Hopefully, you have learned to moderate your news consumption during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Three-and-a-half months in I've learned that all I really need is 15 minutes of news, twenty if I want to read an article or two in depth. It's good to keep up on any new developments of how the virus transmits, … Continue reading We Know About the Coronavirus Already
Routines develop throughout life. We wake-up, drop the kids off at the prospective camps or schools and we go to work. Tuesday's are spaghetti nights. Movie and pizza nights are Fridays. Routines are good. They're comfortable, efficient, and allow us to build lives. There are rythms to dinner, to our work life, to our relationships. … Continue reading Rythm, Ruts and Hot Air
Here it comes. There are occational moments around my house where my almost seven-year-old son will say, "What can I do? There's nothing to do." I'm a fixer, so I've always been quick to list off a number of things after suggesting he help with cleaning up. But here is why I'm thinking of switching … Continue reading Dad, What Can I Do?
According to this blurb, parents who practice self care help their kids by: 1. Lowering stress levels 2. Teaching our children to value their health and wellbeing 3. Being better, healthier, calmer parents That's all great in theory. And it makes perfect sense. When I'm in better health, I'm much more patient with my kids. I … Continue reading Parents Take Care of Kids by Taking Care of Themselves
My almost-seven-year-old son was taking a bath with his sister. Bath nights at our house can drag for up to an hour, and I was getting tired of nagging to get out of the tub. I decided to lay down outside my kids' view next to the tub on the bathroom floor. After a minute … Continue reading “Dad’s Dead,” But Don’t Get Heated
He did it. The coach told my son to leave the club sport. The story according to my six-year-old son was that he was hanging out, playing on the mats (not playing basketball,) and the coach asked him to leave. The school then called to pick him up early. Proverbs 4:7 says to get wisdom. … Continue reading Want to Stop Reacting to Your Conclusions? Seek to Understand.
We live in an extreme climate where winter tries to kill you. We've experienced the polar vortex and now 32+ inches of snow in one month. So I made a comment to my six-year-old son while on yet another snow day at home from school that he should get to work and shovel snow for … Continue reading Economics Lessons from My Six Year Old
Read books and blogs. Talk with other parents. Go to birthing classes, even parenting classes, before your baby comes. All a good idea, but nothing will truly prepare you for parenthood than actually becoming a parent. The weight of responsibility. The financial costs. The energy they have. The stubbornness they deliver. The temper-tantrums. All will … Continue reading Who’s the Teacher and Who’s the Student Here?
Fatherhood is a lot of work. There are times where there is no end in sight, and it feels like I won't spend a minute to myself for the next month on end. Fatherhood, and motherhood, is also a lot of joys. You hear people say children are a gift, a blessing, a joy. To … Continue reading Encouraging, Enriching and Acknowledging the Joy of Childhood
Gratitude is good for your psychological health, and now researchers are even tracking whether or not gratitude could have physical health benefits, too. So I thought what better way to invigorate writing about fatherhood and faith than a thank you list to my dad. The job of parenting rarely receives accolades. I don’t think I … Continue reading A New Year’s Day Thank You to My Dad
Father Through Me 