SALIVA COVID TESTS

Need to get tested for Covid-19 and would prefer not to have a swab jammed up your nasal cavity? A reliable saliva-based test is now available for Metro Detroit residents. This COVID saliva test is available at the Birmingham Royal Oak Medical Group located adjacent to the Meijer in the City of Royal Oak. There is no charge for the test as it is covered under the Cares Act for those with or without insurance. However, an office visit is needed to order the test.

“We are offering this brand new COVID test by appointment only and same day appointments are available,” says Dr. Mumtaz George. “We’re asking people who have even the slightest doubt to protect themselves and those around them by calling our office to schedule this new non-intrusive COVID test. Due to high demand, we’re expecting a large amount of calls. If we do not answer the phone right away, please leave a message and our scheduler will return the call promptly.”

The test is simple to do and alleviates the discomfort of the nasal swab test. All one needs to do is make an appointment and provide a saliva sample, which can be done in the comfort of one’s own vehicle in the clinic’s parking lot. The new saliva test is over 99% accurate and the results can be found on the online portal in 24 to 48 hours. For more information call 248/288-9500 or visit birminghamroyaloakmedical.com. 

Clinic hours are Monday-Friday 9 am to 5 pm, Saturday 10 am to 3 pm, and Sunday Noon to 3 pm. This is just down the street from my house so if I need a Covid test this is how I'll get it done for sure. Wasn't looking forward to possibly having one of those swab sticks jammed up my nose. This seems like a way more convenient and comfortable way to get it done.

FEVER GUARD

With a long incubation period and many people being asymptomatic, identifying when someone has a fever is an important line of defense for attempting to minimize the spread of Covid-19 during this pandemic. That is why getting your temperature checked is a requirement for entry into a variety of public places.  I have to go into courthouses regularly for work and they've added checking people for fevers as part of the security screening process before going through metal detectors. 

Unless you are burning up most people aren't self-aware they are getting a fever. I for sure don't know I'm getting one until I begin feeling sick. Yet our temperatures begin to elevate gradually well before other symptoms of illness begin manifesting. 

A new product from Solos Health Analytics called FeverGuard provides a simple way to keep track of your body temperature and warn you if a fever is developing. Simply strap a small sensor to your upper arm that transmits data to an encrypted, HIPAA-compliant database that will determine your unique base body temperature and its normal variations then provide continuous monitoring for unusual activity. An app on your phone will alert you if a fever begins to develop. 

There is also an opt-in contact tracing feature that can provide a warning to designated family, friends, co-workers and other acquaintances. Want notice of a sudden spike sent directly to your doctor? Have an elderly parent needing monitoring? FeverGuard, for people who opt in, will send an alert once a user's body temperature deviates from it normal temperature routine. A great way for people to make determinations about quarantining and getting medical care.

Who wants to keep taking their temperature throughout the day with manual thermometers? And often times you may get false readings from those thermometers. Because FeverGuard is constantly monitoring you it learns what your normal temperature is and can determine when something is actually out of wack with you not having to do anything other than wearing it.

I tried out the FeverGuard for myself and it didn't even feel like something was strapped to my arm. The sensor was a very comfortable fit and my shirt sleeve covered it up as a wore the device around.  Just like you get used to wearing watch and don't really feel it on your wrist having this sensor on your arm is no big deal. And it is much lighter than a watch! 

The device activates when its sensor registers your body heat. A green light begins to illuminate the face of the sensor to let you know it is working. Then just set up an account with Solo Health Analytics and sync your device to their app that can be downloaded to your phone.

The app shows that my core temperature is consistent with the thermometer checks I've been getting at a variety of places. The other day though I had an office appointment that had to be cancelled because their thermometer showed me as having a fever. I began to get nervous! 

But FeverGuard showed my temperature to be the same as normal throughout the whole day as well as into the next morning. That afternoon I was checked at another appointment and their thermometer showed me at my normal level. That reading which had me worried was obviously a faulty thermometer. And while manual thermometers, especially touchless ones, can have false positives they can also provide erroneous negative readings too.  FeverGuard obviously provides a more analytical approach to monitoring biomarkers.

Because FeverGuard monitors temperature continuously as well as uses patent-pending machine learning technology and predictive analytics, it enables individuals and other authorized entities, such as employers, caregivers and healthcare professionals, to take immediate action to contain the spread of infectious viruses like COVID-19. If you want to be proactive in protecting yourself and others around you, FeverGuard is a great tool for staying on guard against the coronavirus so that you are alerted to potentially becoming sick before feeling under the weather.

