Special Edition: The Great Wall of China and 15,000 Hits!

When we launched The Upbeat Dad blog last October, my vision was to share our positive message on fatherhood with as many people throughout the world as possible. What’s ensued has been nothing short of remarkable. The blog has been received on a global scale in a pretty amazing way, in my view. I’m so pleased that our message has found a resting place in the hearts and minds of people from different creeds, cultures and nationalities.

Last week I wrote the post Content Is King to tell of how our message has spread. It’s not about the advertisements on our blog. It’s not about creative means of generating traffic. It’s all about the content, nothing more, nothing less. At the conclusion of that post I wrote, “Where we are going as an organization is limitless. I have a great vision – one that is unfolding each day. Please know that whatever we may do, the content of the message that we share will lead the way.”

One of the highlights of my day each day is to get on to the administrative part of the blog to see the countries that visited the site within the past 24 hours. When I see a new country, I make a note of it and add it to a list that I’ve developed. Each week, if we have at least 4 or 5 countries, I write a post at the end of that week welcoming the new countries. If we don’t, then I wait until we get a few more and then write the post.

Today’s post, in my view will be the biggest welcome that we could possibly have! That’s why I’ve decided to write a special post. Along our journey so far, I have routinely seen new countries added to our list of readers. But there’s one significant one that seemed to have eluded us. All major countries in the world have been on board with us for a long time – nations such as Canada, United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Israel, India, Iran, Pakistan, Russia, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Australia, France, Brazil, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, New Zealand. And the list goes on.

Somehow, China stood out as the only major country where we did not have a presence. As you may know, that’s the single most populous country on the earth - with 1.3 billion people. It has become an economic super power. I know that – I live in the United States and it’s our government’s largest debtor. The manufacturing sector produces goods that are enjoyed all over the world.

China showcased its might on the world stage as it hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics. I don’t know that we’ve ever seen or if we’ll ever see a more impressive opening ceremony than we saw in the “Bird’s Nest” stadium in Beijing.

I have set my sights on China for the past several months, wondering how or if we would establish a presence there. That’s a whole new market of potential readers in my view – 1.3 billion, to be exact. I have said to many persons over the past few months that the day we get China on board will be a good day. We will have completed a major milestone, gaining readers from the last remaining major player on the world stage where we didn’t have a presence.

I recently met a couple that visited China. I spoke with them about that great land, its history and its people. As the writer of a blog about fatherhood, I was particularly interested to know about the family structure and how it functions.

I have often heard about their one-child policy but didn’t know how it functioned. What I learned was quite interesting. The government implemented the policy to limit the population explosion that the country has had in recent times. Therefore, couples are permitted to have only one child. That policy applies only to Chinese nationals. Foreigners are exempt from this restriction.

So, being the curious and inquisitive person that I am, I asked about what would happen if a Chinese couple should have a child and then get pregnant again. What I learned is something that might be disturbing to some of our readers. I’m just relaying the information that was shared with me.

In such a case, the government either makes the couple to abort the child or should they insist on keeping the child, they would be given a fine. And it’s not a fine that some of us are used to – like a speeding ticket; the fine is so large that it’s approximately the equivalent of one year’s salary. So based on this fact, most couples comply with the one child limit. I asked the next logical question – what would happen if a couple’s child should die, whether as a baby or later on? At that point, the government would allow them to have another child.

I never get political on this blog – there’s no place for it, in my view. Politics can be quite divisive. But based on what I learned about the one-child policy, I do understand why some criticize China about its human rights policies and practices. At least, with this knowledge, we’re now more educated about how the policy is implemented.

To me, the message that we share on this blog has no barriers or borders. It’s for all nations – and can certainly apply to a nation with its own unique approach to managing its human resources. As I see it, no matter the views that each of us has, China is a force to be reckoned with in a growing number of ways.

Now here comes the highlight of this blog post! You might recall that during the Beijing Olympics, several journalists reported that some sites could not be accessed within China. The government restricts certain sites at its discretion. So I figured that based on the matters that I try to address through my writings - some of which are sensitive - the government may deny access to our blog. I thought, “Oh, that explains it. Oh, well.”

