Every once in a while, a parent is fortunate enough to look back on his or her past and suddenly see how it has become part of today and is destined to play an important role in a child’s future. This happened recently, unexpectedly, when these three timelines merged, all in one steamy afternoon. It … More Recognizing how we’re alike, while others unfairly fear differences
One of the many gifts a child can share with you is the joy of imagination, the ability to sidestep the real world and build a unique environment — one that that can pull in adults and help them recover their own memories of childhood imagination. Each day is another amazing display of how deep … More The wonder of imagination: Wayward fish gets a condo; preparing for ‘awful’ nuptials
It’s interesting as to how life can take amazing twists and turns and yet somehow manage to land exactly where you hoped it was headed in the first place — even if it’s walking down the aisle at a wedding. No, our daughter isn’t getting married at the tender age of soon-to-be 9 years old. But she … More 4 years, a broken arm, a broken vow — but she finally walked the aisle as a flower girl
“You are not your job. “I’ve been telling you that for two years.” My wife and I were surfing the wake of yet another oh-so-close interview that failed to land the job. In the two years since I was drummed out of the ranks of fully employed editors/writers, there have been many highs and lows. I’ve learned, even after … More Identity crisis: It’s back to (before) Square One, but it’s a full-time gig
It sounded like a blog-worthy idea: Similar, coincidental events of reasonable significance overlapping between the 56-year-old and the 7-year-old. Opportunities for a few clever comments, and some deep-thought wisdom. That’s how these blog posts work: An idea presents itself; it crystallizes and then synchronizes my brain and my fingers. Truth be told (shouldn’t it always … More A Tale of Two Mouths: The Tooth Fairy pulls through
Last week, we had one of those “Yes, Virginia” moments. Knew it would happen eventually. Standing in the supermarket aisle, she turns to me and asks, “Is Santa Claus real?” I wondered if she intentionally phrased the question that way. It wasn’t the standard believe-don’t believe inquiry. Still, my immediate thought was that this would … More For grown-up and kids, Santa’s true home lies between the manger and the mall — deep in our hearts
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
Certainly I’ve been accused of being a Luddite when it comes to modern communications technology. I prefer to think of it as old-fashioned — a choice I make. That’s why it’s been a source of pride to me that our 7-year-old old has picked up on my interest (devotion?) to reading a printed newspaper. Every time … More Today’s news: She reads the paper — beware of what you wish for
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
What happened to plain old jelly beans? In my recent role as the Easter Bunny’s assistant, I needed to pick up a few things for the youngster’s basket and Easter morning egg hunt. Pretty simple stuff: jelly beans and Peeps. Not so simple. I went for the Peeps first. The sugar-coated sugar blobs have become … More The Great Jelly Bean Hunt — and overwhelmed by Peeps
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