Allen Brokken 
Storyteller, Author, Technology Strategist.

Brick by Brick Build Instructions here If you've seen my Darth Vader's Bathroom videos you know that I have a lot of fun adding sound effects to things. With Christmas just around the corner, I realized there may be some parents out there looking to add more power to that awesome Lego set they picked up on Black Friday. So, I thought I'd put together a quick tutorial on how to make a custom sound effect box to add to any Lego. I use the FOSA Voice Recording Module* for the

In last week's post I talked about the benefits of my regular discipline around connecting with my family. In this week's post I'm providing some quick tips for you to start to establish your own practice. As I thought about my own journey, I realized that many dads were struggling the way I was. They continue to be overworked and overwhelmed with the state of the world. It’s nearly impossible to go a day without hearing about the next world-ending crisis. So, what can a dad

In the previous blog post, I discussed how I built a regular discipline around preparing to connect with my family. In this post, I’ll be talking about the unexpected benefits of this activity. As I started to work on this regular connection with my kids, it was a little lame at first. It’s one thing to ask your kids, “and then what happened”; it’s another to make it all up on your own. The first couple of mini stories fell flat, not because they were “bad,” but because they

My last post talked about the demands of the consulting lifestyle, and the challenge of connecting with my kids when I was far away. So, there I was, leaving my child hanging, again with nothing to say. I hated these moments. Before consulting, I used to cherish time with my kids every night. We would sit and read picture books. I would tuck them into bed and help them say their prayers. Then, in those moments far from home, I couldn’t even think of something to say. One nig

In part 1 of this series, I talked about my life leading up to becoming a traveling consultant. This post picks up just after walking through the portal to this new life. The best way to describe my first year of Microsoft Consulting Services is that it was periods of technological euphoria, punctuated by moments of absolute terror. I joined the company as a remote employee in 2008, before working remotely was cool. I flew to Minneapolis to onboard to the company and then sta

You might have noticed the update to my profile picture. It’s hard to miss the little “Cool Dad everyone’s talking about” emoji. Some might say that it is pretty unprofessional for work, maybe even a bit arrogant. But I thought if high achievers can signify their achievement with the company red jacket or Rolex at work, it shouldn't be a big deal to share my most significant award. That said, not everyone gets the significance of this little word bubble so let me explain. If

Have you ever had your child ask, "What did you do today?" and you just don't have any words left? Between the literal 14 back to back conference calls, extended shift on the factory floor, or travel day to clients you cant find a thing to say. I've had more than my fair share of those days and will be sharing strategies for overcoming that challenge at The Great Homeschool Convention in Saint Louis next week. Learn More Can't make the event in person? Email contact@allenb

The homeschooling parents I know tend to have a tough time finding clean fiction written by contemporary authors. It was the same struggle I had personally as a homeschooling parent. I got so fed up with the choices in the market I wrote my own. While on my writing journey I've had the good fortune to meet a number of amazing indie and traditionally published Christian Authors, and read their books. I was cleaning up my office recently and realized I have a pile of books ju

Children who are gifted to work with technology can find it hard to see themselves as a part of God's story. They aren't warriors like the mighty David, prophets of God's word like Jeremiah, or politicians saving their people like Esther. However, there are many unsung heroes of the the faith who were architects, engineers and builders. This session will highlight the faith of those accomplishing technical feats large and small, including Noah, Hiram, and The Proverbs 31 Woma

Allen Brokken will be speaking at the Homeschooling Dads online conference, launching June 19. This virtual conference can be attended at any time and the speakers are committed to answering your questions and equipping you to be a better Home Schooling Dad. Lessons Learned Starting / Operating Enrichment Clubs As a homeschooling family, it's not always easy to find clubs and activities that meet your children's unique needs. This session will discuss my experience collabor

This a collection of verses we feel every child should memorize to help ground them in the essential truths of the Christian faith. 1) Why do we memorize Bible verses? Our first verse answer this question: "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" - 2 Timothy 3:16 The Bible is full of truth about God, ourselves, and the world. When we memorize the Bible we will have these truths in our hearts so as to not f

Parents have been teaching their children at home for centuries. So while it may seem intimidating at first, once you've identified the key elements of how to home school you too can be successful teaching your student how to be effective in society. After you've determined "why" you want to home school the next step is understanding how you will do so successfully. How to home school is a question with answered as varied as people are. Each child is different, each family'

With everyone getting a taste of schooling their children at home this past year, many parents are asking a question they wouldn’t have...

Have you ever had someone in authority, a boss, coach, teacher try to convince you of something that just wasn't true? Was that same person trying to influence your children? Were they so convincing that you started to question your own judgement? There's a term for that, gaslighting. Wikipedia more specifically defines the term: Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or a group covertly sows seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or group, ma

As everyone's work situation has been turned upside down scenes like this have become common place. Despite our best efforts to find a quiet place to conduct our call family, dogs, construction, etc... Have come to be an omni-present worry. We hear a lot about things like Zoom fatigue from being "on" all day for the camera. It only gets worse when there is the potential at any time for your toddler to blast in on you, or you have some stir crazy teenagers suddenly blast off i

On May 25th America watched a great tragedy, a man in Minneapolis died with a police officer's knee on his back while pleading for his life. Since then, protests and riots have flooded our streets and towns, and Americans have become more and more divided. Black vs. white Cops are bad vs. cops are good. Black Lives Matter vs. All Lives Matter As we have moved forward with this, the lines of nuance have continued to become more blurred, everyone is screaming louder and louder,

I (Lauren) spent this morning reading the book Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliott for class, very timely. At the beginning of the book, she defines suffering as “wanting what you do not have or having what you do not want.” Her definition of suffering intends to cover everything from the most trivial day to day inconveniences to life-changing devastation. Almost everyone is suffering currently. As a collective, we have what we do not want, a pandemic, and man