Field notes

Questions dads actually ask

Written to be the last tab you open on the subject.

• July 4, 2026

  How much screen time is too much for my kid — and what actually competes with it?

  The real numbers on kids’ screen time from AAP and Pew, why limits alone fail, and the one strategy that consistently beats the tablet: a better offer.

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• July 4, 2026

  What are the best arts and crafts to do with your kid (that aren’t glitter kits)?

  Real art hobbies a dad and kid can share — drawing, clay, printmaking, whittling — chosen for zero-talent entry and shelf-worthy output, plus the rules that keep them alive past week two.

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• July 4, 2026

  How long does it take for a kid’s hobby to stick — and why do badges work?

  The honest timeline for a new hobby taking hold (hint: it’s sessions, not weeks), the three failure points to engineer around, and the century-old psychology of why merit badges still work.

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• July 1, 2026

  What hobbies can I start with my kid this weekend for under $100?

  Five dad-kid hobbies you can gear up for under $100 and start this Saturday — with real price breakdowns, what to skip at first, and the one place not to cheap out.

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• June 27, 2026

  What are the best hobbies to start with a 7–10 year old, by personality?

  A personality-first guide to picking a dad-kid hobby for ages 7–10: six kid temperaments, the hobby each one takes to, and the mismatches that quietly kill it.

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• June 20, 2026

  What can I do with my kid besides video games (that I’ll actually enjoy too)?

  Seven real hobbies dads and kids genuinely share — chosen so the dad isn’t faking enthusiasm — plus the three rules that decide whether any of them stick.

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