Category: Father

She found coal in her stocking Christmas morning — I must’ve had rocks in my head

December 30, 2016

“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

More Daddy-Daughter dynamics: Thawing the Cold Shoulder (if you can put your finger on it)

November 13, 2016

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)

The Banana Incident: Dad stands firm, instead of slipping up

May 10, 2016

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

Final say on Obituaries: Now it’s ‘Surrounded by family members’

March 6, 2016

You could say I’ve had a lifelong interest in obituaries. It began with writing them, in the early days of my career in journalism, and continues even today. But it makes me wonder about the future of these re-caps, recounting and chronicling of someone’s life.   I fear the importance of and attention to printed … More Final say on Obituaries: Now it’s ‘Surrounded by family members’

Book ‘shares’ Lost in Space? NASA Barbie goes for a ride — Sally Ride, that is

February 20, 2016

They used to call them book reports, back in my day. Plain and simple, with your neatest handwriting. There was a word count, and you learned the tricks for padding your prose. Book reports were generally a chore, and squelched the joy of reading. Some short-sighted classmates would “borrow” information from the inside of the book … More Book ‘shares’ Lost in Space? NASA Barbie goes for a ride — Sally Ride, that is

Tiny daggers to a child’s heart: It’s parents who feel them most — and deepest

November 11, 2014

When your child comes home with one of those little daggers in her heart — or you sense the threat of one — parental instincts move into overdrive. One time while she was in Pre-K, our daughter had spent a great deal of time at home drawing and coloring four unique pictures for four of … More Tiny daggers to a child’s heart: It’s parents who feel them most — and deepest

When parents do what they have to do to keep the family afloat

September 7, 2014

We didn’t have a lot of money when I was growing up. (Wait — isn’t that what everyone says?) It was a time when Moms stayed at home and Dads earned the paychecks. We had one “previously owned” car. I remember watching my father pull out the back seat and anchor and install seat belts, … More When parents do what they have to do to keep the family afloat

Still unemployed — an unfortunate sign of times, it appears

June 2, 2014

This particular column isn’t really about the joys of being an older father with a younger child. It’s still closely linked to that theme, but it’s more about the serious implications that can occur and cast a shadow over that relationship. One day last summer, I was on my way to a job interview in downtown … More Still unemployed — an unfortunate sign of times, it appears

Wonder Woman vs. the UFO: Halloween’s sweet memories (not the candy)

October 28, 2013

I still remember the Halloween my mother duded me up as the then-TV hero Green Hornet. There was the dark green hand-me-down, knee-length coat, which was too uncool for me to wear as a raincoat. The green mask covering my eyes, and the toy gun in my pocket, completed the get-up. I think it was … More Wonder Woman vs. the UFO: Halloween’s sweet memories (not the candy)

Summer, summer camp, and a trail of kid’s clothing

June 29, 2013

Summer camp was once something more like a luxury, when stay-at-home Moms ruled the roost and there was less need to keep the kids safely occupied. In today’s two-wage-earner families, though, summer camp is often a necessity. It’s the only way a lot of kids can maintain any sort of social contact with their peers … More Summer, summer camp, and a trail of kid’s clothing