Typically, the American public pays attention to public education twice a year, at graduation and back to school. If this were any normal year, our family would be preparing for one of those cherished memories – our eldest kid’s first day of kindergarten. But this year is far from normal and the only thing we’re preparing for is month six of Camp Quarantine.
Read More“Daddy, can we go to the zoo, today?”
“Not today, baby. The zoo isn’t open. It’s closed because of the sickness, remember?
We have this conversation every few days.
Read MoreGrowing up, a sharp line separated “grown folks’ business” and kid activities. There was occasional overlap, but for the most part, adults and children occupied different orbits around the same familial planet. Information for children was on a “need to know” basis and adult affairs (the business kind) were conducted in mystery and sealed with a code of silence.
Read MoreOne thing you learn from parenthood is to trust your instincts, especially where your children are concerned. It’s an important lesson if, like me, you’re someone who once prided themselves on being a “rationalist” and considered “analytical” among the highest compliments. Fortunately, time, experience, and children have (belatedly) broadened my view.
Read MoreNew year, new you. January is the month of reinvention. Or, at least, the month to aspire toward reinvention. The last few days on social media have been like an online self-help convention. Each scroll uncovers reflections on the past year and motivational speeches for the next one. Everywhere you look, people are pledging to cast off their old bad habits and adopt new ones. Time to transform. Time to become the best version of yourself!
Read MoreNostalgia is a hell of a drug. Nothing gives me a bigger high than when my daughter connects with some treasured artifact from my past. And when that connection involves reading, the thrill is multiplied.
Read MoreI used to hate holidays. I was the Grinch that stole Christmas, Halloween, the 4th of July and Arbor Day. Too much hassle, too many arguments, and too much labor for so little benefit.
Read MoreEvery parent wants the best for their child. What’s harder to determine is where the line between good, supportive child rearing ends and obsessive, hover-parenting begins. Few topics blur that line more than education.
Read MoreIf you’ve ever had the experience of being “the only one” growing up, you live in fear of a certain day. Well, several days, but the first occurs when your child becomes conscious of their difference and expresses insecurity about it.
Read MoreEach summer, my wife and I make the annual cross-country pilgrimage to visit family. If you’ve never had the pleasure of taking a long vacation with multiple young children…
Read MoreA few months ago, I ran across a Tweet – now lost to the ether – that said, “There’s nothing more humbling than disciplining your kid when they’re demonstrating your own flaws.”
Read MoreAbout three months ago, I traded my wife in for a roommate. I didn’t have much choice, actually. She found a new man who has been taking all of her time. So, I packed up my most important belonging and moved in with the girl down the hall.
Read MoreParenthood is illuminating for any number of reasons, many of which have nothing to do with the child. It shines a light on the parents’ personalities, on the nature of their relationship (if two partners are involved), and on the culture of their society.
Read More“A woman becomes a mother when she’s pregnant, a man becomes a father when the baby is born.” At least, that’s what a friend told us when my wife and I were expecting our first child.
Read MoreEveryone always says that having kids will change your life. It sure as hell does, but it also makes you reflect on your own life – especially your childhood – almost nonstop.
Read More