From my personal experience utilizing it, FeverGuard gets a Geek Daddy nod of approval for providing a useful tool for your healthcare utility belt. This dad blogger believes it is a nice use of technology to be able to relatively effortlessly keep track of an important aspect of your healthcare during this pandemic. For more information visit feverguard.com

PLAGUE SLAYER HAND SANITIZER

Have to say this hand sanitizer from the folks at Ballsy caught my attention. PLAGUE SLAYER promises to kill 99.9% of germs and has a five star rating with almost 150 reviews at ballwash.com. From the makers of male sanitary and cleaning products, Ballsy, this manufacturer knows how to take care of the sensitive needs of its client base. 

Plague Slayer is Made in the USA with an FDA approved formula. It utilizes pharmaceutical grade ethyl alcohol to kill germs and includes aloe to sooth skin irritation. Yet it is marketed to guys so Plague Slayer is fragrance free! Not to completely profit off a pandemic, Ballsy is donating 25% of profits from Plague Slayer to support health care workers fighting the pandemic.

Check out Plague Slayer for yourself. It is more than just impressive looking artwork on its label. Made in the USA without any dangerous unapproved chemicals you may find in foreign sourced products this hand sanitizer gets the job done.

SIX TIPS FOR COPING WITH COVID AT THE HOLIDAYS

As much as the staff at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital provide amazing treatments helping sick kids they also have to provide counsel to those families they aren't able to get positive outcomes for. Their team of psychologists are experts at helping people address uncertainty, stress and grief. With COVID cases rising as the holiday season approaches, a normally cheerful, social time could this year be isolating and depressing this year due to the pandemic. And if people aren't careful they and their loved ones could be at risk for getting sick with the coronavirus.

So I wanted to pass along some tips from St. Jude Psychology Clinical Director Niki Jurbergs, PhD, along with her colleague Megan Wilkins, PhD, on coping with Covid at the holidays:

1. Perform a mental health check - It is critically important, especially given mounting “pandemic fatigue,” that we attend to our own mental health. We must first take stock of our own mental health and assure we are not trying to “pour from an empty cup.” It is imperative that parents take time for care of themselves, including spending time outside, seeking social support and engaging in relaxing activities. Give yourself grace to feel disappointment and upset about this highly anxious and uncertain time. 
2. Feel empowered to do what feels comfortable – In our work with families of children with cancer, we stress the importance of facing the upcoming holidays feeling empowered to do what feels most comfortable given the risks and restrictions of their child’s diagnosis. This is a time for all of us to take this lesson to heart and work to adjust our expectations and prepare for things to be different this year, and in many cases, difficult as well. It can help to talk about these losses, sharing what we are missing most this holiday season. 
3. Take time to consider what is meaningful to you around the holidays – Take time to consider what is meaningful to you around the holidays. Is it the special recipe for a dish your grandmother used to make? Is it playing games with family members? Watching a game with friends? What parts of these meaningful pieces of the holidays can still happen in a way you feel comfortable with? Rather than looking forward to our typical parties and family meals, we might choose to focus on the gift of health we give when we make the sacrifice of honoring our families’ and loved ones’ health and safety by staying home. 
4.  Make the holidays special from afar - Planning surprises such as cards or gifts delivered in the mail lets your loved ones know you’re with them in spirit, if not in body. Recognizing that many of us are tired of looking at screens, virtual games and activities such as scavenger hunts or singing favorite holiday songs may be more engaging than simply video chatting. Families who remain distanced this season may enjoy developing new traditions, such as trying new recipes or playing new games with those they share a household with that might be incorporated into future holidays when they can safely be together again. Families may choose to reflect on what they are thankful for by coming together to make donations to charities and causes that are meaningful to them. 
5.  Protect your elderly loved ones from loneliness and isolation - In many cases, seniors experience a heightened sense of loss related to pandemic restrictions. These elderly individuals express the feeling that their time is short, and that time is being stolen from them. Some express a willingness to accept the risk of potential virus infection to spend time with family because they are more fearful of dying of old age than they are of dying of COVID-19. Reaching out to those at highest risk for loneliness is more important than ever. Phone calls, video chats, cards, drive-by parades and even socially distanced outdoor visits can help them feel connected and reassure them that you are thinking of them. 
6. For the 250,000 Americans grieving the loss of a loved one from COVID-19, make the decision about the holidays that feels right for you – Celebrating holidays for the first time without a loved one is unspeakably difficult. For these families, not only has this pandemic taken the life of a loved one, the threat remains. That is, not only are they grieving, they are continuing to face the virus and its ongoing impact on a daily basis. These families should not feel obligated to engage in holiday traditions as they have in the past. In fact, it might feel better for some to not celebrate at all this year. Conversely, some families may choose to find special ways to honor and include the memory of their lost loved one. As with all family decisions, this one is highly personal.

