One of the greatest things about being human is that we have the opportunity to care for animals, such as this incredible scene of Brazilian beachgoers saving over 30 stranded dolphins.  Owning a pet can be a wonderful way to teach your children responsibility and compassion, but pets can also lead to problems if the parents are always the ones taking care of them.  If you currently have pets, or your kids are begging for them, print off, discuss and have your kids sign the All Pro Dad Pet Care Contract.

Huddle up with your children tonight and say:  I do/don’t think you are doing a good job taking care of our pets.  I say that because ____.

The U.S. Postal Service, seemingly always under heavy fire, will many times go the extra mile to deliver unusual mailing items as long as they don’t pose a risk.  For instance, you can mail a coconut without any additional packaging.  Simply write the address on the outside of the shell, affix stamps, and off it goes!  Other self-contained mailings have included pumpkins, driftwood, flip flops and messages in sand-filled bottles.  Before you try this yourself, check with your local post office.

You know what else doesn’t require a lot of effort or special packaging to make someone’s day?  All Pro Dad lunchbox notes.  Print them off.  Put them in your kids’ lunch.  It is sure to put a smile on their face.  It lets them know you’re thinking about them.

And when you have time, here are 7 notes you should write to your children.

Huddle up with your kids tonight and say:  “What’s a self-contained mailing we can send to someone to help them feel better?”

“Odysseus instructed his crew to first plug their ears with beeswax and once that was done, to tie him securely to the mast.  His orders were strict–the sailors were not to remove the wax from their ears, nor respond to him in any way until the ship had safely passed the island of the Sirens.

As they got within earshot of the Sirens, Odysseus became as a man possessed. He had never heard anything so alluring or beautiful. He was utterly captivated and began fighting against the ropes, shouting impassioned orders for the crew to turn the ship towards the island.  Unable to hear his commands, the sailors ignored him. They hunched over their oars and rowed with a fury.

This infuriated Odysseus.  He threatened execution to all who disobeyed his orders to free him at once and turn the ship around.  But the sailors neither heard him nor cared. They had made an agreement in advance to report to and obey the real Odysseus, not this inflamed creature who’d gone temporarily mad. Their orders came from truth and reason, not from a lie and insanity. And by sticking to their pre-planned agreement, captain and crew got out alive.

Once they’d made a safe distance from that dangerous place, the sailors removed the beeswax from their ears and untied their captain. No longer within earshot of the Sirens, Odysseus was himself again. And he thanked his crew for staying true to the orders from his real self.”

For many men, the situation Odysseus found himself in is akin to the fight against lust.  If we don’t take radical steps to protect ourselves, we’ll shipwreck our lives.  Here are 10 practical ways to help in your battle against sexual lust.

Huddle up with your wife tonight and ask:  “What is one step we can take to safeguard our marriage against harmful lust?”

The movie Moneyball, nominated for 6 Academy Awards, is based on Michael Lewis’s book of the same name.  Moneyball follows the 2002 Oakland Athletics and their general manager Billy Beane’s attempts to assemble a winning franchise. In the film, Beane (Brad Pitt) and assistant GM Peter Brand (Jonah Hill) are faced with very little money to field a competitive team and decide to take a sophisticated, statistical-crunching approach towards scouting and analyzing players.  In the process, the Athletics win 20 consecutive games, an American League record, with a bunch of rag tag players other teams overlooked.

A major theme of the movie is Beane’s relationship with his daughter, now that Beane is divorced and his ex has remarried.  After the A’s had so much success, the Boston Red Sox attempted to hire Beane and relocate him to the East Coast.  And, in typical Red Sox fashion, they offered him a bunch of money to do it.  Beane contemplated it…until this pivotal song from his daughter changed his mind.

All Pro Dads are huge in the lives of their children, whether they live with them or not.  Here are 10 Ways for Divorced Dads to Stay Connected to Their Children.

Huddle up with your children tonight by calling/emailing/texting your kids that you love them.

[All Pro Dad does not endorse the advertisers featured with this movie clip. Also note that when his daughter calls him a “loser” at the end of the song, she is referring to the first time he made her sing it in public and she was embarrassed to do so.]

• Should a dad coach his children and, if so, what are some tips?

• Do we require our kids to practice the sport like we do their homework?

• Can we give advice to our children on how to improve, or is that too discouraging?

Thanks Thomas.  Here is Tony Dungy’s response.  And here are 4 things to remember when coaching your kids.

Huddle up and ask your children tonight:  Would you like me to be your coach in the future?  Why or why not?

Huddle up with your older children tonight and ask:  Do you think some kids are addicted to cell phones?  Do you think it’s a little problem or a big problem?

But what if a strong, healthy, robust marriage is what’s best for your children?  And for you?  Enrique should read the 4 reasons why marriage is awesome for you.  We all should.

Huddle up with your wife tonight and say:  “I am so glad I married you because ____.”