Well, this past Thursday was as magical a day as we’ve had since we launched.  Early that afternoon, we had our 15,000^th hit. What a milestone that was! Simply awesome to accomplish that in 4 ½ months! Then later in the afternoon, I looked in the administrative part of the site and saw that WE GOT OUR FIRST HIT IN CHINA!!!!!! YESSSSSS!!!!!! No more barriers!!!!! THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA HAS FALLEN!!!!!!!

That’s reason to celebrate! Together, you and I have done it! Our message is indeed spreading to all nations of the world! Why do I say you and I? Because if you weren’t reading and sharing our blog with others, the word wouldn’t spread as it has; so I thank you!

And the wonderful thing that happens when we get new readers is that when they come to the site once, they read multiple posts. And furthermore, they come back often!! The same has happened with our new Chinese audience. We got multiple hits then and every day since then!

So we’ll see where we go from here. For now, I exhale because the great wall has fallen and the door to China is now open to us. We continually endeavor to share this life-changing message that has each of us so engaged. That’s a reason to celebrate!

Thanks again for reading. Have a wonderful day!

The Upbeat Dad

Content Is King!

I've had a few recent conversations with fellow bloggers and other individuals about the journey we've had thus far with The Upbeat Dad as an organization. Most recently, I was contacted by a marketing agent about the clients that he represents doing some advertising on my site. The consistent question that's been asked of me has been, "How do you generate so much traffic?" My response is the basis for today's post: "Content is king."

We launched this blog officially on Monday, October 4, 2010. Earlier this week, we got hit # 14,000 and follower # 900 on Twitter. I always say that these numbers represent lives that we can touch in a meaningful way – they’re not simply for the sake of saying we have heavy traffic.

I’m very new to the world of blogging. As I told the marketer when we spoke, I’m learning about the whole process as I go along. I didn’t start out with the sophisticated marketing plans that so many have. The methods of driving traffic through search engine optimization were unknown to me. The only thing that I knew is that I had a message that I wanted to share with the world. That’s it – nothing more, nothing less.

As I have written, I’ve begun to learn about the marketing aspect to this whole project. I’m also learning about how I can make the organization a global force for change in a meaningful way. I see tangible ways that we can expand our vision into different areas to impact the lives of others. I really see how this vision can be the cause of a lifetime – one that employs resources around the world to effect positive change.

So to address the question, “How do you do it?” I respond, “Content is king.” And how do we make The Upbeat Dad into the global force that I talk and write about? Again, “content is king.” By this I mean that the matters that we raise through these daily blog posts are touching lives all over the world.

I do not take this responsibility lightly by any means. As I write each day, I close my eyes and picture the planet. I see the global economic crisis and the effect that it has on families. I see unrest in the Middle East. I see the impact of the family law system in different jurisdictions.

When I write, I really don’t see race or culture; I don’t see religion; I only see people – people that can benefit from a life changing message. This message says that kids need actively involved fathers in their lives if they are to be the best that they can be.

I don’t have a script as I write. I write from the heart. Different thoughts come to mind throughout each day. Sometimes I jot them down if I believe that they are “blog worthy.” I see programs on television. Or sometimes I speak with someone about a particular topic. And then I write based on that topic. I have a running list of topics in my Blackberry that I reference from time to time.

One thing that I can guarantee you is that whatever topic I ever write about, I will always seek to be positive. Some people are hurting very deeply and look to this blog as a source for encouragement. Almost on a daily basis, between comments posted on the blog, on Twitter or on our Facebook page, I get feedback from people about how encouraged they are by our posts.

I would never take for granted the platform that I have been given – to speak hope into people’s lives. I don’t know how many hearts this blog has touched thus far. I don’t know how many fathers have been moved to the point of making things right with their kids. I don’t know how many mothers have renewed hope in men after reading the positive twist on some matters that are inherently negative. I don’t know how many kids are now better off today than they were before their parents began reading this blog. But I do know that lives are being touched.

Even as we had our inaugural Upbeat Dad Community Forum 2 weeks ago, a gentleman called me the day before the event and told me he even contemplated suicide as means of escaping his daily reality – being estranged from his son because the mother opted to use the legal system to keep them apart. He hasn’t seen his son in 3 years and he just wanted to end it all. How could I not be compassionate when I listen to the voice of a hurting parent in that scenario?