DIVE BACK INTO GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL

For the last few years our normal family routine has been spending Sunday afternoons at Goldfish Swim School as my kids have gone through lessons and participating in the swim team there. In mid-March as the coronavirus began spreading into Michigan little did we know that visit to Goldfish Swim School may have been our final chance to dive into their pool. As things began to get crazy with the pandemic impacting the State that Sunday in March was one of our last moments of normalcy as the next week my son and daughter's school shutdown while my wife and I's work places went into lockdown. As we all know now life has changed quite a bit over the last five months.

Originally, it was thought the virus would burn out and life would resume back to normal in a few weeks. Yet it is August and my wife and I are still working from home. It looks like the kids' school year will start off with online learning from home. And that Goldfish Swim School we enjoyed spending our Sundays at has been shuttered since our last visit in March. We were one of the last families in the pool before the pandemic closed the place down.

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Light turn out for swimming practice tonight but the pool is open at @goldfishswimschool --> chlorine in the water kills virus germs and outside their pool the facility is taking extra efforts to sanitize the rest of the place. #GoldfishPartner *********************************************** #goldfishswimschool #goldfish #swimschool #swimforce #coronavirus #corona #virus #pandemic #dadlife #swimdad #swimclass #swimpractice #competitiveswimming #swimlessons #swimmingclass #swimminglessons #swimming #pooltime #pool

A post shared by @ geekdad248 on Mar 15, 2020 at 2:38pm PDT

Fortunately for families some sense of normalcy may be returning as our local Goldfish Swim School just opened again. Kids can dive back into the water and resume swimming lessons starting today! The Swim Force has been cancelled so we may not be back but my kids have had a golden experience at this swimming school that we will always appreciate. Now during these tough times it is nice to know that Goldfish Swim School can brighten the days with swimming lessons for kids who have been sticking close to home for a very long time and are probably very stir crazy to get out and about.

During our time at Goldfish Swim School, the staff not only focused on building the kids swimming skills but also emphasized water safety. So you know Goldfish Swim School is going to be taking the safety of their re-opening during this coronavirus pandemic very seriously! Here are some of the ways that they'll be letting children dive back into the pool being conscientious of the ongoing public health crisis:

Screening Swimmers & Caregivers

• No one will be allowed in the building before being pre-screened for exposure to the virus and having their temperature checked.
• Only one caregiver per family allowed in with swimmers. No non-sibling swimmers allowed inside.
• The parent will have a designated socially distanced seat in the observation gallery corresponding to the lane their child will be swimming in.
• Wearing masks by everyone is required. Children can remove masks when in the water.

Building Adjustments

• Screening barriers have been added alongside the edge of the pool to separate children in their lanes when out of the water.
• Showers and some changing rooms will be unavailable. Please come having your child wearing their swimsuit. Please don't linger and leave immediately after classes.
• Shared amenities such as hair dryers have been removed.
• Decals promoting social distancing and circulation of traffic flow through the building have been added.
• The facility will be a cashless operation with all purchases being charged to your account.
• Will not have googles on the pool deck to borrow.
• Specially designated cleaning staff will be continuously sanitizing the facility throughout the day.

Swim Class Sizes

• Group lesson ratios will be 3:1 instead of the usual 4:1.
• Mini 3 lesson ratios will be 2:1 instead of the usual 3:1.
• Mini 1 and 2 lesson ratios will be 4:1 instead of the usual 6:1.
• Swim Force team training sessions and competitions are cancelled.
• No Family Swim or Birthday Parties at this time.

Staff Precautions

• All staff will be temperature checked and will complete a self-assessment upon arrival. Anyone experiencing a fever or any symptoms will be sent home. 
• All dry side staff members will be wearing masks and all wet side staff will be wearing face shields. 
• Staff will go through a number of trainings to help keep themselves and swimmers as safe as possible.

Dive back in! The pool is back open! Go to goldfishswimschool.com for more information.

JOIN IN CAMP WARNER BROS

Sponsored by Warner Bros Home Entertainment

We've been having a super time this summer participating in Camp Warner Bros. activities during our pandemic staycation. This week's activities involve one of my kids favorite superhero teams THE TEEN TITANS so we wanted to let you all join us in the fun. So I'm sharing a stay at home activity that Teen Titans fans are sure to like plus hosting a giveaway for a digital code for the action-packed animated mash-up movie - Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans.

