Joe Schatz is the man behind Joeprah.com and the proud stay-home father of three daughters. His take on parenting has drawn praise from national media, and his daughters think he's alright, too.

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Palin's Folly: Parenting Meets Politics

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Teen Pregnancy: Why the U.S. Lags Behind Europe

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Working Smarter, Not Harder: A Closer Look at Laundry

7 comments

May 7, 1:08 AM

by Joe Schatz, Parenting Examiner

Ah, laundry. I think we can all agree that we love to hate it. Also, I think no other chore in the house is more of an affront to our manliness than laundry. That is precisely why I have devised a better way to do this dreaded chore. Most people would say that laundry should be part of a daily chore routine (see fools) and that it requires fastidious attention to detail as it is akin to a science with all the right angles, measuring amounts of liquids, etc. I look at it as more of a death match. An ultimate struggle that I face not only externally with each piece of linen I mangle, but internally as I re-examine my masculinity, that is until recently as I have found a better way. A better way is what has made this country of ours great, and I will share this with you, free of charge, as so my brothers may learn a valuable lesson. I have compiled a list of ingredients that are necessary for a successful laundry session. Pay close attention.

Smart Enough That You Understand Up to This Point

IQ > 100

Gigantic Tower of Clean (Critical) Laundry

Almost Folded

A General is Nothing Without Footmen

Will Work For Food

Excellent at Less Complicated Folds

A Place to Detain The Insolent

A Place to Detain The Insolent

Must Be Sturdy and Free From Debris to Climb On

The Insolent

Snug as Bug In a Rug

Anyone That Unfolds Is Better Off Confined

Rewards for Hard Work

More Fun Than Folding

A Serious Job Deserves Serious Rewards

It is really simple actually. If you did not figure it out, then here is a review:

Make huge, manly pile of laundry
Force feed children old enough to fear you into action
Confine all children young enough to get in the way, as they will take pleasure in unfolding
Fold until bored
Play console game of choice
Repeat steps 4 & 5 until completed

Remember, laundry doesn't fold itself unless you have the help of little children. Good luck and happy folding.

For more great content from this Examiner you can follow him at his blog here.
Topics: parenting , stay at home dad , dads , daughters , parenting humor , chores , laundry

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Comments

Palin's Folly: Parenting Meets Politics

5 comments

September 2, 2:16 PM

Sarah Palin, McCain's VP Selection I am not a political examiner but rather a parenting examiner and when the news came out about Sarah Palin’s daughter Bristol, 17, being five months pregnant I cringed. With the U.S. culture spiraling... Read More
Topics: teen , pregnancy , Sarah Palin , Bristol Palin

Sharing History with Your Family: The 2008 Democratic National Convention

1 comment

July 30, 5:09 PM

Now, as a parent it may seem difficult to know where to begin when talking to your kids about politics but this year’s election gives all parents a great place to start. The upcoming 2008 Democratic National Convention is an excellent opportunity... Read More
Topics: DNC

How to Destroy an Annoying McDonalds Toy

1 comment

July 28, 11:51 PM

The number one distributor of toys in the world is McDonalds and nearly all of these toys I would classify as being annoying. The toys are either poorly constructed, serve little to no purpose and most notably they make annoying sounds making them the... Read More
Topics: parenting , parenting humor , mcdonald's

Teen Pregnancy: Why the U.S. Lags Behind Europe

2 comments

July 15, 11:38 PM

Of all the industrialized countries in the world, the U.S. has, by far, the highest instance of teenage pregnancies with a rate that more than doubles the nearest competitors. After posting on the topic earlier this week, I did some further research... Read More
Topics: parenting , teens , portrayal , pregnant women , teen , pregnancy

Help at the Grocery Store: A Great New Product

3 comments

July 14, 11:09 AM

I recently had the pleasure to test out a really cool product from a real life inventor mom. After talking to her a few times on Twitter I decided to check out her site and, you know what, she came up with something brilliant. Ladies are... Read More

Is Jamie Lynn Spears OK?

15 comments

July 13, 2:28 PM

As teen pregnancy rates run rampant ‘OK’ magazine thinks it’s ‘ok’ to put out an article that supports/glamorizes Jamie Lynn Spears as a mom and her recent delivery. What young girls in the US need now is a teen-idol-turned-pregnant-teen-turned-new-mom... Read More
Topics: parenting , portrayal , teen , pregnancy

My Kid is Smarter/Stronger/Better Than Yours: Comparitivitis

4 comments

July 8, 1:22 PM

On a recent playgroup date I had I was sitting there talking to a group of moms and it happened. One mom said was talking about the developmental milestones of their toddler and said something like, “My _____ (insert trendy name like Caden... Read More
Topics: parenting , children , comparitivitis , hyper parenting , comparisons

It's Hip to Be a Pregnant Teen

8 comments

July 7, 1:44 PM

By now you have heard of the 17 teenage girls in Gloucester, Mass. which may or may not have had a pact to get pregnant during the course of this last school year. The Gloucester High School students were actually visibly disappointed when they... Read More
Topics: teen , pregnancy , gloucester , juno , The Secret Life of The American Teenager

This Just In: Toddlers Clog Toilets

2 comments

June 18, 3:21 PM

Recently, I have had an epiphany of sorts. I can no longer deny the fact that has been staring me in the face since this past Christmas—toddlers clog toilets. My three year old, who potty trained herself during this past Christmas holiday,... Read More
Topics: toddler , toilet , plunger , bathroom