I remember being extra fidgety one Sunday morning while sitting in the stark white Presbyterian church of my childhood. I used to bounce my leg a lot when I was littler -- something one of my own sons does now -- and my dad would pinch my knee between his thumb and forefinger to stop. This particular Sunday, my dad had done this a few times, each with increasing pressure. It was an autumn day and the Cincinnati Reds -- the legendary Big Red Machine of the 1970s -- were in baseball’s playoffs once again, and I was distracted. I really didn’t want to be there. Finally, my dad had to … [Read more...]
Why I Love Secretly Observing My Children Play Tennis
On a hot summer morning, I walk stealthily from my car to the covered pavilion in between two rows of tennis courts at the front of the park. I make sure to approach from a particular direction, keeping the small trees and bushes between me and the courts so I remain unnoticed. I sit on a weathered green bench attached to a picnic table. I disrupt a squirrel’s meal and, startled, it scampers away to safety. I’ve given up some things to be a stay-at-home parent — career, money, a large swath of my sanity — but moments like this make the sacrifice worth it. Quiet moments of secretive … [Read more...]
Teaching Cooking to Children a Lesson in Play, Patience, Responsibility
When I decided to become a work-from-home dad so I could spend more time with my children, I started thinking about how, apart from just playing with them, I we could have more constructive time together. Well, I found a recipe for success. My 3-year-old son, Noah, has always played with our cooking pots and his toy kitchen. Most of the games he created revolved around him being a cook. In the evenings, when I make dinner, Noah would climb up on a chair and stand beside me, watching me peel an onion or prepare a sauté, observing everything I do. I thought that this could be "our thing." … [Read more...]
‘Worst Toys’ List Conjures Up Some Pointed Gift Warnings
Aaaah, the holiday season. It returns, bringing with it more joy, wonder and potential deathtraps than you can shake a pointy stick at. Third-degree burns from frying latkes. E. coli from contaminated romaine lettuce. That concealed carrying cousin from your mom’s side who always wants to pre-game a family gathering with the rallying cry, “Let’s pound some Fireball!” Don't forget those killer toys (literally "toys that kill"). You won’t thanks to World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc., which recently released its annual list of “10 Worst Toys.” While “worst” to most parents implies toys … [Read more...]
Encourage Your Child’s Imagination with Dirty Outdoor Play
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Clorox®. Imagination knows no bounds. You give a kid a box, and the possibilities are endless. You give a child a toy, and you’ve just put their imagination in high definition (HD). During the summer, that HD imagination usually involves some outdoor terrain. Tree branches become forests. Mud becomes molten lava. And dirt becomes, well, it’s usually just dirt, but dirt by itself is fun for most children. And there is your summer dilemma: Who are you, as a parent, to say “no” to the inclusion of natural elements in your child’s story? I know my … [Read more...]
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