Have yourself a family movie night enjoying Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans. In Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans, the comedic modern-day quintet takes on their 2003 Cartoon Network counterparts when villains from each of their worlds join forces to pit the two Titan teams against each other. They’ll need to set aside their differences and work together to combat Trigon, Hexagon, Santa Claus (that’s right, Santa!) and time itself in order to save the universe.



Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans is available on Blu-ray and DVD from Best Buy. If you purchase this animated movie via ageekdaddy.com affiliate link this dad blogger will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Your support is appreciated!



Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans is also available on Digital. Complete the Rafflecopter entries below before 11:59 pm on August 9, 2020 for a chance to win. Must be a United States resident over 18 years old to be eligible for this giveaway. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Before watching the movie enjoy this Camp Warner Bros activity. It’s time to get crafty with these adorable Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans Character Banks - while learning a little bit about finances and household responsibility!




Gain control of your own Titans Tower – and give the kids in your life a lesson of earning, motivation, and accountability by offering allowance for their Summer Chores! Let them save their money in their very own Character Banks featuring the images of the Teen Titans.

While chores can be a bore – you can figure out small incentives to help your at home summer campers learn about the value of the dollar, and working hard for something they really want. You can teach budgeting and saving to help set them up for their future. If they feel like being real Super Heroes – they can even do chores for charity – and have them donate to a cause that can save someone else’s Universe!

Hope you will join us in participating in Camp Warner Bros by crafting a character bank and having a family movie night watching Teen Titans Go! Vs Teen Titans. Stay tuned for more updates from ageekdaddy.com on how to have a safe, super summer staycation. Well get through this pandemic together!

OUR GOLDFISH SWIM SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

For the last few years swimming at Goldfish Swim School has been part of my family's regular weekly routine. After struggling to learn to swim through programs offered by our local parks and recreations department, my daughter excelled at Goldfish Swim School. It has been a golden experience!

She has consistently been in the pool at Goldfish Swim School every week for the last four years. Moving up from basic swimming lessons to participating in the Swim Force team my daughter loves swimming at Goldfish Swim School. So with the coronavirus pandemic closing our local Goldfish Swim School and reversing our summer travel plans turning this time into a staycation we decided to invest in putting a pool in our own backyard.

In addition to providing instruction on swimming skills, Goldfish Swim School always put an emphasis on kids learning about water safety too. As a parent that makes it nice to know that in addition to being able to swim, my daughter is also smart about being safe in the water. It provided us with confidence in getting our own pool for the family to enjoy at home.

Having graduated through all the programs at Goldfish Swim School, we didn't want my daughter to just stop swimming. As Dory says in Finding Nemo, "When life gets you down, you know what you gotta do? Just keep swimming." That seems like a good mantra during these tough coronavirus times!

So we've been having her recreate Swim Force practices, competing against her brother in races plus been having lots of fun family time swimming in our new pool. After a few months break from diving into the pool at Goldfish Swim School, jumping back into the water has brought a lot of joy to our family. Swimming is wonderful for adding exercise and entertainment into your day. Also a great way to destress from tension that may be in your life. So true with all the troubles caused by this virus that is impacting us all!

Thank you Goldfish Swim School for making swimming a cherished part of my daughter's life. We are keeping her enthusiasm for swimming alive! Hoping these tough times will pass quickly and kids will soon be back in the pool at Goldfish Swim School. We are putting our Goldfish experience to good use this summer!

ACROSS THE BOARD BASEBALL GAME

While the Major Leagues may not be back in action yet, we've been having fun playing the Across the Board Baseball Game in our backyard. Across the Board Games produce unique handcrafted board games with sports themes such as horse racing, soccer, hockey and baseball that are crafted right here in the USA. We have a lot of fun playing their baseball game!

This 2-player game replicates an outing to the ballpark. Players compete on a wooden board shaped like a baseball diamond. Each side has a dug out filled with four batters designated by sturdy metal chrome or brass pegs. Just like in a real ball game each team has nine innings to score as many runs as they can. Whoever scores the most wins!

During a team's at bat they continue until they get three outs. In this game hits, walks and outs are determined by the role of the dice. Get a hit or walk and move your teams' pegs around the diamond. Roll an out and move a marker that designates how many outs you have on the scoreboard.

Roll two dice for each at bat. Roll two 1s and you've just hit a HOME RUN! But roll two 5s and you STRIKE OUT! Other combinations in die rolls include singles, doubles, triples and walks as well as well as ground outs, pop outs and fly outs. This game is all about luck but still is really fun to play!

