. I'm sure a lot of pixels will be spilt debating the rather sensational war between the have-babies and the have-nots. In the end, it's all just a tempest in a sippy cup, because in each case, only a little common sense is needed to bridge the baby gap between both parties.

The October 8 (2007) issue of Newsweek had a headline that caught my eye: "The New Dad Debate" (http://www.newsweek.com/id/41907). Perhaps the magazine was hosting a round table discussion with first-time fathers on some important topic like brand-name baby butt wipes vs. old fashioned face-cloths, or does dressing a child in a pair of pyjamas featuring both a camouflage pattern and a bright red Elmo face imply that a parent supports the War in Iraq?

The first few weeks with our new baby have been full of incredible experiences. We’ve welcomed this beautiful little life into the world, and now we’re learning how to care for him and struggling with the unforeseen complications and challenges of parenting. Throughout all of the stress and fatigue, I kept thinking about how the three of us have now formed a family and the new responsibilities with which my lovely wife and I were now faced. That, and how could I get out to see The Simpsons Movie?