I’ve worked with kids for many years, and I’ve found that it’s important to always maintain composure. Emotional escalation of any kind can instantly turn smoldering schoolboys into volcanic vermin. However, a calm and rational approach can defuse these conflicts;…
I took my daughter to school this morning, and we left at the same time as usual. But there was an inordinate amount of traffic for some reason. So as the lights went from green to yellow to red and…
Long before “The Home Security System and the Lipid Neighborhood,” there were stories about Comb the Hamburger Bun Alien. Why would a Hamburger Bun Alien share a name with a common grooming tool? Because beneath the blonde-bowl cut of Comb’s…
“Dad, I think I just had my most brilliant idea ever!” Given that my daughter’s bustling brain is perpetually percolating with interminable innovation, I figured this was going to be good! “I’m just going to wear sandals and Crocs when…
My daughter had an important announcement: “Although I don’t really like animals, I actually don’t mind LEARNING about animals.” Given her tendency to, in past eras, run away screaming from all four-legged creatures, I figured this refreshingly mature perspective was…
Although there isn’t a pretentious bone in her body, my daughter is working on maintaining composure and minimizing dramatic body language when faced with a less-than-preferred set of circumstances. She comes by this naturally; my wife has been described as, “possessing…
“Are we there yet?“ 4 small, seemingly benign words. And yet, when these 4 words are spoken at 4-minute intervals on a 4-hour road trip by all 4 of your children, even the most patient of parents can ferment into…
Many young kids dread going to the doctor because they associate the experience with shots. Other children cringe at the mention of going to the dentist. My daughter, on the other hand, looks forward to doctor and dentist appointments…but the…
I asked my daughter if she wanted to play a board game, and she instead elected to read a book. So as I continued to draft my 298th Destined-To Be-Unread-And-Sent-To-Trash email of the day, I glanced over at what she…
When asked to name 3 things she did yesterday, my daughter gave the following list: 1. Decompress 2. Decompress 3. Decompress And after this delineation, she exhaled deeply, saying, “And boy did I NEED it!” Yeah, the previous day had…
