Dads in the Limelight ( #limelightdads ) – Christian Toto ( @daddylibrium ) #dadchat

I’m an entertainment journalist and film critic whose reviews can be heard on radio stations in Denver and D.C. as well as on the nationally syndicated “Dennis Miller Show.” I previously appeared on the TV program “Good Day Colorado” in Denver and starred in a TV commercial for Examiner.com. Read more about Christiam here – daddylibrium.com

I’m a happily married (right, honey?) father of two boys – Eli (4) and Ben (2). My wife and I met in D.C. but moved to Denver seven-plus years ago. We couldn’t be happier with our choice of city although I’ll always miss the East Coast and our skin is perpetually dry.

Time, of course, or the lack thereof. Trying to squeeze in a smattering of personal time in any given day can be brutal since caring for my sons always comes first. Managing meltdowns is a very close second. Oh, and keeping the house clean is a constant battle.

Don’t neglect your marriage. If your relationship sours every other aspect of your life, from parenting to personal time, will go south, too. Make sure to let off steam when necessary, set up date nights on a regular basis and learn from your wife’s parenting skills.

It’s a work in progress. I make sure to take the boys for adventures (the park, supermarket shopping, dinner) to give my wife time by herself. She routinely does the same for me. We also encourage each other to go out with the guys/gals at least once a week to let us bond with friends and keep those ties strong.

I’m always amazed at how creative and passionate my fellow fathers can be. I attended the annual Stay at Home Dads’ convention a few weeks ago and marveled at how clever dads can be when it comes to nurturing and disciplining their kids. The old saw that dads fumble and bumble while taking care of their children is sheer nonsense.

It’s more challenging than anyone will tell you. The baby years are hard. Toddler time is worse. It’s a constant challenge. When you stumble upon a solid parenting strategy your children will change overnight and you’ll need a new plan. Give yourself a break from time to time when you have a parental fail. It happens, but you shouldn’t come down too hard on yourself.

Watching our boys grow confident in their language skills … watching my wife give birth (the first time was more amazing because it was all new to me) … any time my boys ride my shoulders at the ball park … watching my tough as nails younger son finally go to sleep after a day of toddler mania … making my sons laugh (without resorting to poop jokes) … watching my older son make friends in an instant with fellow kids at the playground or mall … just too many to list, really.