You could call this, “the day Santa got booted from the mall.” In this case, Santa was me. And I actually got booted from the sidewalk in front of the mall. But the fact of the matter remains. It all began the Saturday afternoon of Thanksgiving weekend, and the parking lot at the local mall … More Hatching my latest scheme: This time, I get Santa kicked out of the mall
“A father carries pictures where his money used to be.” —Steve Martin … More Father’s Day: If you’re lucky, you have received — or now you’re giving — great advice
It’s Kindergarten Graduation Time. Again. It’s been six years since Young Daughter made this same step up to 1st grade. It’s the kind of June morning where the mugginess plasters your shirt to your back, between the shoulders. Parents wave paper programs, coaxing a hint of a breeze. The children are restless. The teachers are … More New memories of Kindergarten, inside looking out: Small students, big hearts
10 years old. Double digits. Whoa. I remember standing in the upstairs hallway of the house I grew up in, contemplating my own 10th birthday. “A decade old,” I told myself. Sounded pretty momentous. Now, the 10th birthday has played itself out once again, but instead of 1968, it’s 2017. My memory slowly records what … More Turning 10: A milestone among memories — but hoping she’ll never outgrow her inner child
“If you’re not good, Santa is going to leave coal in your stocking!” Sure, we’ve all heard it. Said it. Understand the implications of the threat. But have you ever gotten a firsthand eyeful of what happens when this nightmare becomes reality for a child on Christmas morning? Sure, it had been a little rougher … More She found coal in her stocking Christmas morning — I must’ve had rocks in my head
To believe, or not to believe. Last year, we wondered if it was the last Christmas for Santa Claus with Young Daughter. It’s bittersweet, since she’s been a fervent believer since she could recognize the jolly old fellow. We’ve watched the Polar Express the past few years, hoping it will ease the transition. I tell … More This year’s Santa Claus: Hoping her beliefs evolve – not vanish
What am I really supposed to do when we see each other in the hallway or the library or the cafeteria? The first time this became an issue, I never saw it coming. I was trying to land a job at my daughter’s charter school. There was nothing too terribly wrong with my current job. I was working … More More Daddy-Daughter dynamics: Thawing the Cold Shoulder (if you can put your finger on it)
Forty years. Sounds like a long time. That’s probably because it is a long time, even if you’re one of those Galapagos turtles. There’s a Pink Floyd lyric that’s always been lodged in my brain (taking up room that should be devoted to more important matters): “Then one day you find, 10 years have got … More 40th Class Reunion pits memories vs. ambivalence; what’ll it be like for her?
He casts a magic spell, as our daughter leans back in the plush seat. That’s the euphemism favored by our children’s dentist, who refuses to use the term “pulling teeth” in front of his young clientele. “I just lean back and breathe through that mask. Next thing I know, he’s done his magic!” Unfortunately, “magic” has become … More Days of ‘magic’ might be passing for her — but never for parents
Younger Child is getting older. We marked her 9th birthday with a truly enjoyable trip to the American Girl Doll store in New York City, and took in another few attractions. I didn’t expect a birthday to bring overnight changes in Younger Daughter, of course. The changes are there, but they are slow to evolve. The … More The Banana Incident: Dad stands firm, instead of slipping up
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