01
Mar
Imaginary Fiends
My son has started playing pretend. With a vengeance.
And it’s freaking me out.
Tag: learning
27
Feb
Sick and Wired
When your child is sick, it’s dote city: Everything they need, anything they ask; you’ll do whatever it takes to comfort him and make him feel better.
No ice cream before dinner? NOT TODAY.
Don’t usually allow TV during the day? OUT THE WINDOW.
Lollipops aren’t good for you? WHO CARES!
Unfortunately, when you’re sick, such compassion is rarely returned.
11
Feb
My Son Is Growing Up Fast, But That’s Okay
Every once in while my wife is seized with anxiety about how quickly our son is growing up.
I can’t deny that it’s moving fast. He went from being two months old to holding conversations in the blink of an eye. He’s grown from the size of a turnip to a little person almost too big for his stroller in what felt like three weeks. That’s just the way it goes, I guess. One of the most accurate stereotypes regarding having kids is how quickly time passes, and it’s a stereotype for a reason: mental laziness. But it’s also true.
But whereas my wife gets sad about seeing her son develop, I see things a little bit differently.
Read more about My Son Is Growing Up Fast, But That’s Okay …
08
Feb
Take This Under Advisement, Jerkweed – Vol. 6
It’s been a while since I’ve offered my uniquely unqualified parenting advice to my readers, mostly because no one asks e any questions. I can’t blame them; I’m a moron and some of this stuff could get you killed.
But there are a few submissions I haven’t gotten to yet – including one about the nightmare that is reading to your child – so I thought I’d handle them today. With any luck I’ll solve a problem or two! But probably not.
And remember, if you’re at the end of your rope and are willing to try anything, you can submit your questions here.
Read more about Take This Under Advisement, Jerkweed – Vol. 6 …
23
Jan
The Art of the Underreaction
Years ago, Mom and Buried and I learned a parenting lesson we’d never forget: keep calm and parent on!
A woman and her son were walking around Fenway Park, the little boy happily toting a Red Sox balloon. All of a sudden, the balloon popped. We steeled ourselves for a meltdown. But his quick-thinking mother defused the situation.
She responded immediately with a wide smile and a big laugh, brightly exclaiming, “Your balloon popped! Who cares, right?” In no time, her son was laughing along with her. She’d thwarted his natural inclination towards getting upset by treating the whole thing as no big deal. When he saw that Mommy didn’t care, suddenly neither did he.
Even without kids, I knew it was a brilliant move. Years later, with a two-year-old of my own, her underreaction seems just as brilliant, even more essential, and a lot harder than it looked.