🧙 My Lightsaber Is Actually a Remote: The Jedi Arts of Channel Control
In our galaxy, the remote is more than tech—it’s a wand, a peacekeeper, a beacon of compromise. And wielding it? That’s pure Jedi.
I used to think I had control. Then came Bluey marathons and YouTube wormholes. Channel sovereignty became a rare artefact, like the Darksaber—spoken of, seldom seen. But here’s the trick: Jedi don’t dominate. They persuade, guide, and sometimes make room for Ewok dance breaks if it brings balance to the Force.
I’ve learned to rotate screen time like a training regimen—cartoons one day, nature docs the next, with detours through football replays for parental sanity. Sometimes, we co-watch and I sneak in dad jokes that would make Yoda groan.
And when the tiny Padawans clash? That’s when my calm Jedi dad voice comes out: “There is no fight, only sharing.” It doesn’t always work. But neither did Obi-Wan’s first try with Anakin.
Tag Archives: Blog for Dads
Wednesday: Dadnaut Toolkit 002
🛠 Guardsman to Dadnaut: Discipline That Still Works
Before nappies, there were night watches. Before storytime, there were standing orders. I traded a regimented life in uniform for the whirlwind of parenting—and oddly, it didn’t feel all that different.
The discipline drilled into me as a Guardsman didn’t vanish the moment I strapped on a baby carrier. Instead, it evolved. The early routines? Gold. Nap schedules are like operations briefs: don’t overcomplicate, don’t deviate. Gear checks became nappy bag inspections. Early on, I realised that the same calm under pressure I needed in uniform was the very thing that got us through the “poonami” on aisle 7 of Tesco.
But it’s not about barking commands. It’s about presence. A soldier’s presence matters. So does a dad’s. When my kid melts down at bedtime, I channel that same stillness I used to stand ceremonial post. When I say “no,” it’s not sharp—it’s grounded. Confident. Respectful.
Turns out, you can turn a parade square mindset into a playroom strategy. Discipline, done right, isn’t about control—it’s about consistency, compassion, and showing up the same way every time. So while the tools have changed, the mission stays the same: protect, provide, and lead with honour.
⚽ Sunday: The Toonverse Chronicles: 001
Week 1
Why I’m Raising a Black-and-White Wizard
The first item of baby clothing I bought? A mini NUFC shirt. Not a bottle, not a onesie. A Toon top. Because for me, football isn’t just about sport—it’s about belonging.
Welcome to The Toonverse Chronicles, where passion meets parenthood, and raising a Newcastle fan becomes an emotional training montage worthy of the empire strikes back—but with more wafer thins.
🪄 The Magic of It All:
Our bedtime stories alternate between Alan Shearer and Albus Dumbledore. We celebrate goals like spell-casting victories. Somewhere between match replays and wand battles, my little one started to get into it.
⚽ Lessons from the Gallowgate End:
– Loyalty isn’t about never losing—it’s about never walking away.
– Tradition matters—rituals like wearing black and white or doing silly half-time dances are part of family identity.
– Hope, even when we’re 2–0 down in life, makes everything worthwhile.
– Raising the little one like the Carabao Cup whilst she is giggling and I like every other Geordie is on cloud nine – Priceless.
💡 Favourite Moment:
The day I got to put my youngest in her first proper toon top. there is nothing like it.
🏁 Full-Time Thoughts:
It’s not just football. It’s not just parenting. It’s shared belief. And that, to me, is a kind of magic. It is going to be a magic we all feel when we start going to the lasses matches next season as the youngest is just about old enough now.
Dadnauts 