Nostalgia engine

Back in 2004 (I think), I bought a Nintendo 64 game system for $20 at GameStop so I could play it with Charlie and Thomas during their visits. It was the same kind of system they had played on when they were young kids,  so we all experienced some nostalgia as we played again — [...]

A noisy life

I’m writing this from the place I go every Tuesday evening with my 4-year-old, Jacob. It has multiple playrooms for him, with inflatable ‘bouncy houses’ and slides, foam pits, riding toys and a great crew of employees who supervise the kids and do games and crafts with them. We get dinner here — they have [...]

Two men I greatly admire (and not just because they are my sons)

This post — the first in a long time — is not an exploration of the blessings and challenges of recycled fatherhood. It is just shameless gloating. This month, my first and second sons both landed excellent jobs. To say that I place a high value on my sons’ autonomy would be an understatement, but [...]

Twenty-one on none

Confession: I still get a kick out of “Bears on Wheels” by the Berenstains. It’s one of the first books my parents read to me when I was little. I also introduced it to Charlie and Thomas when they were little, and it stuck with us. Even today, when I’m with my ‘big guys’ and [...]

Pet names for our adult children?

I still call my 21-year-old son by the pet name his mom and I gave him when he was an infant. He doesn’t seem to mind, as long as it’s only among family. I’m sure other parents do this to their adult children, but why do we do it? Are we nostalgic for when they [...]

Which family is his family?

For homework this past weekend, my preschooler, Jacob, was to make a “me cube,” a tissue box wrapped in colored paper and then covered with photos, drawings and information about him. One of the faces of the cube was supposed to feature a picture of “my family.” I agonized, as I often do, over whether [...]

Bah! I’m not paying for college

I have two sons in college, and I’m not paying for either one of them to go. Does that make me a bad dad? … I feel like I’m the only parent in the world who (1) isn’t paying cash for college and (2) isn’t hiding behind the excuse of not being able to afford it.

The generation gap between the kids — and why it rocks

My middle son, Thomas, 18,  just went home after spending the weekend with me, my wife and our preschooler, Jacob. One of the joys of these visits from my older sons has been watching their relationships with Jacob play out. The age gap has had unexpectedly positive effects. With each interaction, I become more aware [...]

Four keys to a great multi-generational outing

Last summer, I tried taking my sons Thomas (then 17) and Jacob (then 2.5) backpacking.  It was hell. Yesterday, I took the same two sons kayaking. It was euphoric. Here are the four main things that were different about the two ventures, expressed as ‘keys to success’: Check the weather. Bring everything you might need. [...]

As long as no one’s reading, I’m going to blog about my feelings!

The start of school* makes me nostalgic for one of the two happiest times in my life: 12 years ago. Twelve years ago is when I started working nights on the copy desk of a regional newspaper. What was so great about that? Well, I didn’t have to be at work until 4 p.m., so [...]