I had this conversation with a friend last week just before my trip to Texas:
“I’m heading to a conference in Houston. It should be pretty rad”
“What’s the conference for?”
“Dad Bloggers”
“No, seriously….. what’s it for??”
“Ummmm….. Dad Bloggers..”
To be honest with you, I totally understood where he was coming from. As a blogger who writes primarily about being a dad and raising my kids, I was well aware that other people were out there doing the same thing. Especially since 
Farm Rich Snacks, I was going to be heading there as one of the three LifeOfDad representatives. The most handsome of the three I might add.
We arrived at the Four Seasons where it was being held (ooh la la!) late in the afternoon on Thursday and we really didn’t know what was going to go down. Since it was the biggest meeting of dad bloggers anywhere I didn’t know if I should expect to be welcomed with open arms by the other dads as a brother in the community, or viewed as an enemy who is out there leaching the readers they too were hoping to draw in. Luckily, everyone there seemed genuinely happy to meet everyone else. We were all able to fruitfully network amongst each other and get a more personal camaraderie with them. Aside from the other people, I had budgeted for a full weekend of cheap fast food and boxed wine. But I had nothing to worry about. They had TONS of food and drinks there for us! Fantastic!! Seriously, even if you’re not a blogger you should sign up for next year. Every meal was provided and booze to go with it (in the evenings) !! It would be fiscally irresponsible for you all NOT to go!
I took some highlights away from the conference:
1- Some companies out there don’t actually see us Dads as the bumbling buffoons that we’re occasionally portrayed as, but recognize that the traditional gender stereotypes are highly obsolete.
2- I went there feeling like I already knew some of the bloggers from work we’ve done together (Canadian Dad, The Captain, Oren Miller). However, meeting them and sharing a beer or 12 only strengthened my relationships with them. It was great seeing someone you had never actually met and connecting with them instantly.
3- Canadian Dad’s Karaoke.
4- It really lit a fire under my ass to pump out more content on better, more interesting subjects.
Things than can be improved:
1- 7am start times?? Are you serious??? You do realize we didn’t bring our kids with us right?? Let’s aim for noon-ish next year.
2- I feel like we missed a huge opportunity by not having bathrobe and slipper day. The hotel provided them. Why did any of us get dressed at all???
3- Food was great, but could have used more in the appetizer department; particularly in our rooms. If the conference had only consulted with our sponsors Farm Rich, we could have had oodles of mozzarella sticks, mini quesadillas and jalapeno poppers to fall asleep to.
All in all I loved the conference. Honda gave us cars to test drive around Houston along with what might be the most ignored route map to have ever been created. “Hey David, I know a great hot dog place…..in Austin.” Dove Men Care was dishing out haircuts, shaves and shoe shines all weekend and the whiskey tasting was superb. But in all honesty, just meeting up with and spending time with a group of dads who are passionate about being great dads and chronicling the trials and tribulations that go along with it was the best part of the weekend and makes me excited for next year. Plus, when I got home, I was greeted to this awesome sign my wife and kids made for me. What can be better than that??
Thanks again to Farm Rich for sending us to the Dad 2.0 Summit!
