Sometimes it’s tricky to know how to proceed as a parent in these modern times, and at other times it’s pretty darn obvious what the next step should be. But whether they’re six or sixteen, it’s hard to know how best to communicate with them when the going gets tough. Sure you can just insist on a face-to-face sit-down discussion, but not only do most guys hate to do that but most kids hate to…Read More
A few days ago I had what I felt was a really important conversation with my 18yo daughter about relationships and expectations. It’s a topic I feel strongly about and particularly so as a father of girls: abusive relationships. Abuse can be subtle, psychological bullying or a simple lack of kindness, but it can also take on a more physical form that’s far more egregious. Both stink, and everyone deserves a loving, nurturing, caring relationship…Read More
I’m a very self-driven sort of guy, able to juggle a lot of things simultaneously. Heck, on any given day I might be tackling a dozen different projects, taking care of my children, driving to school appointments, and squeezing in time to hit the gym too. It’s an essential skill for any entrepreneur and probably for any human being if they have more in their life than a single task or person to focus upon….Read More
Sounds a bit like the beginning of a joke: A guy walks into a room full of teachers to talk about the Internet, privacy and cyber-bullying… but it’s the furthest thing from a joke I can think of, actually. A few days ago I was invited by my children’s school to address the faculty on these very topics and as it’s something I’m very concerned about, I was happy to participate in the discussion. What…Read More
From the very beginning, I have had a rule with my children that when they go to bed, their devices go to bed too. In my house we call it Device Bedtime, and even their friends know to expect it when they stay over. The logic is simple: at a certain time of night, there’s no benefit, nothing positive about remaining on a device, whether it’s staying up insanely late playing Clash of Clans or…Read More
Like many adults, I am aware that many of the personal and career decisions I made in my life were influenced by my Dad, my choices influenced, overtly or subconsciously by what I felt would gain me approval and respect from my father. That’s one reason I moved into writing and publishing: My Dad was an excellent, funny writer whose primary outlet was a snarky gossip column in a trade magazine — Type World — for…Read More
I just got a call from my son’s school: he was caught using his iPhone while in class and it’s been confiscated by the teacher. I now need to go into the school and sign it out, as per their policy. Now, before you think it’s Draconian and a violation of his civil rights to have someone take his cellphone, I should point out that the school is actually rather liberal about phones, allowing students…Read More
If you’re a diligent reader of this blog, you’ll be saying “hey, wait a sec! your oldest is in 12th grade, not college! what the deuce are you talking about with back to college?” And you’d be spot on. I’m writing about the cheapest wireless plans, perfect for families — or students! — on a tight budget. The phone of choice: The slick Nokia Lumia 521, available at your local Walmart for a bargain $49.88….Read More
I’m not a smoker. In fact, I’ve never smoked a single cigarette, cigar or pipe. Which is perhaps why I tend to notice smokers more when I’m out and about, especially at sporting events and other outdoor venues. Particularly when people are walking down the street with their “vapes”, vaporizers that tend to look like tiny hookahs or pipes that I’m more used to seeing as a way to consume drugs. I’m definitely not a…Read More
There’s a certain point in parenting when you need to accept that you are no longer steering the rudder or controlling the prop and that the best you can hope for is that you’re still in the front of the ship in the navigator’s seat instead. “You’d do best to turn left here, cap’n, to avoid the reef” is about as good as it gets once your children hit their teens. I’ve always likened parenting…Read More
It’s so close. July 31st my oldest, now 17yo, is going to be taking her driving test and will then, according to Colorado law, be able to drive by herself and drive her siblings without another adult in the vehicle. She still won’t be able to be the driver for her posse, but oh, the freedom that she’s going to be experiencing the first time she just jumps in the car and drives to the…Read More
As my 17yo A- gets closer and closer to the driving test — she’s less than two weeks away from when she can go in and get that glorious license that will let her drive solo! — we realize that while she’s done a ton of driving, she hasn’t really had any practice parallel parking. I tend to take this particular skill for granted because my Dad taught me eons ago and I’ve parallel parked…Read More
My daughter A- and I have a great relationship, one that’s improved as she’s gotten older. It’s fun to have little ones, no question, but there’s something really terrific about having a young adult in the family, someone with whom you can have more mature and thoughtful conversations, with whom you can play and joke, knowing that they’ll pick up on it and keep the rhythm up, in their own inimitable way. That’s what I…Read More
You know the old joke, right? A stranger’s walking uptown in New York City and he stops an old man to ask for directions. Stranger: “Excuse me, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?” Old Man: “Practice, practice, practice!” That’s what I’ve been wanting to drum into the heads of my girls for the last few weeks as they have a cello duet that they’re playing at a recital tomorrow afternoon. It’s not a ridiculously…Read More
My son G-, 13yo, can’t seem to decide on a single sport. In the summer and autumn, it’s all about lacrosse, then when winter hits, he’s back to basketball as indoor sports seem a whole lot more pleasant when it’s 15F and windy outside. He’s played both competitively for years and we’ve been blessed to have good coaches who focus on winning, but also focus on the boys having fun and learning both sport fundamentals…Read More