As you go through innings, use the included dry erase marker to update the score board. It provides an easy way to write in team names and scores. We've found you can rub away the ink on the score board with no residue left behind maintaining a clean look to your scoreboard game after game.

This baseball game has been a home run for our family. It has earned a Geek Daddy nod of approval for being a relaxing way to enjoy some family time while playing it. The game isn't complicated to play making it great for family game nights. The game's real wood board makes it stand out and gives it the appearance of something you'll want to keep around the house long term to bring out when friends and family visit.

If you are looking for an all ages game that is easy to play yet is sure to provide hours of enjoyment, this dad blogger recommends this handcrafted, made in America game from Across the Board. It is unique and the type of thing that could one day become a family heirloom thanks to its quality workmanship. Play ball!

WARP NINE COMICS SHOP

We've been sticking close to home during the pandemic with my wife or I really only going out to resupply on essentials. With that in mind, my son really hasn't been out to a store in quite awhile. So when I suggested we head over to a comic book shop to pick up some stuff to read over the long Fourth of July holiday weekend he we very excited to get out of the house.

The two of us drove over to our favorite local comic book shop, Warp 9 Comics in Clawson, Michigan. We made an appointment for a time slot to stop by as the building has occupancy restrictions as part of Michigan's coronavirus health regulations so besides the friendly staff at the store we had the place to ourselves to browse around. My son and I also wore masks during the visit but that didn't damper our enthusiasm to be experience a bit of normalcy again doing something that had just a few months again been something routine we often did together.

He was very happy to find a new issue of Peter Porker, the Spectacular Spider-Ham on the store's shelves. He's been a fan of this character since seeing the animated film Spider-Man into the Spider-Verse which featured a Peter Porker cameo. This was initially billed as a five-issue mini-series that began last December. But Issue 5 which he bought during our visit is described as the Spring Finale? My son's really hopes that means this Spider-Ham series was popular enough to keep the story going!

I picked up for myself during our visit to the comic book shop a special one-shot issue of The Walking Dead titled NEGAN LIVES! While The Walking Dead comic book series came to a surprising conclusion in 2019, its publisher wanted to do something special for retailers who are struggling due to the coronavirus impact on the economy. So The Walking Dead creator Robert Kirkman released on July 1 this story that wraps up some loose ties from the ending of comic book series.

The goal of this comic book is to help get people back into comic book shops. Negan Lives #1 will not be available digitally and will be available exclusively at comic book shops. Plus 100% of the revenue generated from sales of Negan Lives #1 will go to the stores selling it. Most comic shops are locally owned small businesses that depend on foot traffic to stay afloat so it is nice to see a publisher making a specific effort to do something special to lend them a hand.

Negan Lives #1 gives readers a glimpse into what has happened to one The Walking Dead's most popular characters since he was last spotted in The Walking Dead #174. The series ended with issue #193 without any definitive answer to Negan's fate. Issue #174 had Negan confronted by a vengeful Maggie, still heartbroken and furious over the murder of her husband Glenn, from back in The Walking Dead #100. It left readers with a cliff hanger on Negan's fate which is answered in this new 36-page black and white coloring book.

When was the last time you visited a comic book shop? If it has been awhile and you are interested in getting back into the hobby, click here to locate a store near you. We are going to be relaxing this holiday weekend reading some comic books. Hope you have an enjoyable Fourth of July too!

DELIVERING SMILES

You never know who may be reading your blog? A mystery package arrived at our doorstep from Amazon. They'd read ageekdaddy.com post about how my kids sleep away summer camp experience had been cancelled due to the pandemic. So they sent some goodies our way to put some smiles on my kids faces!

Delivering smiles Amazon.com surprised our family with the new Ticket to Ride board game that lets you play with Alexa. They sent along an echo dot that provides an audio guided tour of the destinations featured in this edition of the Ticket to Ride game plus even lets you play against Alexa the voice-controlled artificial intelligence virtual assistant created by Amazon.

Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure in which players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities through North America. Connect cities, monopolize train routes and complete destination tickets to become the Railroad Baron that wins the game! The game is meant for 2-6 players and takes 30 to 60 minutes to play.

My daughter is super excited about the Sand Art kit that Amazon also sent to us.  With 7 colors of sand and 10 unique bottle designs this is sure to provide some summer fun. The kids are looking forward to designing their own sand art to decorate their rooms with a personal touch.

