Ricky Shetty's Blog, page 3
June 18, 2018
What To Ask Kids To Make Them Forget about Smartphones
What to ask kids in 2018 to make them forget about smartphones We can’t help but notice how fast the modern world is changing. The generation gap seems to become wider and wider, with social changes, new technology, and developments made every single day. How does this affect families? With the values shifting, the number of children born decreases. Also, there are more and more fatherless children. The new generation of kids are different too – they have values and ideas different not only from those of their parents and grandparents, but also from young people only 5 or 10 years older. New kids spend a lot more time online. As a consequence, live interaction with peers and parents has drastically altered too. As a result, they have only about 30 minutes of personal conversations taking place in a week, have about 3 family dinners with their smartphones in their hands, but spend approximately 45 hours gaming with a 60 hours total spent online. One thing is clear – the children’s brains are totally rewired. Despite – or because – of this, parents now have to learn how to understand their children and effectively communicate with them. Old methods they’ve learned from their families don’t really apply anymore, and parents can’t agree to being just cash machines and landlords for their kids. These days, everybody advises how parents should spend more personal time with their children and talk to them eye to eye. This is especially, for fathers and their sons. This is indeed a great piece of advice. But imagine, you finally found time for a heart-to-heart conversation with your youngest, but you as a parent aren’t at all prepared. The moment you’ve been anticipating has finally come, but you just feel out of practice, and your head is flooded with loud thoughts, noises, and topped with panic. “So, son, what should we talk about?” Before we go over the topics of this eminent conversation, let’s answer the question of how do you as a parent should conduct the conversation. The most common mistakes are: Conversations not in private. Other people may distract you and your child, and prevent either of you from talking honestly about private topics. Looking at your phone. Set a good example for your child – if you don’t want him or her to look at the phone all the time, don’t do it yourself. […]
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June 15, 2018
Exploring the Continents – Kids Book about Family Travel
A dream come true!! This Father’s Day is the launch of my brand new Kid’s Book about Family Travel to South America. Last year, our family visited all 12 countries in South America (Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Suriname, Guyana, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Uruguay). I wanted to create a memory for our 3 young kids since they are only 6, 4, 2. Now that we have a book, they can look back and remember all the amazing memories we created together. Plus, I wanted to inspire other families to travel to South America too. Finally, it’s my gift to the hospitable, kind, and generous people of South America whom we love so much and the people are the reason we fell so much in love with Latin culture! My book is called EXPLORING THE CONTINENTS: A Family’s Journey to Visit Every Country in the World. Volume 1: South America. This is a 7 part Kids Book Series focused on the 7 Continents (the next books will feature North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, Antartica). The book is focused on inspiring kids to travel from a young age and teach them about history, geography, food, culture, and language. It’s meant to be read aloud by parents to their children (the perfect Bedtime Reading Activity)! Some reflections on the Book Writing Process: 1) SET A DEADLINE – I came up with my book idea when we were in Central America almost finished visiting every country in Latin America (both South America – all 12 countries and Central America – all 8 countries). I set a non-negotiable deadline to release my book on Father’s Day no matter what – I had no other choice. The deadline was set in stone: publish the book on Sunday, June 17, 2018 (Father’s Day). 2) MAKE YOUR GOAL PUBLIC – Once I made the internal decision to write the book, I immediately made it public as it forces me to be accountable and reach my goal. Imagine if I told everyone I was releasing my book on Father’s Day and then I didn’t. It would have been super embarrassing. I wanted to maintain my integrity and complete what I said I would do. Making your goal public will force you to act! 3) CREATE A BOOK LAUNCH TEAM – The best thing I did before publishing my book was create a Book Launch Team of close […]
