I was given this mug when I was seven years old. I vaguely remember an ivy of some sort growing out of the soil, planted into its "no spill" design. I loved everything about it, the color, the design, the sail boats. I received this cup during a week in the hospital for the removal … Continue reading No Saving
We're running a challenging little experiment in our house. Challenging because it constitutes finding 10 minutes twice a day for each parent to spend with each child. Amy McCready calls this 10-minutes, twice per day, per adult caregiver Mind, Body & Soul time in her book If I have to Tell You One More Time...The Revolutionary … Continue reading Raising Kids in Just 10 Minutes Twice A Day
Twenty driving hours in the car, countless pit stops and thousands of crumbs and spills. And probably less than three of these hours included a device. Summer road trip season is an exciting time with lots of planning, packing, prepping and packing some more, especially when it involves a potty-training toddler and a very busy … Continue reading What!? No Movies for the Road-Trip?
"I will kill you mother f*&^$%. I will stab you," she said. And there was more. A full on rant. I can't seem to recall additional pieces of the swearing that was taking place but it seemed to go on and on. This wasn't the latest Netflix series, so there was no mute button for … Continue reading Can You Please Watch Your Mouth?
To my six-year-old son and my two-year-old daughter, Thanks for spending Father's Day with me. Okay, so you didn't really have a choice. And at this age, you still want to, but in the spirit of Dad's Day I thought I'd write you a quick letter with some dad tips to look back on. All … Continue reading A Post-Father’s Day Letter to My Kids: You’re My Hope for the Future
My son's school has a uniform. The last week of school and he wanted to wear gym shoes instead of the more formal black standards. My first reaction was no, it's not a gym day. Can't. Then I recall how I always reacted to no or can't. Yup, I was one of those don't tell … Continue reading Substituting a Why or a What or a How: Paths to a Two-Way Relationship
For those of us in the grown up role, fathering and mothering young children, the mundane and necessary can be something to fear or even procrastinate. Shopping for groceries for example, is often scheduled sans kids. Dinner prep can be a time to fear. Laundry is a never ending chore. Never mind basic cleaning to … Continue reading Involving Your Kids in the Mundane and Necessary
My perfection often leads to procrastination or frustration, depending on whether or not I take action. After at least five months of having the box in my basement, I decided to take action and install my son's ceiling fan. My six-year old son moved upstairs when he was four, at the arrival of his little … Continue reading Just Do Your Best and a Bunch of Hot Air
According to the New York Times article, the U.S. Fertility rate has fallen to a record low for a second straight year. Populations ebb and flow, but it is important to keep humanity around. This thought makes me think of one of the Bible verses read during my wedding ceremony from Genesis 1:28: "Be fruitful and … Continue reading Thanks for Raising Our Future
Trees have leaves again, new growth is happening in the forest and the fiddle-ferns are sprouting. Joking with my wife about Mother's Day being "her day" to do whatever she wants, she wanted to get outside and enjoy a perfect spring day in Minnesota. We ventured out of town, brought a picnic lunch and even … Continue reading Mother’s Day is Over, Can You Go Back to Making the Kids’ Breakfast?
