When Chris and I first got married, I was charmed and amused by the notion that I, a man-person, now had a Husband. I had a Husband while simultaneously being a Husband myself. My inner child loved it, finding it both weird and silly. That kid voice in my head actually giggled: "He's your HUSBAND? But you're both boys!" It was unusual, and extremely pleasing, to talk about my Husband, rather than my Partner. And way better than talking about my Boyfriend. I also realized how much I enjoyed hearing myself being referred to as Husband once again, in this new chapter of my … [Read more...]
Be a ‘Happier Parent’ Just By Listening to This Podcast. Maybe.
Many of us say we are love having children and being parents. But could we be happier? That question was one of the most common asked by moms and dads interviewed over the years by KJ Dell’Antonia, the former lead editor of the New York Times' Motherlode blog. So, naturally, the parenting writing decided to write a book on the subject, which she discusses on the latest edition of The Modern Dads Podcast.How to be a Happier Parent: Raising a Family, Having a Life, and Loving (Almost) Every Minute offers moms and dads an encouraging guide to try to find more joy in … [Read more...]
In the Hair Chalk Game, the Carnival’s King is a Bald Dad
When I volunteer for the annual school carnival, I usually get to run the bounce house. That’s where the action happens. I wear a black T-shirt and tell parents the bounce house is "for kids only," although I understand their desire to climb in. Bounce houses are awesome. That's the kind of job dads normally do when they volunteer. But sometimes, when you're a dad named Shannon and the new president of the PTA doesn’t know you yet, you get a job that would normally go to a mom. That’s how I found myself, a bald middle-aged man, running the hair chalk station. My first customer, the … [Read more...]
Unscheduled Summer Brings Some Shame, Some Boredom, Much Joy
What are my kids doing this summer? Nothing. That’s right, nothing. We’ve signed them up for zero camps, have scheduled no play dates and, alas, have no true idea of how we might occupy four kids between the ages of 5 and 12 over the upcoming school-less months. Yes, I’ve taken note of your full summer calendars. I hear your days will be packed with baseball camp, fishing camp, STEM camp, robotics camp, the YMCA day school, soccer camp, your week at Disney and the photography class you’ve registered for. I must say, I’m a bit jealous of the action-packed days you have ahead. I’m … [Read more...]
The Greater Outdoors are Greater with Clorox Clean Patio Furniture
DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored by Clorox®. Summer gets a lot of press. It’s full of sunshine and backyard shenanigans, days at the beach and family vacations. There are more songs written about summer than all the other seasons combined (give or take). Summer is doing OK for itself, I'd say or -- better yet -- write. However, when you live in Southern California, which I do, summer is often times more of a lifestyle than a specific stretch of calendar. For example, according to the internet, people in some regions of the country actually store their patio furniture for the winter … [Read more...]
Kindergarten Graduation Ceremonies: We Don’t Get It, Either
My two oldest kids didn’t have kindergarten graduation but I’ve noticed it’s that time of year again and several schools around us are doing so. Since this curious ceremony has eluded me my entire life, I’ve been wondering what exactly goes on at a kindergarten graduation. Are there actual caps and gowns? Or just kids wandering around wearing ball caps and dresses? Do the kids write things on top of their graduation hats like high school and college graduates do? Things like, “The real world starts now,” “Party time!” or “NAPS ARE DEAD TO ME!” Is there a valedictorian? Is there one … [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...]
Dads with Daughters Dating Told to Put Down Their Guns
Former NFL kicker Jay Feely recently caused a social media firestorm by posting a "joke" photo of him holding a pistol while standing between his daughter and her prom date. Is this where we still are in 2018: dads with daughters threatening their child's friends, especially given the ongoing debate over gun control in the wake of mass shootings at our schools? On this latest edition of the Modern Dads Podcast, three dads of daughters read essays they have written bashing the well-worn trope of the overprotective father. Jason Greene, a NYC Dads Group member and longtime blog … [Read more...]
Lower Parenting Bar for ‘SuperMom’ Status, Raise it for ‘SuperDad’
I sometimes feel I write ad nauseum about how much tougher at-home dads have it compared to at-home moms. Not because of the difficulty with the job itself, although I guess you could say women are still often “groomed” for it in a lot of ways from a young age whereas men typically have a much steeper learning curve. Rather, I mean in regards to what sorts of resources are available, and how much support and understanding one gets in choosing to stay home with a child. At-home dads have come a long way, definitely, but we have much further to go. However, today I’d like to talk about … [Read more...]
College Search Tips for Helping You, Your High Schooler Find the Right ‘Fit’
Hear that collective sigh? That's the sound of high school seniors — and their parents — finally finishing the often years-long college search process. Fortunately, my oldest daughter recently found the right “fit,” a buzzword guidance counselors emphasize for good reason. For many, though, the process can be quite stressful. Here are five big-picture college search tips from the trenches for you and your children. College search tips No. 1: Conduct an 'I-search' before research Long before visiting campuses, encourage your son or daughter to pay attention to what interests them. How do … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- …
- 71
- Next Page »