In the good old days, Mum held sole responsibility of carrying all the useful items in her purse. Everything that a parent or child could ever possibly need would be stored somewhere in Mom’s convenient and practical purse.
Well times change. With the evolution of the dad bag, and other accessories for dedicated fathers, Mum’s burden has been lifted!
But what good is a bag if it doesn’t contain practical, useful contents? That’s why we’ve worked to compile a list of the 10 things that all good dads should have handy at a moment’s notice:
1. Travel size first-aid kit/band-aids
Kids are unpredictable, so it’s important for dads to be ready for anything. For many dads, that means they have to be ready for unexpected event of their kids getting a boo boo. Accidents happen so a good dad should be prepared for the worst! After all, a kiss and hug doesn’t always cure a scraped knee, or a paper cut.
2. Spare tablet computer/smart phone
Kids nowadays love to fiddle around with high tech toys and gadgets. Smart phones, iPads and other tablet computers are great ways to entertain kids during long errands or car rides. With kid-friendly content on apps like Netflix and YouTube, and educational games available on marketplaces, no dad should be without a spare gadget to engage their kids!
Want to see what other items every good dad should have handy? Click next to read on!
3. Stain-removing pen
Source: Amazon.com
Kids and messy are basically synonymous. That’s why keeping one of these within reach is a must for all dads. Mum probably worked hard to keep the kids’ clothes nice and clean, so the least you can do is help to keep them that way! Don’t bring your kids home with a great big chocolate stain on their t-shirt. Blot it out with one of these easy-to-use lifesavers and avoid the trouble of extra laundry!
4. Chapstick/lip balm
Kids get chapped lips for all kinds of reasons. Dry summers, cold winters, too much wind…it’s quite a hassle. Don’t let them suffer through the discomfort of cracked, dry lips. Have a stick of chapstick or a container of lip balm nearby in case they get chapped lips!
5. Tumbler/refillable water bottle
Besides the fact that a good tumbler is cleaner, greener, and cheaper than constantly buying bottles of water or juice, these things are durable! Your kids need a clean, reliable cup to drink from so having a sturdy tumbler that can you can continuously refill just makes sense. Every good dad should have one these handy.
6. Hand sanitizer
Seeing as kids are ever so curious, it’s understandable that their hands might be dirtier than your own. Obviously, the risk of getting sick increases with the number of germs they are exposed to, so it’s wise to keep a bottle of hand sanitizer available. Keep your kids clean and help them avoid sickness by making them clean their hands whenever possible.
7. Baby wipes/wet wipes/napkins
In case you didn’t catch on earlier, kids are messy. That’s why all good dads need to be prepared for the dirtiest, messiest situations. Having a stash of baby wipes/wet wipes or napkins handy can help to make clean up easier and more effective.
8. Battery pack/power bank
If you happened to stuff your bag with one of the aforementioned tablets or smart phones, chances are you run the risk of an empty battery. Whether it’s your own phone or the gadget they opt to use, you’ll need one of these if you want to keep everyone happy. Dads know they can’t leave the house without a working phone, so why risk it?
9. Healthy snack
Just like anyone else on the planet, when kids get hungry…kids get fussy! A good dad will always be able to avoid that problem because a good dad will have a healthy snack accessible. Granola bars, fruit slices, or crackers will do the trick.
10. Umbrella
The practicality and usefulness of an umbrella speaks for itself. All you need to know is this: not even meteorologists can properly predict the weather. So expect the unexpected and have one these handy. Good dads can use these to keep younger, more sensitive children out of the sun, too.
If you have any insights, questions or comments regarding the topic, please share them with us!