Likewise, women have contacted me as they go through their own turmoil with uninvolved fathers. I’m so fortunate to have a huge following among females. 60% of our readers are female and to me, that’s an honor. The issues of fatherhood are universal and they cannot be effectively addressed without acknowledging the role that women play.

So as I write – and continue to write, just know that I will always endeavor to make a difference through these posts. I lived through a nightmare experience in the early 2000s when I went through a divorce (see The Story Behind The Upbeat Dad).

I want to shield as many kids as possible from the crossfire that often results when happy homes become broken homes. I want to help as many fathers and mothers as possible to do the right thing for their kids. I don’t claim to have all the answers but I do know that if I use kind words to help in difficult situations, lives can be healed and hearts mended. That’s my utmost desire.

Where we are going as an organization is limitless. I have a great vision – one that is unfolding each day. Please know that whatever we may do, the content of the message that we share will lead the way. The message is much greater than the messenger; I’m just humbled to serve in this capacity.

Thanks for tuning in; and enjoy the journey with us – we’re headed to a great destination.

Enjoy your day today and every day.

The Upbeat Dad

10,000 Hits Milestone! And Countdown to Upbeat Dad Community Forum!

Good Day! What a beautiful day it is!

I’m excited to share that earlier today we reached a MAJOR MILESTONE! This afternoon, we reached the monumental milestone of 10,000 hits on our blog! Yes, 10,000!

Let’s put this in perspective. We officially launched the blog on Monday, October 4, 2010. It was launched with the goal to reach fathers throughout the world to encourage them to hang in there and be very involved in their kids’ lives. What’s ensued these 3 ½ months has been simply magical!

Here are some statistics that might let you know just why I’m so excited:

• On December 31, 2010, I shared the post Major Milestone and Year in Review. On that post, I shared that the previous day, we hit the 5,000 pageview mark. I’m not a mathematician but I’m a certified public accountant. So if I do the simple calculation, that tells me that in the month of January we’ve had approximately 5,000 more hits – and the month doesn’t end for a few more days. That’s beyond comprehension, in a sense, but it’s also quite pleasing. This clearly means that we’ve struck a chord on a global scale with the message that we share.

• As I write this post, we have 10,086 hits on the blog, 682 followers on Twitter and 315 Facebook fans. As you read this, I’m pretty certain that each of those numbers has increased. I have written 114 blog posts and sent 2,285 Tweets. You may wonder why I so frequently talk about the numbers. If you have followed this blog for any length of time you will know that my passion is to reach the world with the life-changing message that strong, involved fathers help to produce strong kids. Each of these numbers that I reference represents a new opportunity to share this message, in my view. It’s not about numbers to me – it’s about lives. If I had my way, we’d have billions of hits because that would mean that billions of lives are being touched and families throughout the world are being encouraged.

• We have daily readers on every continent  – well, except Antarctica (do they have internet there anyway?). From Asia to South America to Australia to Europe to North and America and the Caribbean, people are reading the Upbeat Dad blog each day and are sharing our message with others. In early December, I started a weekly post on Saturdays to welcome the new countries to the blog. And today, I can say we’re pretty much maxed out. I’m not sure I’ll be doing one this week because we now have readers in all the countries in the world that I’ve identified as our target market – except one. I’m still waiting on our first hit in China – that will come in time, I’m sure. But I’m thrilled with the dozens of countries we have on board.

                        

• Over 60% of our readers are women. Hard to believe, huh? It was for me initially but now it makes perfect sense. My original agenda was to address men on the issues of fatherhood. But then I quickly realized that the many issues concerning fatherhood affect each of us – men, women and kids. Women have been on-board with our vision from day one so as I write a post each day, I think of how the issues raised affect both dads and moms. The platform I have is something I will never take for granted. Men and women have so much to do with the issues that affect our kids. So if we can engage in productive dialogue among ourselves, then we can make significant progress.

So there you have it – these are just some of the highlights to show the exciting things happening here at The Upbeat Dad.