Also included in our Delivering Smiles package was a scavenger hunt activity book and a kids guide for exploring nature. Two nice book to capture their attention during the summer break from school. Amazon also provided an exploring nature activity kit that included a backpack, binoculars, bug collecting tools, a compass, whistle and more.

Thanks for delivering some smiles to our house Amazon.com! This dad blogger appreciates your kindness and my kids are excited to have some fun with all these goodies.

RAZOR SCOOTER RACES

SPONSORED BY RAZOR WORLDWIDE

School is out and summer is now in full swing for my kids. Time for some Razor scooter races! Riding their Razor scooters is one of my kids favorite activities and you'll often see them zipping around the neighborhood. Our family owns a number of products from this brand which we've been very happy with including kick scooters, electric scooters and even a go-kart called a Crazy Cart Shift.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, we are going to be sticking close to home this year so summer vacation is going to be more like a staycation. So we've been looking for ways to have extra fun around the house. One of the things my son and daughter have really been enjoying doing is creating obstacle courses to race around. This has really brought out some sibling rivalry!

What the kids do is they use their soccer practice drill cones creating a race course to navigate. They start off on the backyard patio, cruise through the side yard dog pen, traverse the driveway and circle back to where they started. My tweens mix up their race courses in a variety of ways using soccer cones to layout tracks.

Sometimes the cones just designate a route to follow. Other times cones are placed along stretches of the path they race along to weave between. I've seen them also create gates with the cones that they have to steer between like you see competitive skiers navigate through. They even use the cones to create obstacles to make their races more challenging. The kids have been having almost as much fun creating obstacle and race courses to go through as they are enjoying actually riding their Razor scooters.

As a parent, I appreciate that Razor scooters have my kids this summer wanting to go outside and get exercise. They are having an amazing time outdoors playing with Razor scooters instead of just wanting to sit around the house playing video games or watching television during summer break. This absolutely earns Razor scooters a Geek Daddy nod of approval!

To share my family's fun with our ageekdaddy.com audience, this dad blogger has partnered with Razor Worldwide to host a scooter giveaway. One lucky winner will receive a Razor kick scooter similar to the ones my own kids have been racing around our house this summer. To toss your name in the hat for a chance to win this great prize just complete the Rafflecopter entries in the contest giveaway form below before 11:59pm ET on July 5, 2020. Must be a continental United States resident over 18 years old to participate. Good luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CAMP WARNER BROS

SPONSORED BY WARNER BROS HOME ENTERTAINMENT

My kids are bummed out that their plans to go to sleepaway camp this year have been cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Looks like this summer is going to be a staycation for them. So we appreciate Warner Bros reaching out to ageekdaddy.com about having us participate in a summer full of activities that my son and daughter can enjoy around our house. My family is geeked to be a part of the inaugural CAMP WARNER BROS!

Our Camp Warner Bros welcome pack just arrived this weekend. It included shirts and hats for the kids as well as a "Camp Director" set for me. Plus they threw in some other goodies for our Camp Warner Bros experience including a Tie Dye kit.  Which do you prefer? Should we stick with the white shirts to do our Camp Warner Bros activities in or tie dye them?

For the next eight weeks, this dad blogger will be posting about different activities themed around a Warner Bros family friendly movie we'll be watching. Swing by throughout the summer to see what we are up to at Camp Warner Bros. We'll be sharing some fun ideas you can do at home too plus hosting a few giveaways.

Check out the camp calendar of activities and movies we'll be enjoying through the summer:

CAMP CALENDAR

WEEK 1 (June 22)  -- SUPER HERO TRAINING 

[LEGO DC: Shazam! Magic and Monsters]

WEEK 2 (June 29) -- DIY Crystal Gems 

[Steven Universe: The Movie]

WEEK 3 (July 6) -- Gummy Bear Slime 

[We Bare Bears: The Movie]

WEEK 4 (July 13) -- Cooking & Coloring 

[Scooby-Doo and the WrestleMania Mystery]

WEEK 5 (July 20) -- Character Bank

[Teen Titan's Go! vs Teen Titans]

WEEK 6 (July 27) Summer Goals Chart & Family Fitness

[Alex and Me]

Week 7 (August 3) Drive-In Movie

[Tom & Jerry: The Fast and the Furry]

Week 8 (August 10) Talent Show

[Family Matters Season 1]

Purchase any of the shows from Best Buy utilizing an affiliate link above and ageekdaddy.com will receive a small commission at no additional expense to you. This dad blogger appreciates your support!

Remember to come back and visit this Geek Daddy throughout the summer for DIY ideas, downloadable activity sheets, giveaways and more as we participate in CAMP WARNER BROS!