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May 23, 2018
There & Not Theirs: Trials of a Stepdad
I had a plan. Get through school, find a girl, get married, buy a house, then have a couple kids. It was a good plan, ingrained in my very being from an early age. This is the plan for so many young men. It’s funny how plans tend to change so suddenly. I was almost there, my last year of university when I met (my now wife) Ayla and her daughter. Ugh, I said it, words that shake me to my core, ‘her’ daughter. Ayla’s daughter was 11 months old at the time and had been a single mother since before H was born. That’s when my whole plan got shelved. The instant I met little H (I refer to her as Chocolate on my blog). I knew my purpose. If I’m going to be in this relationship, this is going to be MY kid. Blood doesn’t and shouldn’t matter when it comes to raising kids! No matter what happened, I would treat her exactly how I treat any and all future children (we have three). When I introduce her to people, she is my daughter. When people tell me we look alike, H and I laugh to ourselves and explain that everyone says that. Because oddly enough, we really do! Treating her any differently would cause discontent. Treating her differently in my wife’s eyes would be hurtful. Treating her differently in my eyes would be wrong. H would always feel as though she didn’t belong when she was home and that wasn’t right. There are two things that are extremely difficult to deal with as the ‘stepdad’: Bio-Dad boundaries and dealing with correcting my own extended family. H’s dad and his wife are regularly involved with her and we all have a very civil relationship. Things could have been a lot worse. So even though I consider her my own flesh and blood, I still have to respect that she has two fathers. I dread the day where she proudly rages “you’re not my real dad”! My parents have always been on board, the moment I brought H home to meet them, they accepted her as their own grandchild. But that doesn’t mean there weren’t slip ups! When we announced our second child to family and friends, a common response was “so excited for your first child!”… “No! Second child… I already have one.” “I mean your first biological.” […]
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May 15, 2018
What Needs to Be Done Before Any and Every Vacation
What Needs to Be Done Before Any and Every Vacation Before you jet off to your next family fun-time destination, make sure you’ve checked off these important tasks from the pre-vacation to-do list. Vacation preparation isn’t just packing and planning an itinerary! This is what needs to be done before any and every vacation: Update travel documents and insurance Make sure all your travel documents, such as identification papers and itinerary are up to date, and event reservations and lodging accommodations are in order. Furthermore, if you wanted to add an extra layer of protection to your assets, buy traveler’s insurance. Traveler’s insurance is especially beneficial for families since it can reimburse you for unexpected circumstances such as out-of-pocket medical expenses, lost luggage, and cancellations made by airlines. Visit the doctor Have a doctor perform a physical check-up for everyone in the family. You want to ensure that every person is in tip-top shape to go on vacation! This is especially important for kids since they have a weaker immune system than adults. Your doctor can recommend specific medications to bring during the trip to help them combat a potential sickness. Also, if you are traveling outside the country, don’t forget to receive vaccinations and immunity shots. Pay off any outstanding bills Late fees happen all the time when people take a vacation. Therefore, it’s best to set up automatic payments during one. You never want to leave behind any outstanding balances or miss a minimum payment due date. Moreover, if necessary, inform your card companies that you may be paying off balances later than expected or change a payment date all-together. Figure out your mail situation This applies to both your physical mail and email! First, you don’t want your mailbox to be filled to the brim with mail. To the outside world, this tips off the fact that you won’t be home for a while, which may welcome suspicious activity. You can put your mail on hold at the post office or ask a neighbor to keep it safe for you. In regards to email, set up an automatic response so colleagues, friends and family can expect a delay in response time from you. Inform the bank of your future trip Notify your bank that they can expect to see multiple purchases made with your card, and if applicable, international charges. You never want to be in a […]
