Kelley’s Heroes

Kelley’s Heroes

I’ve been to Southern California three times.

The first time, I was in third grade on a family vacation. The second time was for a wedding around 2005, during which I drove a rented PT Cruiser convertible. The third time was two weeks ago, when I visited Irvine, CA as a guest of Kelley Blue Book. Not only was this my first official “dad blogger” trip, it was my first opportunity to have In-n-Out in about a decade. I couldn’t NOT go.

Thankfully, this trip did not involve a PT Cruiser. Because Kelley Blue Book has standards.

Read more about Kelley’s Heroes

My Nine Best Parenting Fails

My Nine Best Parenting Fails

I’m not that great of a parent. Not when you consider my parenting fails.

I’m probably an okay dad, in the whole “good time guy” way some dads are. I get along with my kids, we like to horse around and goof around and get around ooh ooh I get around! (God I’m old.) But I yell too much, and I say “no” too much, and I say “don’t do that” too much, and my five-year-old definitely prefers his mom. After all, I’m the bad cop.

But sometimes my bad parenting actually works out. Some of my parenting fails are actually kind of wins!

Read more about My Nine Best Parenting Fails

TV Guidance

TV Guidance

Before I became a parent, I had a lot of fantasies about how I was going to influence my kids to like the stuff I like, and to teach them the stuff I wanted them to know.

I forgot how quickly other influences crop up. My kid is not even six and I’m already fighting a war on multiple fronts.

I think TV is winning.

Read more about TV Guidance

The Longest Day

The Longest Day

This week, I’ve been “working from home” while managing my baby and entertaining my five-year-old. Needless to say, it hasn’t been the most fun week I’ve ever had.

Shockingly, the baby is a piece of cake compared to the five-year-old.

Somehow, Detective Munch has found a way to turn a twelve-hour day into one that feels like it’s 312 hours. It’s the longest day of all time. With that many hours to fill, it’s no wonder he’s so bored.

Read more about The Longest Day

Control Freak-Out

Control Freak-Out

There are a lot of things I don’t want my kids to become. Bullies, jerks, people who say “All Lives Matter”, Republicans, Jets fans… a lot of things.

Not all of them are within our control, but a few might be. Preventing him from being spoiled, teaching him to be kind and grateful are others. Those are things parents can influence. Right? Maybe? Please?

Help. I think I’m having a control freak-out.

Read more about Control Freak-Out

e9afe31c5a7577fdf2fc8f15bd5008856c363ba4adcd73a03f