ASTRONAUT MIKE MASSIMINO

My son and I had the chance to chat with former NASA astronaut Mike Massimino about the upcoming SpaceX rocket launch and his own experiences in outer space. Mike flew in a number of shuttle flights and participated in space walks to update and repair the Hubble Space Telescope during his NASA career. He will be providing commentary on the Discovery and Science Channel simulcast of the first private company launch American astronauts into space on May 27, 2020.

It was exciting to have a guest lecturer as we homeschool because of the coronavirus pandemic. Mike shared with us insights into what it takes to become an astronaut and the types of things you eat while on a space mission. He also told us about why the SpaceX launch on Wednesday is a big deal.



SPACE LAUNCH LIVE: AMERICA RETURNS TO SPACE begins at 2pm ET / 11am PT on Wednesday, May 27, 2020 on Discovery and Science Channel. The live broadcast will feature expert commentary from Mike Massimino as well as active astronauts Jessica Meir and K. Megan McArthur plus an interview with Astronaut Chris Cassidy from the International Space Station (ISS). It will also include live appearances by singer Katy Perry, MythBusters personality Adam Savage, YouTube sensation (and former NASA engineer) Mark Rober and other surprise celebrity guests. The televised event will conclude with the live blastoff of SpaceX's Crew Dragon capsule from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida at approximately 4pm ET / 1pm PT.

If you are going to be home due to the COVID-19 quarantine, tune in to Discovery or Space Channel to see this special broadcast. It is sure to be both educational and entertaining. A nice way to make homeschooling extra ordinary and get an interesting science lesson in for kids.

HALF TRUTH GAME

How are you staying in touch with extended family during the coronavirus quarantine? We recently had a family game night over Zoom. We brought together my parents along with some siblings, uncles, aunts and cousins to spend an evening playing HALF TRUTH the new party trivia competition from game designer Richard Garfield (creator of Magic: The Gathering) and one of the Jeopardy game show's most successful contestants Ken Jennings. Thanks to Studio71 Games for sending this dad blogger HALF TRUTH to try out.

The game is called HALF TRUTH because players must answer questions from trivia cards that provide six answers. Three are correct and three are wrong. You place bets to see how many answers you provide are right. Can you get 1, 2 or 3 answers correct?

Betting you can get all 3 answers correct can earn a lot of points but also presents risks that can cost you the game if you don't guess right. Being too conservative though can let risk takers leapfrog over you to gain insurmountable leads. Plus the risks and rewards change for each question!

There are 500 trivia cards with categories ranging from " Stars who never won an Oscar " to " Star Wars characters who say they 'have a bad feeling about this'. " The questions aren't all about movies though. You might be asked to name super-hot peppers, identify colognes for men or identify weird things that appear on national flags.

The types of questions vary so that this is an all ages can play for a family game night. We played in teams and I had to rely on my kids when faced with the question  "Creatures in Harry Potter books."  My dad and uncle had an edge on some questions like "Top 10 Billboard Hits of 1972" … hey most of us playing including myself weren't even born yet! I redeemed myself though helping us ultimately get the win by being able to answer "Comic characters who ran for President." There really questions that appealed to all the generations of our family in this all ages party game.

This tabletop game has a nice layout making it easy to set up and have people see over video connections like Zoom. You just need to designate a game master to move tokens about the board, roll dice, and read trivia cards but it worked out fairly well playing remotely. Especially since the focus of the game is on answering trivia rather than doing tasks or moving pieces around a board. A game lasts about 30 minutes making it just the right time for a Zoom session.

HALF TRUTH is for 2 to 6 players or teams with a recommended age of 12+. We had a really great time playing it while having fun and connecting with family haven't been able to see in person for awhile. Though it will be fun to play it together sooner or later in the same room when the pandemic  doesn't prevent get togethers. Until then we're planning on a few more HALF TRUTH rematches via Zoom.

If you are looking for a game that is both entertaining and educational for some family fun, pick up HALF TRUTH for yourself. Based upon the good time we had, I give it a Geek Daddy nod of approval. It is available from a number of retailers or you can purchase it straight from Studio71 Games.

GREEN GOO WELLNES BUNDLE

Thanks to Green Goo for sending a Geek Daddy a Wellness Bundle to help us cope with the pandemic. Green Goo has made a great reputation for themselves as one of the most effective all-natural brands on the market by using only plant-based ingredients to make potent, portable first aid and body care products. In addition to making soaps and balms, they recently teamed up with Spirit Hound Distillers to produce sanitizer to help combat the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. This dad blogger really appreciates this care package to help my family with keeping our skin healthy and bodies safe during all the turmoil that is going on.