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April 15, 2018
Border Crossings from around the World
One of the things we love during our travels is do Land Border Crossings! I’ve personally done dozens of Border Crossings in Europe and Asia before I got married. So, now, I get the pleasure of doing new Border Crossings in South and Central America….this time, with my wife and kids! Instead of flying crossing by land gives you a whole different perspective into the country. Here’s all the Land Borders we have crossed together as a family: 1) BRAZIL – ARGENTINA We crossed from Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian side into Argentina so we could see the Falls from both sides! 2) BRAZIL – PARAGUAY We did a day trip into Paraguay and visited the 3 Frontiers (the place where you can see Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay from one place). 3) FRENCH GUIANA – SURINAME This was a River Crossing – it cost us 5 Euros to get a private boat to cross from French Guiana into Suriname. 4) SURINAME – GUYANA The boat from Suriname to Guyana was much bigger than the small canoe we took when we entered Suriname. 5) COLOMBIA – VENEZUELA We crossed over from Colombia into Venezuela spending one night in San Cristobal before taking a Shared Taxi back to the Colombian border! 6) COLOMBIA – ECUADOR After a nice sleep at the Border Town and a visit to the famous Cathedral, we took the bus from the border to Quito, the capital of Ecuador. 7) ECUADOR – PERU From the border, we crossed to Chiclayo and slept there for one night before taking another bus to Lima. 8) PERU – BOLIVIA We traveled with Peru Hop from Peru to Bolivia visiting Lake Titicaca on both sides. 9) BOLIVIA – CHILE After visiting the Salt Flats, we asked to be dropped at San Pedro de Atacama (the famous desert in Northern Chile). 10) CHILE – ARGENTINA We did this crossing in the middle of the night (bad idea!). Our bus was from Valparaiso, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina. 11) ARGENTINA – URUGUAY We did a fun Boat Crossing from Tigre, Argentina to Camelo, Uruguay. 12) MEXICO – BELIZE We took a bus from Tulum, Mexico into Belize City, Belize. Make sure you have enough USD or Mexican Pesos to pay the Exit Fees. 13) BELIZE – GUATEMALA From Belize City, we took the local bus to Flores, Guatemala which took about 5 hours including about […]
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March 17, 2018
The Top 20 Restaurants in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
After staying in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua for over 1 month, we had the chance to try out most of the popular restaurants in the small yet touristy fishing town! We had the chance to review several accommodations including Casa Oro, Nomad Life, and Spanish Corner School and of course, review several of the local restaurants and cafes. All of these places are family-friendly and kid-welcoming!! Here’s our top 20 favourite restaurants in San Juan Del Sur. I have grouped them based on broader categories (e.g. Best Beach Restaurants, Best Fusion, Best Asian, Best Pizza Places, Best Street Food, etc). I’m open to suggestions so please comment below on any places that I missed! WARNING: These Food Pictures will make you HUNGRY! Make sure you read on a full stomach or get ready to salivate! Drum Roll, Please….The Top 20: A) BEST BEACH RESTAURANTS: 1) EL TIMON 2) THE BEACH HOUSE B) BEST FUSION RESTAURANTS: 3) CERVECERIA 4) SIMON SAYS 5) DALE PUES 6) PARLOUR 7) JICARO GARDEN 8) THE LOOSE MOOSE 9) BIG WAVE DAVE’S C) BEST ASIAN RESTAURANTS: 10) SUSHI LA BARRA 11) NICA THAI 12) SABORES CHINOS 13) THE SURFING BUDDHA CAFE 14) KING CURRY 15) CASA ORO D) BEST NICARAGUAN FOOD: 16) EL POLLITO PESCADOR 17) LA LANCHA E) BEST PIZZA PLACES: 18) CONO PIZZA 19) DON MONCHIS F) BEST FISH & CHIPS RESTAURANT: 20) SIMPLETON’S FISH AND CHIPS G) BEST DESSERT PLACES 1) KISS ME 2) SUPER FRUTTO GELATARIA 3) DIA DE LOS DONUTS Dia De Los Donuts H) BEST SMOOTHIES: 1) SMOOTHIE STAND 2) SMOOTHIE TIME 3) BOLINGO GOURMET ICE CREAM I) HONORARY MENTIONS: 1) Best Tacos: Taco Stop & The Taco Spot 2) Best Place for Chocolate Lovers: The Chocolate Museum 3) Best Street Food: Quesadilla Stands along the beach (near Delfin Hotel) 4) Best Grocery Store: Super Xpress (with AC, ATMs, and Free Washrooms!) 5) Best Home-Cooked Meals: Homestay at Spanish Corner School (Homestay Mom’s Cooking)!! COMMENT BELOW: Do you agree or disagree with my picks? What have I missed?
