What Happens in the Bathroom… Ends Up in the Blog September 11, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: bathroom humor, Football
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This morning, after letting the dog out for his morning ritual, I decided to go to the bathroom myself. This is not really something earth-shaking or momentus, because it’s not that unusual for a middle-aged man to make an early morning trip like this, but it caused me to do something that I rarely do, and something I’m unlikely to do in the near future.
I went into a bathroom used almost exclusively by a teenage boy. (more…)
How I Spent Father’s Day Weekend June 18, 2008
Posted by Tim in Cartoons/Animation/Video, Family, Flatulence, Fun, Humor, Love, Movies, Parenting/Children, Stupidity.Tags: Father's Day
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My older son and I made the following video on the Saturday of Father’s Day weekend. The local Kino group put this on, and at the last minute, we decided to give it a shot. Enjoy!
What is My Job as a Parent? April 28, 2008
Posted by Tim in Blogging, Parenting/Children.Tags: parental role
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One of my friends puts it this way:
My role as a parent is to make myself unnecessary.
Is that really my role? I have to admit, it’s hard for me to argue with that, even though my heart wishes it were otherwise. I certainly want my sons to continue to talk to me, but if I don’t teach them to operate in complete independence, am I crippling them for life? What will their lives be like when the day comes that I’m gone?
At the time of this writing, my oldest son is 20 years old, and my youngest is 17. If something were to happen to me today, both of them have enough basic life skills to survive in the society that exists today. In that regard, I could probably claim that my work, as a parent, is finished. (more…)
Reading to Small Children April 22, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: Love, reading, Stupidity, young children
6 comments
Yesterday, I saw a mother reading a story from children’s book to her young son. This reminded me of the hours I spent (and a few I didn’t) reading to my sons.
There are many fond memories I have of my sons’ childhoods. Reading to them is near the top of that list. (more…)
Twenty Years Ago April 14, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: birthday, Love, son
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Twenty years ago, at this moment, my wife and I were wondering if sleep would ever come on this night. It had been an eventful day, a crazy evening, and every indication was that we were looking forward to a night that might not yield any sleep at all.
Twenty years ago, we were awaiting the birth of our first son. No other single event in my life has changed me the way becoming a father changed me, and for that, I am unbelievably grateful. I’m grateful for the things I’ve experienced, and grateful for who I’ve become as a result of becoming a dad.
Proof can be found here.
Three Books for Parents March 21, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: Books, how to win friends and influence people, Love, Relationships, the five dysfunctions of a team, the five love languages
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What is it that brings you here? A search engine? Some well-intentioned friend suggested that you read some parenting advice? Does having two sons (one born in ’88 and the other born in ’91) make me an expert? If you judge a tree by its fruit, is my tree one that is worth pruning a branch from for your own parenting adventure?
Since you’re still reading, I’ll assume that, for whatever reason, you believe that I have something worthwhile to say about raising kids. Regardless of the truth of that statement, we’ll accept it as a given for the sake of this posting. Here, I’ll give you my secret. I’ll fill you in on most everything I know (and some things that I need to keep re-learning) about parenting. After reading this, you’ll be able to safely ignore everything else I have to say about raising children. Honest. (more…)
Found: Parenting Memory February 29, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: Hulk Hands, Immature Behavior, Incredible Hulk
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I found a pair of these the other day (the pic below is from another site, linked to by the pic):
These are “Hulk Hands,” padded foam fists that you put your own hand inside, and then hit things with them. I found these the other day, and found myself remembering how much fun my oldest son and I had beating each other up with them. On the day we bought them (he was in his early teens), he showed them to me and said, “Look, it doesn’t hurt when you hit someone with them.”
I put one on, and then immediately punched him in the face with it.
“You’re right,” I said (as he stood there a bit stunned by the sudden assault), “we have to talk Mom into getting a couple pair of these.” It’s behavior like this that I suspect is responsible for my wife complaining that there are three teenage boys in the house, and not just two.
One Sport Ends, Another Begins February 15, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children, Sports.Tags: children, parenting, self-esteem, Sports, wrestling
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It’s now official, wrestling season is over.
My youngest son, to the surprise of the entire family, not only decided to wrestle, he accomplished a number of surprising things. What’s even better? The things he accomplished that can’t be counted in the win/loss column. (more…)
Three (Subtle) Ways to Help an Aspiring College Athlete January 14, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: college athletics, Football
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The College Football season has officially ended, which means that next season has already begun. As the father of two sons who played high school football, as a former youth football coach, and as the husband of a woman who said (after celebrating our 20th anniversary by going to see her favorite team play in Detroit), “this was so much better than a cruise,” I’m always looking forward to Spring Football, and the hope of the next season.
With one son out of high school and mid-way through his sophomore year of college, and the other starting to receive calls from various colleges (with both academic and athletic questions), I’ve been thinking quite a bit about how I’ve prepared my sons for the end of high school, and the strong possibility that this ends their formal athletic careers. In watching my own sons, as well as the sons and daughters of various college athletes, it occurred to me that I’ve done three very specific things in response to my sons expressing a desire to play college sports, and I think all parents of aspiring college athletes should consider them. (more…)
To My Son: Happy Birthday January 8, 2008
Posted by Tim in Parenting/Children.Tags: birthday, children, Family, pride, son
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Today is yours and Elvis’ birthday. Time to break out the peanut butter and ‘nanner sandwiches. (Or maybe the peanut butter and ‘nanner Reese’s.)
Today, you’re seventeen years old. I know you’ve noticed the dramatic difference that seems to exist between being sixteen and seventeen, based on your comment the other day of “Wow… I’m old.” We laughed about that when you said it, but it’s true. What a huge difference one year makes… (more…)