Now on to the next big thing – The Upbeat Dad Community Forum! I tell you, that there’s a certain buzz in the air. Do you hear it? Something big is on the horizon! And two weeks from today – on Thursday, February 10 from 7-9 PM – we will have our inaugural Upbeat Dad Community Forum! I’m more excited than I can say! It’s going to be awesome!

The planning for that event is coming along great! We have speaking commitments from the Miami Dolphins football organization! That’s huge and quite an endorsement of our efforts to bring the community together to address the topic Where Are Our Fathers? We also have speaking commitments from 2 family law attorneys, a local City Commissioner and a former parole officer who is currently a Criminal Justice professor.

The term forum suggests public discussion. And discuss we will! The aforementioned persons will share their own unique perspective on the plight in our society as men are missing in action. But a significant portion of the evening will be devoted to hearing the voices of the persons who attend. We really want to engage in productive discourse at this evening.

One major goal I have for this event is to duplicate in person what’s already transpired online these past few months. I received a phone call from a young lady two days ago. She wanted to ensure that women are invited to the event as well. She was excited to hear that both the male and female perspective will be heard that day. She told me that she went on the blog and she felt the energy – “It’s electric,” she said. I want to bring that same energy to this live event.

I have done seminars and conferences before but none quite like this. This one is what I consider to be the cause of a lifetime. I really envision that this event will be the catalyst for a chain reaction that will reverberate around the world. Are you feeling it yet? Even the hair on my bald head is standing!

I consider this whole vision of the Upbeat Dad to be a life-changing force that will bring hope and healing to many lives that are broken throughout the world. I have said it many times before and I say it again here that this movement is way bigger than me. I’m just privileged to be serving in the capacity that I am. And if the feedback I get on a daily basis from all over the globe is any indicator, we’re on to something huge. So I encourage you to remain engaged with us.

If you’re in the Miami area, do join us that evening. And if you’re out of town but you feel that you cannot afford to miss this event, then come on down! We’d love to have you!

Here are the details of our forum:      

Come let your voice be heard at The Upbeat Dad Community Forum!
You'll enjoy this intriguing discussion on fatherhood!

Where:

Cooper City Church of God Fellowship Hall

9191 Stirling Road

Cooper City, FL 33328

When:

Thursday, February 10, 2011

7 PM - 9 PM

Contact:

Name: Rodrick Walters

Phone: 954-288-4788

Email: info@theupbeatdad.com

RSVP by Thursday, February 3, 2011


Dads, Moms, Married, Divorced, Singles, Everyone’s welcome!

We wanna hear from you!

Free Admission!

Come on out and express yourself on this thought-provoking subject!

Among the issues that will be addressed are:

• Absentee father syndrome: Where are our fathers?
• How fair is the family law system?
• From father to visitor: Being dad after divorce
• Why every child needs a dad
• When good fathers go bad
• Why parents use children as tools in a game of Tug of War?

Do make the effort to join us that evening if you can. I truly believe that it will be a life-changing event for many.

As with everything that we do, this is all about our children – to ensure that they get the loving, supportive fathers  that they deserve. We’re headed to a great destination so I encourage you to join us – and hang on for the beautiful ride!

Enjoy your day,

The Upbeat Dad

Bitter vs. Better Part 2: How to Become Better

On yesterday’s post, To Become Bitter or Better? The Choice is Yours, I wrote about the choice that we have when our relationships end on not so friendly terms. Quite a few readers have let me know of the encouragement that that post was to them. A gentleman in Canada reached out to me to share that the post was quite timely for him. He’s in the middle of a messy divorce and he has justifiable reasons to be bitter. But the message that I shared spoke to his heart and he’s beginning to see things in a different way.

Today I’d like to continue on the bitter vs. better theme. When I speak with persons who are in the middle of a divorce, it’s amazing to me how they readily tell me things like, “You know what he did?” or “Can you believe she said that?” Yet if you talk to most of these persons a few years down the road, their conversation is of a totally different tone. My mom always says, “Time heals all wounds.” This is so very true.

Can you relate to this? I know even from my own experience, with former relationships, when they ended on unfriendly terms, I seemingly was ready to tell anyone willing to listen all the negative things I could. With time and experience, I’ve grown so much. Now I realize that human nature is to react in a negative way. When we feel that we’re wronged, by nature we want to get even and let the person who caused us pain feel similar pain. That’s just how we are.

