Boys & Girls

Raising kids from toddler to twelve. Character, chores, school, screens and the childhood they will thank you for.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

The Screen-Time ResetThe honest why, a 30-day reset challenge, 100 things to do instead and a family tech agreement you can print.Start the reset

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Nobody has improved on the hand plane

Roman carpenters had one. Your grandfather did too. Why a good used hand plane still beats most of what's sold as an upgrade.

StoryTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Nobody has improved the claw hammer, and plenty have tried

It drives nails and pulls them with one lump of steel and a stick. Inducting the claw hammer into the Garage Hall of Fame.

Ask BRO

Rehearse the raise conversation with me

Ask it

GuidePreparednessWes DunbarOct 11, 20266 min

Get under the table, then bolt the bookcase to the wall

Drop, Cover, Hold On takes ten seconds to learn. The bookcase behind you takes one Saturday to fix, and it's the part most people skip.

Shirts.com — Design it with AI. Wear it this week.

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Gear6 min read

Buy him the better version of what he's nursing along

Gifts for him in three budgets, plus one to save for and one that's free. Every one of them gets used.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Housewarming Gifts a New Homeowner Will Use the First Week

Skip the candle. Gifts by budget that get used before the boxes are unpacked, and a few that last long after the mortgage is paid.

GuideGadgetsDean ShawOct 9, 20266 min

Skip the smart home gadgets that rent you your own house

A camera that goes blind when you stop paying isn't a purchase. It's a lease on your own front porch. Here's what to skip, and what to buy.

CancerDefying.com — The research, protocols and reading in one place

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GuideGearDean ShawOct 10, 20266 min

Gifts for Dad he'll still be using in twenty years

Four budgets, one test: will he reach for it on an ordinary Tuesday? Gifts that last, get used, and bring the family around the same table.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

GuideStyleTobias ReedOct 9, 20266 min

Seven kinds of clothes that quit before the season does

Thin tees, bagging stretch denim, collars that bubble. How to spot a garment built to die young, and what to buy in its place.

GuideCan You Fix ItWes DunbarOct 9, 20265 min

Miracle sprays and magic tapes fix the demo, not your house

The as-seen-on-TV repair aisle sells speed. Six gimmicks to leave on the shelf, what to do instead, and the one case where each earns its keep.

Ask BRO

Plan a cook for eight people

Ask it

GuideGearDean ShawOct 9, 20265 min

You work in an office. Nothing you own needs to be tactical.

Combat pens and MOLLE backpacks do nothing for a man with a cubicle. Plain gear does more, and some of it is worth real money.

Coconut.com — Tell us when. We find where the sun is.

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GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawOct 9, 20266 min

The 200-piece tool set is a number, not a toolbox

Most of that count is bits and keys you'll never touch. Skip the big box and build a kit around the tools that actually do the work.

Poll

Where does your phone charge overnight?

GuideHomeWes DunbarOct 9, 20265 min

The kitchen drawer you can't close is full of these

Seven single-job gadgets that take up space and do worse work than a knife, a pan, or a fork you already own.

GuideGadgetsDean ShawOct 9, 20265 min

Gold-plated cables and the other things you can leave on the shelf

The pitch comes right after you've spent real money, when a small add-on feels like nothing. Six to pass on, what to do instead, and the one case where each is fair.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

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GuideCarsDean ShawOct 9, 20267 min

Seven car upsells to turn down before you sign

The finance office and the service lane run on extras you didn't ask for. Here's what each one promises, what to do instead, and the rare case it pays.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.