GIVEAWAY: How to Throw a “Man Shower”
Every guy we know has been to or has had a bachelor party, but no one has ever been invited to a guys-only baby shower. Let’s change that.
Vegas, drinking, gambling and other activities that we don’t need to discuss here abound on that important night before a guy gets hitched. But what about before a guy becomes a father? Does he not deserve a night for his circle of friends to usher in the next important stage of his life?
Sure, there are baby showers that are coed — we had two of them — but the mother-to-be still was the focus of both of them. And I definitely think that before our lives became all about the baby, my husband wouldn’t have minded having a party just for him. So I asked him, “If someone were to throw you a ‘Man Shower’ what would it be?”
And here’s what we came up with:
How to Throw a Man Shower
1) Don’t send out formal invites… How often does the man in your life actually open snail mail? Or send it? Our tip is just to send out a quick email or text with basic details: “Come to Wayne’s Saturday at 5 p.m.”
2) Choose a day or night there’s a fight or game on. My husband is totally patting himself on the back for this one. His suggestion is a PPV mixed martial-arts fight, but certainly any boxing match or major sports game will do. “Come to Wayne’s Saturday at 5 p.m. for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather.” They will come.
3) Treat the food and drink spread like any other game day. Think pulled pork sliders (my husband’s suggestion), coleslaw, beer, brownies, dips and the like. No one’s going to bond over pretty macarons, at least not while watching the boxing match of the year. “Come to Wayne’s Saturday for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather at 5 p.m., bring some chips!”
4) Forgo the usual presents and offer “manpower.” You know what we needed help with in preparation for the baby? Someone to help us assemble furniture, paint a wall or install a shelf. Do it between commercials, at halftime, just don’t do it after you’ve all had too much to drink. Enough said. “Come to Wayne’s Saturday for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather at 5 p.m., bring some chips and your electric drill!”
5) Make the games interesting. (Translation: involve money.) While the typical baby shower games — with the exception of our “Name That Tune” baby shower game, of course! — aren’t going to interest a bunch of guys, a little gambling might. Our suggestions: “Guess the Sex” and “Guess the Belly Size” games. If you don’t know the sex of the baby, each guy bets what he thinks the sex of the baby will be and puts the money in a pot. When the baby is born the winners collect — and hopefully use it to buy the celebrant (or the baby) a cool gift. The same goes for guessing the belly circumference.
When the expectant mom arrives toward the end of the party to say the soon-to-be-traditional-customary “hello,” each guy cuts the length of a string that he thinks measures the circumference of her belly. Whoever is closest to the actual measurement gets the money — and hopefully uses it to buy the mommy (or the baby) a cool gift. (We can’t completely forget who’s carrying the baby, right?) “Come to Wayne’s Saturday for Pacquiao vs. Mayweather at 5 p.m., bring some chips and your electric drill and cash! ”
And speaking of cool gifts, we’ve got your Father Four Pack right here, the four-CD gift set that every member of the family will enjoy! It includes lullaby renditions of Led Zeppelin, Queen, Journey and AD/DC, plus, some Rockabye stickers and tattoos for your next Man Shower.
What’s your best advice for a new dad?
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20 comments
Even if you don’t know anything about babies, do other stuff around the house to help out. Dishes, laundry, cleaning, etc. If new mom doesn’t have to worry about household stuff, she will be less stressed. Then mom and baby will be less stressed!
Amy
Enjoy every moment, it goes by quickly.
Rachel
Great giveaway! My advice: you can’t call it ‘babysitting’ when it’s your own kids. Also, toddler poo smells WAY worse than baby poo, watch out.
Penny
When your little one cries and wakes at night..help without complaining..take shifts with your partner…please..and when possible nap when baby naps :-) That goes for both parents!
Josie
DON’T PANIC?!?!?
Tizz
For my husband we had a poker night, and all the guys brought him a bottle of bourbon! So our best advice is remember to laugh, sometimes that is all you can do.
Cristina
Take time to pray for guidance and just be with your baby. All kids want a dad who loves them and loves being with them.
Chris
Just be there and love your child. No matter what it will always be the most important thing and outweigh everything else. Even when you feel like your failing, as long as you are there for your child you are being the best father a child could ask for. Some kids aren’t so fortunate
Kaci
Be supportive
Catherine
Don’t stress!! A baby can tell, just enjoy them they grow up to fast!!
Carly
Be as involved as you need to be, and as your significant other needs you to be. That may sound weird, newborn babies can be very scary to new fathers and new mothers can be control freaks and very emotional. If she needs you to be more involved, do it. If she needs you to back off do it. If you feel you’re being treated unfairly, tell her, in the nicest, nicest tone you can manage…
Adelina
Be ready to jump in and help out without your woman ASKING for help! Just offer it! :)
JoAnna
Get as much sleep as you can.
Jeff Wynn
Play rockabye baby 24/7 in babies room. They find it comforting and it’s nice white noise. And play with them a lot!
Heather
My hubby and I are first time parent the best advice he said he has been given is to take lots of pictures so that later they can be use for blackmail. Lol but I think the best advice for a new dad is that it’s all trial and error. You can only do the best you can do;and your doing grate.
Crystal
Best advice I can give as a father of two is to simply SPEND AS MUCH TIME AS POSSIBLE WITH THEM. Nobody says they wish they spent more time at the office when they’re on their deathbeds. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing, take them with you. Sure it may be more stressful, but you’re building bonds.
Chris Dowty
Be involved with everything that you can they grow up so quickly you don’t want to miss out
Marion
help out with some cooking or doing the groceries, and don’t be afraid to ask for help too (if it’s getting a bit overwhelming) Be present, understanding, and don’t forget to laugh together.
rebecca
Advice for a new Dad: Yes, everything is going to change and it will be overwhelming. Don’t be afraid to go to your ‘man cave’ and have a quick freak out session by yourself. It’s ok to laugh, yell, and and even cry. Don’t worry, it will get easier as the baby gets bigger because you’ll grow as he does! Also, they get more and more fun as the baby gets bigger. Just wait until he says Dada for the first time! :)
M. Bacon
Honestly lern ll you can to be involved in everything. Talk to your wife while she feeds of breast feeding. Feed if it’s formula. Wake up in the middle of the night and change diapers, feed and put back to sleep on your own. It’s an amazing experience to be a dad and stay involved and don’t let anyone tell you it’s not manly to change a diaper.
Marc
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