It is our strict policy to never tell the children anything fun that we are going to do until we are already doing it. Plans change, things happen, and we don’t need twelve hours of two crying children because it rained on beach day. So when we told the kids on Saturday morning that we […]
Category Archives: Edward
The Only Person I Hate
Yesterday, as we were driving home from a Vacation Bible School day during which we learned about serving our friends, I had an interesting conversation with my children on the subject of hate. You see, I asked them if they had made any friends at VBS, and our neighbor who was riding with us casually […]
The Desert of Maine – A Place Out of Place
Did you know that there is a desert in Maine? You know, sand dunes, camels, an oasis, etc. Well if you didn’t, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Alex Trebek didn’t either, and when someone on Jeopardy answered “What is the Desert of Maine” to the answer “This is the eastern-most desert in the US,” Alex […]
Grampy & Sons Parenting Inc.
I am in Maine visiting my father. My wife is not here. HIS wife is not here. For the first time ever in our entire lives, we are here together without women, trying to control small children. And we are not well-suited to the task. I mean, I am, obviously, but as a parenting team […]
I Never Get Anything I Want
This is a fairly accurate transcript of a conversation I had with my four-year-old last night, highlighting the futility of my existence. Edward: “Daddy, can we have dinner now?” Me: “Yes, I’ll go make dinner.” Edward: “Can we have chicken nuuuuuggets for dinner?” Me: “Ok.” Edward: “Can I have ketchup?” Me: “Yes.” Edward: “NO! NOT […]
An Evil Cliché Comes True
Every morning for the past infinity days, we have had to drag my daughter out of bed and rush her crying off to school because, like her father, she is a night owl. She stays up in her bed reading until who-knows-when, and mornings are not her time to shine. I empathize. If I could […]
A Day With No Time-Outs
It suddenly became clear to me that I was getting negative and angry. Over time, after one thousand insolences, one thousand disobediences, one thousand hits, kicks, pinches, and smacks, and one thousand maniacal laughs, my tolerance level had dropped to absolute zero, and the greater parts of everyone’s days were spent in tantrums, screaming fits, […]
Why We Don’t Bring 4-Year-Olds to Rehearsals
I have a rehearsal this morning. Next month I am going to be singing the full Britten Serenade for Tenor, Horn, and Strings, of which did I did a portion last November, and it requires some serious rehearsal. This is not a piece for the casual Tenor Dad. And since Edward’s preschool ended last week, […]
Medicine Sandwich
I know that I said I wasn’t going to post about my son’s health issues anymore, and I’m not. But I cannot give you an honest depiction of my ongoing situation without at least referencing how our continuing family struggles are affecting me. the way I parent, and the way I live my life. For […]
How to Ditch Your Kids and Enjoy Yourself at a Party
“Nooooooo! We don’t want to go to a boring work party!” shouted the kids in unison. “But kids,” I said with a twinkle in my eye, “get in the car. Or else.” “Nooooooooooooooooo!” So off we went to a boring work party, by which I mean an awesome party at a big house on an […]