In our house, it only takes one “no” to stop things. If either my wife or I say “no” it doesn’t matter what the other parent says. We may talk about it privately after the fact, but as far as the kids are concerned, one “no” is all it takes. You can understand, then, why […]
Read MoreAt dinner the other night, I was trying to get the kids to talk about their day. After a series of shrugs and noncommittal “yeah”s, my wife finally lent a hand. She pointed her fork at our four-year old. “Did you play with Isabella?” He laughed. “Yeah! We played in car line. I pushed her […]
Read MoreLast Sunday, my wife decided to go to the church where she teaches instead of the church we usually attend. Since there was no Sunday school that day, I was left to make my own call regarding our Sunday morning activities. “We’re playing hookie,” I told the kids when they ran into our bedroom. They […]
Read MoreThere’s an old-fashioned putt-putt golf course down by the marina in the old city of St. Augustine. It doesn’t have any large structures, windmills, or anything like that, but it’s a nice little relaxed course with a great view of the St. Johns. Last time we visited St. Augustine, we asked the kids if they […]
Read MoreWhen the kids get up in the morning, they run to our room, climb into bed with us, and try to convince us to get up. At least that’s what they usually do. Sometimes, instead of trying to get us up, they’re still sleepy and prefer snuggling. Being generally sleep deprived, I much prefer the snuggling […]
Read MoreMy kids have no respect for the bathroom. If I am occupied behind the locked bathroom door, they feel no hesitation about pounding on the door and shouting to me. That was the case this morning. First I heard my oldest’s voice raised in an angry shout. “But you have to! I’m bigger. You have […]
Read MoreThe other evening at dinner, my youngest son put down his fork and looked at me. “Daddy,” he said. “What was it like before there were cars?” “Hey! I’m not that old!” Unfortunately, he looked surprised. “You’re not?” “No, I’m not. If you really want to know, you should ask your mo-” “Don’t even think […]
Read MoreToday’s tale is in the Chronicle. Click here to read it. Terms for Searchers: Wii Fit, Christmas, wife, frying pan
Read MoreOver the past month or so, I’ve been teaching the boys how to take showers by themselves. For the 6-year old, of course, this is no big deal. For the 4-year old, it’s a bit more challenging. It also would have been easier if I’d told my wife. It’s not that I was hiding it […]
Read MoreBoth my boys were thumb suckers. We had a terrible time getting my oldest to stop, and now we’re fighting the battle with my youngest (who is four years old). He’s trying, but it seems to be a very difficult habit to break. This morning, I thought I’d take a quick look through my notes […]
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