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I know my column is from my personal perspective, and often about my personal life. Yet I feel this topic is more confessional than many others and affects me too often. I take things too personally. Having this deficiency is truly toxic when you are raising kids or beginning a new marriage, both of which [...]
Category Archives: Thoughts and opinions
When He Asks, Give the Boy a Poodle
August 4, 2009 – 7:47 pm
“Frogs and snails and puppy-dogs’ tails — that’s what little boys are made of.” – Early nineteenth century nursery rhyme There comes a time in just about every dad’s life when his son will ask him for a pet. And, since dog is man’s best friend, it would seem cruel to deny even the littlest [...]
Old Dog, New Tricks
August 4, 2009 – 6:08 pm
As dads, busy with family and career, we often don’t leave time for ourselves. And if we do, it’s frequently just enough time to catch a football game or grab a beer. That’s nice, but it hardly helps us be all we can be. And it’s not intentional; it’s just that life fills our time [...]
Tattoo Camp, Anyone? Summer’s Not So Lazy Anymore
July 17, 2009 – 5:56 pm
Bring on those lazy, hazy crazy days of summer. Those days of pretzels and beer. Or, in our household, an interminable season lacking the discipline and order that normally keeps our sanity intact from September to the end of the school year. Suddenly, in June, the kids are there at breakfast, …
Dads in the Mix: Is Barack Obama Black?
July 16, 2009 – 10:54 am
Is Obama black or biracial? Obviously he is both of these things. However, he is usually referred to as our first black president, not our first biracial president.
Dads in the Mix: Check Box
July 10, 2009 – 1:14 pm
Although so may are working to eradicate it and progress is slow but positive, racism is still everywhere in our society. Health care, housing, employment, education, congressional redistricting (the issue du jour) and other societal resources and benefits are affected by past and current, personal and institutional prejudice. This needs to be made as visible as possible in order to combat it. That is why racial classifications exist, at least for the time being.
Dads in the Mix
June 26, 2009 – 11:45 am
Shifting the outlook and mindset of people is best accomplished through the education of children. That is why I am so excited to start a conversation about raising children of multiple backgrounds. I will bring to the table my experience from the perspective of a father of biracial children by addressing issues like racial identity, stereotyping, portrayal of race in children’s media, definitions of beauty, health, education and much more.
Fathers Day Book Review- “Reading with Dad”
June 10, 2009 – 2:44 pm
A Great Father’s Day Gift for a Dad Who Reads to His Kids Tuesday June 9, 2009 If you are looking for a Father’s Day gift for a dad who has always enjoyed reading books to his kids, I highly recommend Reading With Dad. … The book ends with her reminiscing, [From A Great Father's Day Gift for a Dad Who Reads to His Kids ]
Here’s my review of it: My daughter got Reading with Dad and as the dad who had to read it to her, I’d have to say that I disagree with this review.
What my kids are saying this week – lessons and questions
April 27, 2009 – 12:11 pm
My five year old boy and I are already mixing it up, as I try to get toys off the dinner table or ask him to put the lego down and brush his teeth. … I’ve had to tell him I will be the boss of him for at least a few more years, but I’m also trying to figure out how to negotiate this power battle. … That is not how I want my children to find out about the birds and the bees, but even less, I do not want to be the parent who has to call another parent and tell what happened.
Reflections on National In-Service Day
January 19, 2009 – 4:38 pm
There were so many people that there wasn’t enough garbage and the kids were disappointed that there wasn’t more to do. Imagine if we all helped so much that there weren’t enough homeless to shelter, kids to teach, or beaches to clean to keep us all occupied? While kids do get distracted and like to goof off during these types of events, I find they are always interested in helping out and proud of having done so.