When my first marriage ended, I was bitter. I didn’t like the way that things transpired. I felt that the court system was biased. I felt that my ex didn’t treat me fairly. I didn’t like the effect all of this had on my daughter. I was really hurting and I just wanted others to know. You see, what had happened was that I was wounded. And just like when we get a fresh wound, I was in severe pain and bleeding, in a sense. I was emotionally fragile and really needed to be nursed back to health. I couldn’t eat. I lost 30 lbs in a month. Weight Watchers had nothing on me!

Over time, however, when I learned of the better vs. bitter choice that I had, I said to myself, “You’re better than that Rodrick Walters. You’re not a bitter man. You like to laugh and play and be jovial. Don’t let anything cause you to become who you are not.” I literally spoke aloud those words to myself. And for me, that’s when the healing began.

Today, if someone asks me about my former marriage, I’ll gladly and readily speak of it. It’s not something I think about each day. It no longer controls me but I’ll speak of it without any negativity. Would it be crazy if I said that that experience was a necessary step for me to go through to become the man that I am today?  It sounds crazy but I believe it to be true.

One thing that you will never hear from me is anything negative about my former wife – on this blog or in real life. Some people cannot wait to tell others how horrible a person their former spouse is. My response to that is, if they were so horrible, then why did you marry them in the first place? I wouldn’t claim that my former wife and I are good friends today but I respect her immensely. She’s a loving mother and though we are no longer married, I believe that she’s a good person and I wish her nothing but the best.

The fact that I’m writing and sharing these things means to me that I’m totally healed from that situation. A few years ago, it would have pained me to say that. Have you ever heard it said that hurt people hurt people? Well, when I was hurt, I was willing to tell others negative things about her. But growth and maturity have brought me a long way and I’m so glad for that.

How am I better for having gone through that experience? Well, for one, I’m so much more equipped to share the message of hope with others. Most the poems in my book Poems of Inspiration: A Daily Dose of Self Motivation were written after that experience. When it was released a few years ago, it was on the Barnes & Noble and Amazon bestseller list in the Self Help New Releases category. It has been a source of encouragement for so many.

And with the Upbeat Dad, I couldn’t ask for a better platform to speak on the issues of fatherhood. Had my first marriage been a “happily ever after” story, then I likely would not have the passion for fatherhood that I do today. I certainly wouldn’t have the insight to encourage divorced and single parents like I do now. I think that I have earned the privilege to speak to others on these matters because of my horrible experience. Today, just over 3 months after launching our blog, we have over 8,000 page views, with readers on every continent.

On February 10^th, we’re having our first live event, The Upbeat Dad Community Forum. Organizations such as the Miami Dolphins are coming out to this event as we deal with the issue, “Where Are Our Fathers?” I couldn’t have dreamed up this stuff – I went through a difficult divorce with a young child. And years later, I am able to help others – men, women and kids – as they deal with some serious life issues. I guess that’s my reward for choosing to become better instead of remaining bitter. 

If you’re in the midst of emotional turmoil because of the manifestation of the term, “It’s a thin line between love and hate,” then I challenge you today to embrace your hurts and pain and say, “I will be better for this.” You can never change the past. It wants to control you but don’t give in to it. Smile in the middle of your storm. Dance in the rain because the pain is not there to kill you – it’s there to make you stronger. Your reward is awaiting you. Don’t get sidetracked by the issues of the moment – instead, focus on the great things that can result after you make it through the storm. Don’t be like the larva that dies in a cocoon – go through the process and soon you’ll be flying high like a butterfly!

The wonderful thing is that when you take this approach, no hurt or harm that you experience will ever be the same. And all it takes is you making the decision to embrace what comes your way and making the best of it. I could never write to a worldwide audience on the subject of fatherhood if all I knew about the subject was the beautiful, wonderful part. I’m not seeking to enroll in that class again – I learned my lesson the first time and I so appreciate what I learned. Today I have the love of my wonderful wife and my two children. And as a bonus, I get to share this uplifting message with a worldwide audience. What more could I ask for?

