Gotta love MacGyver. I’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of his exploits in my public speaking over the years. But I’ve just now discovered (what maybe some of you already know) a book called What Would MacGyver Do?
[Here we see MacGyver carrying a Smart Bomb he's just thrown together from a gameboy circuit board, toy airplane parts and a giant novelty pacifier]

Back to the book. Want a sample of the wisdom contained therein? Read on …

Problem: It’s 2 A.M. and you’re out of Luvs

Fast fix: A do-it-yourself diaper, courtesy of Gary Greenberg, author of Be Prepared: A Practical Handbook for New Dads. Place a clean sweat sock lengthwise down the center of a clean dish towel and fold the top and bottom of the towel over it to create a square. Lay your baby on top and fold the towel between his legs so it rests on his tummy. Tuck the front corners inside the back corners and secure them with duct tape. Not too tight, now. Tip: Duct tape on the baby’s skin results in bloodcurdling screams.

Problem: It’s 3 A.M. and she’s still crying

Fast fix: Unscrew the antenna from a portable radio, switch to AM, and find a spot between stations that emits static. This “white noise” mimics the muffled sounds the baby heard in the womb. One recent study found that babies listening to white noise were three times more likely to fall asleep than those in quiet rooms. Running a blow-dryer or vacuum cleaner also works, but you have to stay up with it until she falls asleep. Better idea: Go to beprepared.net and download a free 5-minute recording of white noise. Burn it onto a CD and set your player on repeat in the nursery.

Problem: You dread flying with kids

Fast fix: If you don’t want to buy a seat for your baby, you and your partner should reserve the window and aisle seats in the same row, leaving the middle seat open. Middle seats always fill up last. And even if someone ends up there, as soon as they see the baby, they’ll beg the flight attendant for reassignment, says Greenberg. If you have toddlers, choose the bulkhead rows, which offer the most legroom and a wall they can bounce their toys off, or seats in the back of the plane near the toilets, whose knobs and buttons provide some diversion.

Problem: They won’t stop whining

Fast fix: Pretend you can’t understand them when they do. They whine because they want, say, the cotton candy or the laser light sword. If you just look at them and say, “Sorry, I can’t understand what you’re asking for.” They’ll get frustrated and quit. If they persist, see “Meltdown” below.

Problem: Meltdown in aisle 7 at Toys R Us

Fast fix: To combat a full-blown tantrum, follow this three-step sequence from Nanny Deb of Fox’s Nanny 911: (1) Bend down to the child’s level instead of towering over. (2) Make eye contact. (3) In a low voice, tell him or her to breathe and calm down. This models the behavior you want. But you can often avoid tantrums by preparing your kids for trips to the store. “Tell them beforehand exactly what you are going there for and exactly what’s going to happen,” says Deb. “If nothing works, try a time-out in a quiet part of the store to help the child regroup; one minute for every year of age.”

Problem: The kids want to play; you want to read the sports section

Fast fix: Play 52 Pickup (works best with kids under 3). Take a deck of playing cards and bend the deck between your thumb and first two fingers until the cards spring up, out, and all over the floor. This delights the tykes to no end. “Do it again, Daddy,” they’ll squeal. Instruct them to collect the cards and match the suits. This should take 10 minutes. Repeat.

Problem: She’s been stung by a bee

Fast fix: If the stinger is in the skin, gently scrape it out with the edge of a credit card. Pulling the stinger with tweezers could squeeze the venom sac and release more venom. Clean the area with soap and water; then cool it with ice wrapped in a cloth for 10 to 30 minutes. A paste of baking soda and water applied to the area for 15 minutes will help relieve pain.

Problem: Your son’s penis is caught in his zipper

Fast fix: Set him in front of the TV and put on cartoons. That’ll take his mind off the wire snippers in your hand. First, try gently backing the zipper off the skin. Not working? Then use the wire snippers to carefully cut the zipper’s median bar (the little piece of metal that holds the front and back of the zipper clasp together). It will come undone.

Problem: Aunt Helen died and you have to tell your 6-year-old

Fast fix: Never say, “She’s sleeping.” “Kids are very literal at this age, and if you explain death as sleeping, they might develop a fear of going to bed at night,” says Debbie Glasser, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and founder of NewsForParents.org. Kids already have some concept of death from TV and pet hamsters. “Be honest and reassuring,” says Glasser. “Gently explain that all living things die eventually and that you’ll miss Aunt Helen. Tell your child that you’re here to love and care for him.”

Problem: They ask the tough questions

Fast fix: Get wise, Pop. [I'd add, either answer them - Q. Dad, why do stars twinkle? A. They don't. The movement of warm and cold air in the sky bends the light from the stars in different directions, giving starlight a twinkling action - or distract them - Q. Daddy, why are those 2 men wanting to get married? A. Hey is that a Gummy Bear on the floor!? - Pete]

Problem: Twelve-year-old Annie wants to expose her midriff at the mall

Fast fix: “This is a difficult dance to dance,” says Glasser. The key is to lay down the law, be unyielding, but also respect your daughter’s individuality. Tell her that while you understand that she wants to choose her own look, your family has certain nonnegotiable values. You’d be happy to take her to the mall and shop for other clothes that work for her, but belly shirts are a no-go. “If you make your values clear without yelling and without demeaning your daughter, you’ll have a better chance of her accepting your decision,” explains Glasser.

For more, visit this MSN Message Board for 8 pages of homegrown tips from other Dads. Run out of nappies/diapers? Sick of your kids pushing the shopping trolley into other people and displays? Kid refusing to go to bed at bedtime? There’s an answer here for them all!

Ya gotta love a Man’s approach to parenting:

a) there’s a problem
b) fix it
c) get back to your life