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March 16, 2018
Podcast Interviews with Ricky Shetty – Daddy Blogger
Here is the list of the 20+ Podcast Interviews we have done on 3 major topics: 1) FATHERHOOD & PARENTING (Daddy Blogger) 2) INTERNET MARKETING (Blogging & Social Media) 3) FAMILY TRAVEL (Digital Nomadism) Here are all the interviews in chronological order: 1) ENTREPRENEUR ON FIRE (John Lee Dumas) https://www.eofire.com/podcast/rickys... 2) AS TOLD BY NOMADS (Tayo Rockson) http://tayorockson.com/podcast/ 3) CHATTING WITH CHAMPIONS (Tyler Basu) http://chattingwithchampions.com/rick... 4) INFINITE UPGRADE (Cole Geier) http://www.infiniteupgrade.com/036-ri... 5) FUEL RADIO (Rod Janz) https://fuelradio.com/make-living-mak... 6) EXTA PAYCHECK PODCAST (Alex Sol) https://blog.extra-paycheck.com/extra... 7) THE LEADERSMITH (Faisal Khattak) http://theleadersmith.com/episode-5-f... 8) HOME OFFICE DAD (Shawn Stratton) https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/home... 9) FATHERHOOD IS LEADERSHIP (Devon Bandison) http://www.devonbandison.com/fil-podc... 10) LIFE OF DAD (Tommy Riles) https://www.lifeofdad.com/30-dads-30-... 11) BACON PODCAST (Brian Basilico) https://baconpodcast.com/episode-127-... 12) HALFTIME MIKE PODCAST (Mike Gingerich) https://www.mikegingerich.com/blog/ta... 13) PARENTOUS (Gunjan Parentous) https://www.parentous.com/ricky-shett... 14) AN EPIC EDUCATION (Jason Jenkins) https://www.anepiceducation.com/eer10... 15) NOMAD TOGETHER (Paul Kortman) https://nomadtogether.com/nomadtogeth... 16) BREAK INTO TRAVEL WRITING (Alexa Williams Meisler) https://breakintotravelwriting.com/bi... 17) THE AWESOME BIZ DADS PODCAST (Tuan Nguyen) http://dudebuddha.com/abd7-learn-the-... 18) ENTREPRENEUR HOT SEAT (Andy Storch) http://www.andystorch.com/podcast/ 19) THE RV FAMILY SUMMIT (Michelle Abraham) http://fulltimetravelnetwork.com/ 20) AMATEUR TRAVELER (Chris Christensen) http://southamerica.amateurtraveler.c... 21) AFFILIATE BUZZ (James Martell) http://jamesmartell.com/affiliate-buz... http://jamesmartell.com/affiliate-buz... 22) PODCASTING MASTERY (James Martell) http://podcastingmastery.com/author/j... 23) EXTRA PACK OF PEANUTS (Travis Sherry) http://extrapackofpeanuts.com/traveli... 24) PROJECT IGNITE (Derek Gehl) https://projectignite.com/the-digital... 25) STAND UP BE YOU (Tequila Dodard) http://tequiladodard.com/work-while-t... 26) THE CANADIAN WANDERER (Charmaine Yip) https://www.thecanadianwanderer.com/j... 27) FATHERHOOD FOR THE REST OF US (Brandon Handley) http://www.fatherhoodfortherestofus.com 28) VANCOUVER REAL PODCAST (Andy and Mike Zaremba) 29) VANCOUVER ENTREPRENEUR PODCAST (Robert Szmigiel) 30) SOCIAL MEDIA CAMP PODCAST (Paul Holmes) 31) NOMAD ME (Beck Power) 32) THE WRITING GYM PODCAST (Annalisa Parent) 33) THE UNBRANDED LIFESTYLE PODCAST (Danielle Mah) 34) THE LIFESTYLE AND MARKETING PODCAST (Colin Campbell)
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March 13, 2018
Our First Time Staying at a Digital Nomad House!!
