The Parenting Paradox

The Parenting Paradox

A few months ago, I joined that Sarahah site, via which people can send you anonymous messages (hmu: username dadandburied, duh).

I was expecting to get mocked and hoping to be praised. Unfortunately, I ended up getting asked heavy questions, like the one in the photo: do you enjoy being a dad or do you wish you were free?

Um, both? It’s a paradox.

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Parenting One-Upmanship

Parenting One-Upmanship

Parents are a competitive bunch.

Despite the fact that every single one of us is just taking shots in the dark and flying by the seat of our pants, we’re still constantly trying to one-up each other when it comes to both our parenting styles and our kids’ accomplishments. Instead of uniting against our children, the authors of our pain, procreation tends to make parents close ranks and face off against one another.

In multiple ways.

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Giveaway! Monopoly Junior: Electronic Banking Edition

Giveaway! Monopoly Junior: Electronic Banking Edition

My 7-year-old always wants to play something with me. It’s usually Zelda, which I’m no good at, sometimes it’s hide and seek, which he’s no good at, and sometimes it’s “surprise Daddy by jumping on his crotch.”

Needless to say, we need new games. And we’ve finally found some.

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Arming Teachers: This Is the Best We Can Do?

Arming Teachers: This Is the Best We Can Do?

A couple of weekends ago while we were visiting my parents in Connecticut, my oldest brother made a cameo after work.

He’s a sixth-grade teacher and he’d just finished his school day, so he stopped by our parents’ house to say hi to his nephews and grade some quizzes before heading home. I was working at the kitchen table and amidst my typing and his red-pen scribbling, I suddenly heard him say, “98! Way to go, Mia!”

He was genuinely happy that she had done well on his quiz.

Teachers are amazing. Arming them is idiotic.

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Desperately Seeking Solitude

Desperately Seeking Solitude

Sleep. Money. Silence. Peace of mind. Snacks.

These are just a few of the things you sacrifice when you decide to become a parent. (Don’t worry, they are replaced – by exhaustion, debt, headaches, scraps, and stress! Yay!) A lot of that is a side-effect of getting older – most of us accrue responsibility with age, whether we have kids or not – but there’s one thing that having kids takes away from you that you can never get back:

Solitude.

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