I implore you to commit to turning your lemons into lemonade. I’m not saying it’s easy but I promise you that it’s worth it. I think that you have so much good to offer your fellowmen. Choose to become better even in the midst of your hurts. Because when you do, your life can be used as an instrument of encouragment to people all around you and those within your sphere of influence.

Enjoy a wonderful and productive day.

The Upbeat Dad

A Tribute to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the United States, today is a federal holiday as we celebrate the life and legacy of Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. He was very instrumental in the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s as his message of non-violence was a major force for change in a segregated society. Today, over 40 years after his passing, he’s still speaking to us through his life transforming message.

His was a global vision as he dreamed of the day when people would no longer be judged by the color of their skin but rather by the content of their character. He had great insight as he realized that, in fact, all men are created equal. He was a champion for human rights and is celebrated all over the world for his work. Because of his dedicated service to his fellow men, his work continues to transform lives today.

The vision of The Upbeat Dad is also global. We believe that the issues we try to address and the problems that we seek to solve cross cultural, ethnic and religious boundaries. Every single person on the earth has the genetic make up of a mother and a father. But in far too many cases, fathers are either absent or uninvolved in the raising of children. The repercussions of this fact are very significant. So we seek, in our own way, to make a lasting impact on the lives of men, women and children all over the world through our work.

At the Upbeat Dad, we honor Dr. King’s legacy. One of his most famous quotes is, “Let freedom ring.” The United States was founded on the principles of freedom. And today, over 200 years later, freedom is still one of the basic tenets that guide our nation. Dr. King recognized that when people are free, they can pursue their dreams and in their own way, they can contribute to the welfare of the entire human race.

My poem Freedom is the Cry of Every Man speaks of this truth. Enjoy reading it as we celebrate just what it means to be free.

Freedom Is the Cry of Every Man

By Rodrick Walters

Freedom is the cry of every man—

a foundation on which to stand.

Freedom to think, to imagine, to be;

freedom brings dreams to reality.

How can the bird fly unless it’s free?

Or dreams take flight without eyes to see?

The eyes of the wise are the ones we should cherish,

for when there's no vision, we surely will perish.

A free mind can make a pauper a king

when it discovers the potential deep within.

It marches to the sound of its own unique beat,

and helps make the life of a dreamer complete.

All men should have the liberty

to live their dreams – whatever they may be.

For every man deserves the right

to soar like an eagle to higher heights.

Please join us today as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King. His great contribution to humanity has certainly made ours a much better world, where freedom and liberty are cherished.

 Enjoy your day.

 The Upbeat Dad

  

Major Milestone and Year In Review!

Well, well, well. Today is December 31. Ready or not, here comes 2011. This coming new year holds so many promises to each of us. As we prepare to welcome 2011, I thought I’d take today’s post to reflect on how far we’ve come since we launched The Upbeat Dad.

On Monday, October 4, 2010, I introduced this blog to the world with the post The Official Launch of The Upbeat Dad. As I mentioned on The Story Behind the Upbeat Dad, the vision has been years in the making. But I strongly felt that the timing was right to launch this project.

Here we are, just under 3 months later. And oh, what a ride it’s been! I set a dream goal of 3,000 pageviews worldwide by December 31. That milestone was passed well over a month ago. And yesterday, we hit the 5,000 pageviews milestone - yes, 5,000! What an accomplishment! I could tell you the different things I’ve done to reach this milestone but quite frankly, the credit goes to you for tuning in on a daily basis. I try to touch on different areas in my posts each day but without you, it wouldn’t be possible, so I thank you.

We have established a worldwide following. As I’ve said before, we have readers on every continent except Antarctica! Here is a list, in order of number of pageviews, of our top 10 countries: United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Jamaica, Croatia, Japan, Russia, India, Germany, Australia.

Here's a highlight of some of our accomplishments thus far:

1. In mid-November, I wrote a post entitled NBA Star Dwyane Wade's Got His Priorities Straight. In that post I shared how Wade prioritized being a loving father to his two boys. I later wrote the post A Big Boost from NBA Star Dwyane Wade to share the story about how I sent the article to Wade and he replied saying, “Thanks for noticing” and then he sent it to over 700,000 people who follow him on Twitter.

