A new weekly segment in this space could simply be transcriptions of conversations with my son Beckett, 15.In the moment, they  can be irritating. After a few minutes and the benefit of hindsight, these simple chats are viewed with humor.For instance, here’s how a chat went last Saturday night over the course of about 45… Read more »

There was a time when I thought something was the matter with my kids if they were quiet.In my household it’s a bit unique with our two teenage sons. We have one son, Carson, 14, who is nonverbal with Autism. Therefore, the expectation is different as far as sharing details about his day and being… Read more »

It’s important for teenagers to understand the concept of their own mortality.It occurs to me we all in different stages of our lives think we are invincible or at a minimum assume we are immune from bad things happening to us. This mindset helps explain why some of us make foolish decisions without a care… Read more »

I literally fell asleep during a late-night talk with my teenager the other night.I have done this once or twice to Pam over the years during a conversation. When it has happened, it understandably does not make it her feel great. I blame it on exhaustion.There is a point in the evening when I do… Read more »

The short holiday week won this week, and I can’t seem to get my thoughts together for this space. Therefore, here’s an older column from January 2021 of some experiences with my sons, who are now 15 and 14 years old.The 12-year-old kid in the house has a different view of independence than his parents.Independence… Read more »

About 12 years ago, our neighbor organized a kickball game on Christmas Day afternoon. Ever since, aside from the pandemic, a group of us have burned off some Christmas energy together with laughs and camaraderie.It’s a fun tradition my sons, Beckett, 15, and Carson, 14, have enjoyed growing up with as part of Christmas Day.By… Read more »

The holiday buildup combined with the typical workload got the best of me this week. Therefore, I’m cheating a bit this week and looking back at some past Christmas reflections in this space. Forgive me for slacking but here goes with some memories.2019: A morning spent in the emergency room will surely make this a… Read more »

It’s interesting how we change through our lives.I think individual experiences have a way of molding us as we make our way through life. My perspective on everything today is much different than it was 10 years ago, for example, five years ago or maybe even two years ago. Some of these changes can be… Read more »

On the drive to school yesterday, Carson and I saw a group of teens in shorts and T-shirts waiting for their buses. It was 26 degrees, and I initially thought the frost on my windshield was messing with me.For some reason, I have given far too much thought to this concept of teenagers, mostly boys,… Read more »

When it comes to special needs students, inclusion is an important concept.As a father to a special needs eighth grade student in the local public school system, inclusion is forefront in my mind when I think about school and my kid.For Carson, who is nonverbal with Autism, inclusion provides him a chance to be in… Read more »