The headline read, “Why it’s good to have a strong-willed child, and why you should let up on them.”I admit a guilty pleasure of mine is reading parenting articles. I read a few of the self-help variety before becoming a father, but it was after Beckett, 7, was born when I started reading them routinely…. Read more »

Having a sick kid is never fun, and we have had our fair share of illnesses sweeping through the house over the last month.Twice within the last couple months, Beckett has been knocked down with a stomach bug of some sort. In both cases, the symptoms included all the unpleasant things related to an upset… Read more »

Christmas is my favorite day of the year.Surely, the kids’ ages of 7 and 6 play a huge part in that because it’s thrilling to watch the kids go about the morning and observe the rest of their day filled with such excitement. It’s as if they are having out-of-body experiences because they can barely… Read more »

With Christmas approaching, the males of the house knew full well what we needed to do last weekend.The lady of the house was in desperate need of some peace and quiet to get our family ready and organized for the holiday. In a normal year, this would be understandable because the holidays always get a… Read more »

At a gift exchange at Cub Scouts last weekend, Carson walked away with a Rubik’s cube.He spent the entire ride home trying to break into the plastic to get it out, most likely to see what exactly it did. By the time we got home, he had been successful, despite repeated requests from his mother… Read more »

Getting a break from my kids makes me a better parent.That may sound odd, but it’s the truth. It’s refreshing to get away a couple times a year without the kids, as it broadens the perspective on life and reminds Pam and me that we are actually husband and wife and not just parents swimming… Read more »

Wrestling was never a sport I tried growing up, but I have an all-new appreciation for it now.On a daily basis, I take my sons, ages 7 and 6 now, on in a wrestling match that usually morphs into jumps, kicks, jabs, tosses, shoves and a few minor injuries along the way.Most of these sessions… Read more »

For a non-verbal child, making a verbal presentation obviously has its challenges.However, Carson, our 6-year-old kindergartener, pulled it off last week at school during American Education Week with the help of a tablet device that served as his voice and some newfound confidence.One year ago, a similar presentation was to be made just down the… Read more »

Carson and I cleaned out the basement last weekend. The result was no hot water for a few hours and no heat for a day because he flipped a couple breakers without me knowing.Despite that temporary loss of insanity and non-observant parenting on my part, our youngest son, 6, has an amazing resolve to provide… Read more »

“Tomorrow is a new day.”That’s a common expression around our house as we continue to ride the wild roller coaster that is parenting.It’s amazing to me the highs and lows that come with raising kids. The positives far outweigh the negatives, but human nature — or at least for me — brings a certain spotlight… Read more »