That kind act on his part brought hundreds of new readers to the blog over just the next few hours. Still, to this day, that article is the most read of any post I’ve written. We have readers who tune in on a daily basis because this article brought them to the blog and they like what they've seen so they come back often. Kudos to my fellow Miami resident, D. Wade for that!

2. In November, we launched a weekly feature called Upbeat Dad of the Week. In this feature, we highlight fathers who have demonstrated that they are exceptional dads. Here is a list of all the features we have done in this series thus far:

• Inaugural Upbeat Dad of the Week Spotlight
• Upbeat Dad of the Week: Melvin Thompson
• Upbeat Dad of the Week: Your Dad
• Upbeat Dad of the Week: Edward Rapier

3. With the holiday season approaching, we did a two-day post about drunk driving and its effects. Our post Put Down That Drink, Aren’t You Driving Home? highlights the general impact of drunk driving. The next day, our post Person of the Week: Myra McRoy Constable  told the story of a lady who became a young widow after her husband died in a single car collision after a night of drinking. This post is quite popular. To date, it’s our 3^rd most read article.

4. In posts such as When Good Fathers Go Bad and Cats in the Cradle: A Life Lesson for Working Parents I implore fathers to ensure they prioritize time with their children, especially when marriages and other relationships end.

5. I visited the city of New Orleans just after Thanksgiving and wrote the post Profound Lesson for the Divorced From New Orleans Visit. In that post I wrote about how the city rose to its feet after the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. Then I shared how the divorced can make a comeback after going through their own catastrophe. That post is quite popular among our readers as it is one of our most read posts to date.

6. When Elizabeth Edwards, wife of former presidential candidate, John Edwards, passed away, I wrote A Tribute to Elizabeth Edwards: A Lasting Legacy. That post seems to have struck a chord with our readers. It's the 4th most read of our posts.

So that’s a bit of what we’ve been up to these past few months. What an exciting journey it’s been! I try to do a post each day so that there's always something fresh and new. Beginning  this coming Monday, January 3, I will preview where we’re going in 2011. I have a great vision so I invite you to remain engaged with us.

As always, our Facebook page is a way to make the experience interactive. If you haven’t already done so, please visit the page and if you like what you see, “Like” it so you can follow our posts.

Also, we are quite active on Twitter so I encourage you to follow us. We constantly send out messages that we think will help families to become closer. And as with our Facebook page, it makes our experience interactive.

I hope that you ring in the New Year with a great, safe celebration. I wish you and your family the very best for a prosperous and successful 2011.

The best is yet to come. See you next year!

The Upbeat Dad

Birthday Reflections…



I woke up about 4 AM today almost kicking myself. You see, today is my birthday and I have an annual tradition – I greet my birthday as it arrives at midnight. But I fell asleep on the couch at 11:45 PM and didn't wake up till 4 AM. Each year, I also bid my birthday farewell as it leaves at 11:59 PM saying, "Goodbye birthday, see you next year. I'll be one year older and I hope one year wiser."

As I write this post, I think of the past year and all that's transpired since I last bid my birthday farewell. There have been some wonderful moments. And also some challenging, not so wonderful moments, but here I am, one year older and I believe, one year wiser.



The most significant thing that’s happened in my life in the past year is that one year ago today, my wife and I found out that we were expecting a baby. And on August 5^th, we welcomed our son into the world. What a joy and a wonder he is to us! Our young family is now a family of 4 - my wife, our 12 year old daughter, our now 4 ½ month old son and me. I’m really blessed to have this wonderful family.

Then the next most significant thing that’s happened since my last special day is what I consider to be another birth - The Upbeat Dad. I cannot adequately describe to you the burden I've carried for the past several years to share this message. As I described in my post The Story Behind The Upbeat Dad, I went through quite a painful experience in the early 2000s when my first marriage was dissolved. As I went through the disappointment of that experience, a gentleman who I met during the process encouraged me to use the experience to make me a better dad instead of a bitter man.



In the immediate aftermath of that storm of my life, I first got the vision to start an organization that helps others to recognize the importance of having positive, active fathers in kids' lives. Just yesterday I was speaking with one of my mentors from my childhood in Jamaica and I told him of how things are going with The Upbeat Dad and he reminded me of when he visited me in 2001 just as the divorce proceedings had started. I recalled him telling me at that time that I should just let the process carry itself out. But when it ended I would be stronger and a more effective servant to my fellow men.

