“Come here,” I said. “You need to see this.” My oldest boy walked toward me, his hands bright and swollen in mismatched oven gloves, one of which complimented the apron. He knew what it was that he needed to see, or at least the gist of it. I had been calling him to my side of the kitchen island for the better part of an hour, skipping from video to video, Twitter to Facebook and back again. “Watch this one,” I said. This one featured a man twisted as a pretzel. He was stale, salty and, apparently, wanting for beer. My son watched in silence for a moment, the words screaming … [Read more...]
Parenting Sick Kids: The Art of Juggling (Vomit) Bowls Atop a Unicycle
An acrobat known as Red Panda has been a staple of basketball halftime shows across the country for more than 20 years. I once saw her in person at an NBA game years before I had children. I was stunned by her simple in concept, yet seemingly impossible in practice, act. In short, she rides a very tall unicycle, places an increasing numbers of bowls onto her foot and leg, flips the bowls into the air, and catches them in a stack on her head. She never stops peddling her unicycle and she rarely ever drops a bowl. Her performances are mesmerizing. But because I was a single, child-free … [Read more...]
F*ck 40: Lifting the Midlife Fog After Milestone Birthday
The 40th birthday party my wife threw for me was legendary – the next day’s massive hangover being evidence enough. My head pounded on that first official day of my fourth decade as I trudged out of bed and began picking up the remnants of the past night’s celebration. As I emptied the second half-full beer can of the morning, I mumbled, “F*ck 40.” My tone was dismissive – as if I was saying something snide like, “I’m better than ever” or “age is just a number” or “40 is still sort of a millennial, right?” Maybe I was trying to convince myself. The hangover, though, has not gone … [Read more...]
Lying: Dropping Standards, Among Other Things, When It Comes to Your Child’s Fibs
My kids are generally quite honest. This is good because they are incredibly inept at lying. A prime example comes in the form of my son when it comes to brushing his teeth. Or rather, not brushing them. If he has cleaned his crooked off-whites, it's all sweetness and chubby angelic cheeks and here, Daddio -- have a whiff of my minty Colgate breath. If he hasn't, he'll lie right to your face, providing your face is floating somewhere up near the ceiling because that is where his eyes roll up toward when he lets the bull fly. "Let me smell your breath," I'll ask. "Maahh! You … [Read more...]
Peter Shankman on Harnessing Power of the ADHD Brain, New Book
Are you or your child short on attention, thinking at a million miles an hour, or taking simple things to the extreme? The diagnosis may be attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, commonly known as ADHD, a condition medical science considers a brain disorder that interferes with functioning or development. But that may be a good thing, according to father, author and entrepreneur Peter Shankman. Shankman, who first gained fame for starting the Help A Reporter Out (HARO) service for journalists, discusses how he manages and uses this condition he was diagnosed with as an adult to his … [Read more...]
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