Tag: terrible twos

Parents Have Secrets Too
03 Apr
Posted in Lists 10 comments

Parents Have Secrets Too

Part of being a good parent is teaching your children right from wrong.

In order to do that, they have to believe that you occupy the moral high ground, that you have the authority to judge what is right and what is wrong. You can do this in two ways: you can explain that you learned the difference over a lifetime of experimenting, testing boundaries, and making countless mistakes – which will backfire until your kid is at least 25 and finally understands enough about life that he gets it; or, you can lie.

Unfortunately, when you’re trying to be a role model for your kids, it’s not the fun kind of lying that works. It’s the lies of omission. Because parents have secrets too.

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Guest Post: The “Science” of Perspective
28 Mar
Posted in Guest Post 5 comments

Guest Post: The “Science” of Perspective

I’ve never run a guest post before.

It’s primarily because most of the people who want to write them are PR flunkies looking to promote a product and homey don’t play that. Also because there aren’t all that many people I’d be comfortable having contribute to my site. I’m proud of the voice I have/am-trying-to establish here, and I like to think it’s unique among bloggers, and unique among parent bloggers in particular. Tell me I’m wrong in the comments!

But today I’m going to run my first guest post, for three reasons:

1) I’m moving today and tomorrow, and have no time to write anything.
2) Mom and Buried has plans to contribute something soon – she wanted to be first but, alas, she’s moving too – and I want to get everyone ready for the occasional new voice.
3) This guest poster is funny, and unlike the aforementioned PR flunkies, his sensibilities are in line with mine. Also he designed my logo so I owe him.

So, without further ado, please read and enjoy my talented, hilarious cartoonist friend The Glad Stork’s (follow him on Twitter and Facebook and Tumblr!) take on parenting, perspective, and Pound Town.

But be prepared: Mom and Buried is coming.

And she’s bringing hell with her.

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Good Cop/Bad Cop
25 Mar
Posted in discipline 2 comments

Good Cop/Bad Cop

I’m used to my son preferring my wife. I’m okay with it. It has its perks. Besides, young boys often favor their mothers. It’s biology.

It’s not like my kid and I aren’t close. Yesterday I pretended to eat his face and this morning he told me he doesn’t like it when I breathe. We’re buds!

But as we navigate the threenage wasteland, Mom and Buried and I often have to resort to some good cop/bad cop parenting, which is pretty typical. Unfortunately I’m usually the bad cop.

No wonder he likes Mommy better.

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The Happiness Problem
20 Mar
Posted in discipline 5 comments

The Happiness Problem

My son turned three and half the other day. My wife threw him a little party.

Few things seem so obviously tailor-made for a Dad and Buried rant as the absurdity of half-birthdays. Unfortunately, when my wife got excited about Detective Munch’s mini-milestone, I found myself swept up in half-birthday fever myself, against my better judgment.

Despite my reservations – about spoiling the kid; about rewarding him for nothing; about the fact that his terrible threes haven’t exactly been his behavioral high-point so why the fuck should he get an extra made-up holiday right smack in the middle of it? – I helped celebrate it. Enthusiastically. We gave him a toy truck and a cupcake!

I think I’m part of the problem. I sang “Happy half-birthday” to him, for Christ’s sake.

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