Over the past several years, you could say I’ve been in preparation mode. But the timing was never right to "give birth" to the vision. So much transpired throughout that time. I went from being a single dad living alone to a single dad raising a daughter; then a husband with a child from a former marriage; and now a husband with 2 children. The varied emotions that I've gone through over the past few years have given me a greater understanding of what so many around the world go through on a daily basis. Yet I've learned how to adjust to each of these circumstances to maximize my effectiveness as a father. 

On Monday, October 4, 2010, I introduced The Upbeat Dad to the world. And what a ride it's been thus far! Since that time I can only say that it's had a meteoric rise. Just yesterday, we hit the 4,000 view milestone – quite an accomplishment, considering we just launched a couple of months ago. Our readers are dads, moms and kids from all over the world. We have readers on a daily basis from every continent except Antarctica! That’s more than I could ask for at this point. I’m very pleased.

Fatherhood is a universal issue - one that transcends cultural, ethnic, political and religious barriers. It's something that we can all relate to. And the crisis in our homes is something that's experienced the world over - kids are negatively impacted when fathers are absent. Our mission is to intercede for these kids, therefore our message is for their moms and dads.

As I reflect on how far we've come in our brief history, I'm pretty satisfied with our progress. But can I say something that might surprise you? We have not even scratched the surface yet. There is so much more to this vision. This blog is a great tool to communicate to a worldwide audience what I've seen coming for years. And now that the message is taking root, in a very short while we will begin implementing another phase of the vision. It's all for the purpose of empowering families – dads, moms and kids.



Thank you so much for tuning in on a daily basis. I try to write a post each day because as I see it, there's always something positive to share with families. Some of you have already shared with me the difference our posts are making in yours and your kids' lives. That's why I write – it's not for me but rather it's for the millions and perhaps billions of people who can be encouraged by our message. We're all about touching lives, one person at a time.

I encourage you to remain engaged because my determination is to see with my eyes what I've seen in my head for these past several years. It’s a burden that I’ve carried – a good burden, in fact; one that, if not released, would make my life somewhat less meaningful. The message I love to share has little to do with me and more to do with the many families that can benefit, especially the children. We hear of fathers’ rights and I’m all for that. But I see fatherhood as an honor and a privilege and I seek to encourage other fathers to be loving, involved “upbeat dads” to their kids; and for mothers to embrace the role that fathers ought to play in the lives of their children. Each of us has a part to play as we seek to effect change. And through our organization, we are here to serve as an agent of this change that will impact our families in a positive way.

If you do not already do so, please join us on Facebook and on Twitter. We send multiple messages each day. And by using these social media sources, you can correspond with us directly. Believe me, I enjoy the interaction that we have on a daily basis. It makes our collective experience that much more meaningful.

Thanks to those of you who have already sent me birthday greetings. It's a true blessing to me so I thank you wholeheartedly. And later tonight when I bid my birthday farewell for another year, I’ll be sure to think of each of you and the profound impact you have on my own life.

I'll close this post with the last few stanzas from my poem How Can I Serve Humanity? The entire poem is found in my book Poems of Inspiration: A Daily Dose of Self Motivation.

How Can I Serve Humanity?

…How can I serve humanity?

What shall be my legacy?

What greatness could possibly be hiding in me

that'll ring on through the hallways of eternity?

Though my name may not be written in lights

and I may not be on stage with all the spotlights,

in my own humble way I'll serve life with delight

As I give all I have by day and by night.

The fame and the fortune don't matter to me

Just the service I offer to humanity;

like great men and great women throughout history,

may my work live for ages long after me.

I trust that you would ask yourself the same question - How can I serve humanity?  And then reflect on the message embodied in this poem. I’m already thinking of how much more I can serve my fellow men before I welcome my next birthday in another 365 days. As parents, husbands and wives, friends and family and citizens of this planet that we share, let's serve humanity by giving of ourselves to make a difference in the lives of others.

I hope that you are enriched by this message of service. And I hope that you have a wonderful day.

Rodrick and family

The Upbeat Dad