To Print: Click here or Select File/Print from your Browser Menu

A forum for men who drive and the kids they drive with...
By: Jason Droz

Cruising in my lifted Jeep Wrangler with the hard top off, headed to Circle K to grab myself a cold drink. That was what a typical Saturday afternoon entailed only 5 short years ago. Now I am a happily married man with a 3 year old and another one on the way.  Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love being a devoted husband and father, but somehow those Saturday afternoon cruises have evolved into something different. Instead of wanting to show off my Jeep, I want everyone to stare at my angelic daughter, Jayden, as she climbs out of her car seat. She truly brightens my everyday. The cool thing is she doesn’t care if she’s riding around in a ’78 Pinto or a ’08 Escalade.  All she cares about is that she is with her “Daddy.”

My name is Jason Droz and I am 31 years old. I feel there are a lot of guys out there that are in my shoes: proud fathers who love hanging out with their kids. In today’s non-stop world, we as dads are hard-pressed to set aside quality time with our most precious assets, our children. I have found quality time with my daughter in a quite unusual place; the car. As I pass many families on the road, I have noticed an increasing number of TVs blaring Sponge Bob or the latest blow ‘em up video game. Do we not get enough TV at home? I know a lot of dads out there that leave the house before their children wake up and get home barely in time to kiss them goodnight. The weekends get filled up with outside activities and visiting family and friends. I pray everyday my children will look back at their childhood and are able to say, “I know who my dad is and he knows me.”

I hope this forum will allow me to shed some light on how we, as dads, can entertain our children and maintain that most coveted bond between father and child. I am also going to introduce father-friendly product reviews and open the floor to you. I want your feedback and questions. We all want the same thing: a long lasting, honest relationship with our kids.  It all starts with a decision.  A decision to be the best dad you can possibly be.