Detroit is getting hit hard by this coronavirus. The city and its suburbs are one of the leading hot spots in the country when it comes to COVID-19 deaths. And despite being weeks into this epidemic, it is still nearly impossible to find Clorox wipes, Lysol spray or Purell hand sanitizer on store shelves. Having known a few acquaintances and friends who were about the same age and health as myself who have recently passed away due to the coronavirus plus dealing with high-risk populations at work, I would be lying if said wasn't a bit freaked out. So I was geeked that Green Goo sent these goodies our way.

Green Goo Hand Sanitizer contains 63.5 Ethyl alcohol from Spirit Hound Distillers. Also used to make beer and whiskey, this alcohol is now being used to clean germs from people and surfaces of the things around us. This WHO- and FDA-compliant hand sanitizer kills over 99% of germs quickly.

It works when it comes to protecting people from COVID-19 and is available to purchase online at a reasonable price. As a guy, I appreciate that it comes unscented. This is some Green Goo you won't mind rubbing your hands in!

Also included in their Wellness Bundle is the company's original Hand Goo, a bottle of Double Mint Castile Soap, a Pain Relief Jumbo Stick, and a tube of Cool Mint Lip Balm. A great pack of items to keep you clean and feeling good!

Have cuts, scrapes, blisters, minor burns, calluses or dryness on your hands? Sanitizer has a way of drying out and chapping hands.  Rub some Hand Goo on them. It soothes, moisturizes and protects hands as well as relieves pain.

Their Pain Relief Jumbo Stick is powered with arnica to temporarily help ease the aching of arthritis, sore muscles, and bruises. It emulates hot and cold therapies to help increase circulation for rapid relief. If you are feeling stressed or sore rub this Green Goo on your muscles to provide rapid relief.

Green Goo's innovative, plant-based lip balm protects, soothes, and mends chapped lips. It contains sun protection as well as moisturizer to help you keep a healthy looking smile. It comes in 3 flavors to choose from: Cool Mint, Citrus Zest or Sweet Honey.

Double Mint Castile Soap has a great, fresh scent and cools as it cleans. It is ideal for a post-workout shower or washing your hands after you have been out and about. It can be used as a hand soap, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, stain remover, all-purpose cleaner, and even a pet shampoo.

These Green Goo health and wellness supplies have come in very handy, so they absolutely get A Geek Daddy nod of approval. Not only are they wonderful to use but they are easy to purchase online with incredibly affordable prices. I highly recommend going to greengoo.com to pick up some things for yourself.

HELPING KIDS DEAL WITH THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

A conversation with Doctor Tim Jordan MD 

My kids have been stuck at home for six weeks now since Michigan's schools were shutdown due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. They are starting to get antsy and have been expressing some anxiety over this public health emergency. I'm sure this dad blogger's family is not alone in that aspect!

Obviously it is tough enough for adults to get a grasp on what is going on around us that parents have to be conscious of how children are being impacted by the social distancing imposed upon them. After my daughter had a bit of a melt down the other day, a conversation with my wife really got me thinking about the impact this pandemic is having on our kids.  She reminded me that when we were kids we never experienced anything like this where school was cancelled, you couldn't play with friends or travel anywhere for an extended period of time. I guess the closest similarity was if you were unlucky enough to have caught chicken pox and were quarantined at home for a couple of weeks.

So I thought it might be insightful and helpful to reach out to a health care professional to delve into the impact the pandemic is having on our kids. Doctor Tim Jordan MD, a developmental and behavioral pediatrician whose practices focuses on counseling children, teens and young adults spent some time talking with ageekdaddy.com about how to help children deal with our current (but hopefully temporary) reality. He provided useful tips on ways to help kids manage anxiety and stay emotionally strong during this pandemic. I've shared our chat below and hope you find it beneficial:



Dr. Jordan has also recently released a new book, She Leads: A Practical Guide to Raising Girls Who Advocate, Influence and Lead. As a girl dad myself, with an 11 year old in 5th Grade, I want to make sure she feels empowered to live her best life. Wanting that and knowing how to parent her towards that goal are two different things. Doctor Tim's book provides a parenting handbook for moms and dads to help raise girls to become empowered women. She Leads: A Practical Guide to Raising Girls Who Advocate, Influence and Lead can be purchased at drtimjordan.com.

I hope everyone is doing well during these uncertain times. Stay Healthy! Stay Safe!