As the father of three boys, one of whom is rapidly rushing headlong into puberty, the subject of their “coming of age†has been increasingly prominent in our household. Sweaty, stinky clothing, sprouting hairs, and acne have begun making appearances with alarming frequency all around us, and while my wife has our daughter’s puberty concerns on her plate, the responsibility…
As a dad, it can be difficult to think of your children as anything more than good-natured little troublemakers. Sure, they get out of hand sometimes, but bending the rules in pursuit of fun is part of what being a kid is all about. Because of this fatherly perception you have of your little ones, it can be a shock…
Anyone who is the father of a daughter knows that encouraging her self-esteem and sense of self-worth is paramount. As she grows older, your daughter will look to a number of sources for information about the world around her. While your role as her dad makes you one of the most influential people in her life, friends, teachers, relatives and athletic…
If you have high-strung kids like me, then you have become at least slightly acquainted with the inevitable scenes that they can cause in public or at family events. Many parents hardly ever venture outside their homes for fear of meltdowns and tantrums and the embarrassment of having to discipline or deal with them in public. If you fear going…
Although he never explained why, Dad loved camper vans—which, in a way, meant we all loved camper vans. We were thrilled with the idea of having a playhouse on wheels. Inside, a self-contained world: a tiny sink and fridge, tweed curtains to cover the windows, seats that turned into couches and beds. If you looked up, you could see the…