By acting like a grown-up, he was showing his son that might wasn’t always right, even if the bullies sometimes walk away with the prize. … More Everyone talks about ‘Phillies Karen’ — but Dad and Son ‘just doing the right thing’ is the true lesson
Regrets … I’ve had a few … The older I get, the fewer regrets I hang on to, not that there were many to start with. I’ve had a great run for many years, and I’m not done yet. Many ups, many downs. Now I find myself sandwiched between childhood, parenthood, and spouse-hood. While my … More Regret: My Mother can’t realize how rebellious Daughter has inherited her ‘wild streak’
“I just want to stop by for a minute and pet the cats, and pick up something.” It was the first Monday following Daughter’s move, setting up house in a beachside condo with her boyfriend. She was coming off a 10.5 hour shift at the sandwich shop, but she was in a bright mood. The … More Our Empty Nest arrived early — but we’re rolling with some of the same requests from Daughter
One day I blinked, and she was 16, buying her own car and paying her own insurance. I momentarily rubbed my eyes, and when my fingers dropped, she’ had turned 18 and signed a lease for her own place (with boyfriend). Getting such a late start on fatherhood, as I did, I guess I must … More What? Younger Daughter has turned 18! Dad’s still Old (even Older). Where does the time go?
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
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
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
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
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
The first time I met my daughter’s kindergarten teacher, I knew it. Sure, it happens a lot. You try to push it aside in your mind, but it’s still there: I’m old enough to be this person’s father. And then some. It makes me wonder what they see and say to themselves when they see … More Push it out of my mind? It’s not that easy …
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