The Goodather

I'm something of an academic. I like things spelled out for me with clear instructions the first few times I do something. That works for baby stuff too; I'm more comfortable reading books and advice and then seeing what does and doesn't work for me instead of just jumping in like Jess does. I guess it's a matter of not having that mother gene built in. I enjoy things that give me ideas on parenting and I appreciate it when it's aimed at fathers...but really, do we need a gangster motif?

The Goodfather (get it?) CD-rom contains a lot of little lessons, a baby name list and a tool for creating cards and the like, and that's good for fathers that are just starting out. It's the fact that all this information is being delivered by gangster stereotypes that kind of gives me the willies. "Audio tips" even fly into your screen via animated daggers. If you're a new parent your nerves are already frayed enough. That sort of thing could give someone a heart attack after the third night with no sleep.

I applaud their attempts to make all this stuff father-friendly and some of this stuff is pretty humorous, but I still thought it was odd using a mafia setting for parenting tips. But if you find yourself quoting from Goodfellas at every opportunity, this may be just the thing for you.