This collection of posts has recently caught my attention and I thought all of you might enjoy them as well.

• Paul at Working Dad recently shared a few statistics that show new moms are returning to the rat race faster than ever. Seeing these statistics has reminded me of how fortunate my wife and I are that she has been able to become a SAHM again.

• Over at A Good Husband, Cory recently provided his last minute date ideas – and the best part is that these are likely to be just as successful as any well-planned night of activities. The “date night” is something my wife and I really need to improve upon and we are in the process of finding a reliable babysitter to give us that opportunity.

• Scott Young has shared his insight on how to relax without feeling lazy. Scott explains how open-ended tasks are wasting your time and preventing you from being able to relax – which is something we all need to do.

• Jeff Zbar from Chief Home Officer has coined the phrase work-life compatibility to avoid using one of the 7 taboo words in the home office. Take a look to see what the other overused words – at least according to Michigan’s Lake Superior State University – are and whether you agree or disagree.

• Alex over at the next 45 years provided a few tips on how to live a balanced life. If you have been struggling with the balance, or compatibility if you prefer, between your work and life, this is a great starting point to begin the process of finding more harmony in your life.

While that certainly sounds like it could be the title of a new movie – one I would probably be lining up to see on the opening night – it is actually an introduction for this edition of the Dad Balance Digest.

This collection of posts has recently caught my attention and I thought all of you might enjoy them as well.

• Jeff Zbar from Chief Home Officer likened surfing the Interweb in public to having unprotected sex. Stop by any local coffee shop or book store and there is a good chance that you will find at least one person surfing while completely exposed. The worst part is that the Interweb Transmitted Disease (ITD – don’t go stealing my new phrase) can be just as bad for your health yet many people pay no attention.

• John Low over at Daddee Yah! recently shared some exciting news as they welcomed a new addition to the family. Congratulations to the entire family! The arrival of a new baby is a very exciting time and is likely to be very exhausting as well. Wishing you nothing but the best John!

• Over at Evolving Times, Edward Mills shared the top 10 life lessons that he has learned from his daughter. This is a truly beautiful post and I am sure those of you with children will recognize quite a few of these lessons that your own children may be teaching you. Too often we overlook these amazing lessons that are right there before us and this is a great reminder to enjoy these special moments.

• Scott Thornton from Acuminate has been building a home office with the help of his dad and detailing the process on his blog. Unfortunately Scott’s dad has a wicked sense of humor and was sneakily moving clamps around – or maybe not – and Scott endured a head wound. If I were to attempt a project like this, I am sure I would have been injured much earlier in the process.

When I find something that I particularly enjoy, I make note of it so I can share it with all of you. This edition of Dad Balance Digest includes a few interesting posts on parenting, a work life balance survey, and the lament of the work-at-home dad.

• KRISTV.com out of Corpus Christi, Texas had an interesting article on how to balance parenthood and your profession. As Bruce McGuire has found, a career in IT can offer a good deal of flexibility to allow you the time to be with your family.

• Over at Daddee Yah! there has been a great series of posts discussing the Terrible Two’s. The series kicked off with a question about graduating from the Terrible Two’s and continues to explore being a bully as well as the moments that melt your heart.

• Toddler Daddy has discovered that his young daughter has already learned the art of manipulation. Don’t ever think that kids are not extremely intelligent as they know how to work people to get what they want.

• There is a great post over at Chief Home Officer about the lament of the work-at-home dad. When you work at home you will deal with many misperceptions, sometimes even from your own family!

• According to a recent Monster Survey, many organizations demonstrate that work life balance is not a priority. Unfortunately the survey indicates 89% of employees do think it is important when evaluating a job – sounds like a pretty serious disconnect.

In an effort to help spread the word about work-life balance I wanted to kick off this same tradition here at Dad Balance with the introduction of the Dad Balance Digest. The Dad Balance Digest will be a resource for sharing posts and articles that apply to the issues and concerns that many of us have regarding work-life balance.

Enjoy the premier edition of the Dad Balance Digest!

• Rodney McKenzie was a guest author over at On Balance and shared his story about his layoff’s unexpected bonus. This is a great story about how a dad and his son had an opportunity to bond and share special time together.

• Michael Kwan questions whether you really need to separate work and play. This is often a key concern or question for those that work from home and Michael’s answer might just surprise you.

• When I spoke about facing your challenges head on, I mentioned the idea of stepping outside of your comfort zone. Edward Mills put together an outstanding post that includes 51 ways to expand your comfort zone.

• Scott Young asks if you are giving yourself busy-work. This is a great look at how many of us fill our lives with busy-work and what we can do to improve the situation.

• Dan Olson from Geekdad shared an interesting look at the balance between dad and geek and when it might be best to lean towards the dad side. As a fellow dad and geek, I have to admit that similar thoughts have crossed my mind before but like Dan I have not acted on them.