During our Daddy Blogger World Tour, we have stayed in resorts, hotels, hostels, Airbnbs, and even some home stays! In fact, I have a YouTube Playlist of every single accommodation we have ever stayed in as a family (it’s well over 250 different locations and venues). This will be a great memory trigger for our kids to look back at when they get older and of course a great resource for other traveling and nomadic families. However, until this week, we have yet to stay in a Digital Nomad House…actually, I did not even know that Digital Nomad Houses existed until one of my Podcast Guests told me about NomadLife, an amazing Community House in the heart of San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. It’s quite fitting that we stay here since I have an entire business focused on helping people become Digital Nomads called Digital Nomad Mastery. Here’s 10 Reasons why we LOVED NomadLife so much: 1) THE INCREDIBLE VIEW When I first walked up the stairs and my eyes met the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, my jaws dropped and I could not believe the amazing view! They have a very unique open-space configuration with 10 rooms, a dining room, and a gazebo all facing the ocean. I almost did not want to ever leave the house as I wanted to savour every second of the view! 2) THE SPECTACULAR SUNSETS Every evening at around 6 pm, the sky changed into a masterpiece of various colours – it was almost like God was painting a tapestry just for us to enjoy! One of the reasons why people love San Juan Del Sur so much is that every single evening, you get a spectacular sunset! It’s why so many expats have now chosen to call this small town “Home!” 3) THE KIDS’ INFINITY POOL (WITH FLOATIES)! We have had the pleasure of staying in a few places with Infinity Pools but there was never a dedicated Infinity Kids Pool that was safe for the kids to jump, splash, and swim in. I think the previous owner of the house must have kids as it seemed this Mini Pool was built just for Rianne and Ryan!! They also have 7-8 big floaties to relax and unwind in! 4) THE SUPER FAST WIFI One of the major issues I have had while traveling through South and Central America is unstable, unreliable, and […]
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March 10, 2018
The World’s FIRST Regenerative Hostel
What exactly is a Regenerative Hostel? If you are like me, you probably have no idea. Well, you are about to find out…. If you google “Regenerative Hostel”, the first search result will be Casa Oro, an amazing hostel in the small fishing town and backpacker mecca of San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua. Casa Oro has built up quite the brand over the years as the hub for the tourist and traveller scene since the hostel has 100+ beds spread across 20+ rooms (which include some privates as well as various sizes of dorms) plus an incredible restaurant on site and shuttles to the surrounding beaches. I had the chance to spend lots of quality time with the charismatic owner and visionary Muffadal Saylawala, who has a vision much, much, much bigger than simply owning a profitably hostel…his dream is for Casa Oro to be the most regenerative place on the planet (YES, that is indeed a massive vision). So, in this blog post, that’s the story I want to tell…not simply the story of our stay but the story of Regeneration. It’s not exactly a word we use everyday! So, let me first define it – I think this is the best definition (based on the context of eco-tourism and business): * Regeneration is a term that means different things to different people, ranging from large scale activities that promote economic growth to neighbourhood interventions that improve quality of life. It’s a fusion model of Regeneration which is built on the 3 foundational principles: 1) EMPATHY (People) – the centre of Casa Oro is the people (which includes the owner, managers, staff, and guests) 2) ECOLOGY (Planet) – the focus on environmental-sustainability is evident right from the moment you step foot through the front door 3) ECONOMY (Profits) – this is profit-driven business or in modern-day terms “a social enterprise” that is focused on making money while doing good and helping others So, how does this look like in practice when it comes to Casa Oro: 1) BUILDING MATERIAL (UPCYCLING) – When you walk through the lobby and through the building you will notice the use of bottles in the walls – it’s quite aesthetically beautiful and eco-friendly 2) RECYCLING – Unlike most of South and Central America, Casa Oro puts a huge focus on recycling everything possible (from plastic, to paper, to bottles, to cans, to more…even wine corks and […]
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