Editor's Note: October is National Bullying Prevention Month. According to the Stomp Out Bullying organization, one in four U.S. students say they have been bullied and 5.4 million kids stay home from school on any given day due to a fear of being bullied. A boy was bullied yesterday. I know, I know, a million or more boys -- and girls -- were bullied yesterday. But yesterday it was one boy, a specific boy, a boy I know, a boy I like. I went with my two boys to pick him up for practice, his parents both work and the practices were bumped up to five recently to accommodate the earlier … [Read more...]
Neonatal Unit Success Stories Teach Parents Valuable Lessons
Editor's Note: September is Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Awareness Month, designed to honor families who have used these medical facilities (one in 10 babies spend some time in a NICU) and the health professionals who care for the them. Several contributors to the website Fathers of Multiples, where this article first appeared, recently wrote about their NICU experiences. Most defining, stressing time of our lives No words or experience can prepare you for the roller coaster of emotions of being a NICU parent. Our children are both NICU graduates. Born at 33 weeks gestation, they … [Read more...]
Church: Family Routine, Rut or Foundation for a Beautiful Future
I am paying attention although sometimes that just means I am aware of my inattention. Words float around in the high space above. Sunlight through stained glass illuminates the pews across from us. The scent of perfumed parishioners and powdered babies mingles with incense past and, oddly, Old Spice. All is familiar, routine. The words drop from above, and I focus on them, or I try to. “… let us give thanks to the Lord.” Two boys of the same age stand in the row with me, my wife beyond them. I look down at the closest one as he says, “It is right and just.” He doesn’t just mumble … [Read more...]
NICU Struggles Recalled on Son’s First Day of Preschool
Editor's Note: September is Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Awareness Month, designed to honor families who have used these medical facilities and the health professionals who care for the them. My son starts preschool today. It doesn’t seem like that long ago when I was sitting in the NICU snuggling his entire tiny body on my chest. My son was a preemie, born at 34 weeks. Those were some really long and tough days for us. My wife felt guilty but it certainly wasn’t her fault. She had a normal, healthy pregnancy. We don’t know why he came early and we’ll probably never know. … [Read more...]
Great Kids’ Podcasts Make Long Family Car Trips Tolerable
Driving in traffic, especially Los Angeles traffic, sucks. But driving in L.A. traffic with kids is the worst. And I had to do a lot of it over the past few weeks. I used to think you really only have these options: Listen to their music (usually Katy Perry on repeat). Sing. Play "I spy." Ignore them. But then we found the amazing world of kids' podcasts. Not only do great kids' podcasts keep your children quiet, focused and entertained during the long car trips we endure her in L.A. but we almost always learn something new about the world. Our favorite kids' … [Read more...]
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