Some kids get more attention at school than they ever do at home. And not the positive kind. They spend more time watching television than they do talking to their parents, who feed them junk food, allow them to run wild, and don’t show up for parent/teacher conferences. Other kids are sent to the best schools and feel pressure to score high marks. They participate in a dizzying array of extracurriculars, with the goal of gaining acceptance into a prestigious university in order to embark upon a lucrative career they'll only marginally enjoy (if they’re lucky.) Both seem pretty extreme …
Parenthood
The Danger of Modern Productivity
I have a confession to make. I’m often more eager to head downstairs to work than I am to come back upstairs and rejoin the family. I think it's because when I’m spending time with my kids, I don’t feel as productive as I do as when I’m working. I still choose family over work more often than not, but sometimes I look at the money and accomplishments my peers are collecting, and I wonder if I’m making the best use of my time, especially when we’re just sitting around doing “nothing.” I used to feel pretty guilty about feeling this way, until a book called How Will You Measure Your Life? …
A Print Perfect for Mom
I drew this one long ago, and it's still one of our best sellers. Available at your friendly neighborhood Lemonade Stand. Here's to moms, the everyday superheroes. …
My Greatest Day as a Dad (So Far)
My greatest day as a dad recently eclipsed my previous greatest day as a dad. The first one was about a month ago. I was wearing a Stormtrooper t-shirt I had gotten for Christmas. Lucy was sitting across from me at the table, and said, "I like your shirt, Dad." I thanked her, thinking she liked the artsy design and bright colors. Then she asked, "That's from Star Wars, isn't it?" My ears perked up, because I hadn't talked that much to her about my favorite movies in the history of the universe. Yet. "Why yes, it is," I responded. The thing she said next solidified that day as my greatest …
Caine’s Arcade Will Make Your Day
What happens when kids are allowed to be bored, without any organized extracurricular activities and without access to iPods, iPhones or video games? What happens when parents encourage their kids' creativity, even if it makes a mess? What happens when one person is unafraid to let his inner child to come out and play when everyone else is too busy, inhibited, or just too "adult?" What happens when hundreds of people do something simple to make the day of a child? Magic, that's what. This video is the story of a 9-year-old boy who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his …
What “First” Can You Have Today?
I finally got Lucy to let me paint her toenails. (She was convinced for the longest time that it was going to hurt.) It definitely goes down in the books as one of my favorite "firsts." Picture the two of us on her bedroom floor with red toes, waiting for them to dry, chatting it up like school girls -- a mother's dream! Of course she thinks it makes her look more like a princess. Maybe that's secretly why I like to have mine painted, too. Parenting is chock full of "firsts." The cool thing is that you don't have to be a parent to have a "first" with someone you care about. What …
Ode To My Parents
"I've come to realize that making it your life's work to be different than your parents is not only hard to do, it's a dumb idea." -- Paul Reiser, Familyhood …
How Much Mommy Guilt Is Too Much?
Jason and I are determined to get to the end of our lives with no regrets. It's our life's work. So, having said that, I pose a question that challenges me big time: How much "mommy guilt" is normal? …
The Messy Adventure of Parenthood
October 5, 2009: Lucy and I were downstairs changing the laundry. As she crawled around the floor, I noticed a dark mark on her shirt, at the small of her back. As any baby’s parent will tell you, this is not something to be ignored. The location meant only one thing: blowout. …
The Hardest Job Ever
The hardest job ever may be closer than it appears. August 28, 2009: Last night, I was watching Lucy so Kim could mow the lawn. Everything was going fine: some relaxing playtime on the living room floor followed by an energetic and smile-filled bath. Then all hell broke loose. …