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Tag Archives: Gazette
Farewell, ol’ friend
I learned on Friday that an old friend is about to die. She’s been sick for a long time, so her death comes as no surprise, but that doesn’t lift the veil of sadness when I think of her imminent … Continue reading
Some firsts aren’t worth bragging about
I wish I remembered Gavin’s first word. He learned to talk at some point in his six years on this planet, but I cannot remember the first word he uttered. Nor can I remember his first steps, his first tooth, … Continue reading
A summer lesson in what to expect
I don’t expect my cat to bark. When I look at Obi, I expect him to stare blankly back at me as if he were about to say, “Yeah, you think you’re the man of the house, but we all … Continue reading
Some tales of peer pressure have happy endings
Peer pressure suffers from a bad rap. Oh, I’m not talking about the kind in which kids push their friends to do something harmful they might not otherwise do. That kind of peer pressure deserves all the scorn it gets, … Continue reading
A child’s misdeeds lead to a heart-melting question
My least favorite part of parenting is punishing my children. As any doting dad worth his weight in ice cream sprinkles, I like to believe that Celeste and Gavin are perfect and can do no wrong. But then the sound … Continue reading
How stubborn can a 5-year-old boy be?
Stubbornness can be a wonderful trait in a person. After all, were it not for a stubborn inventor in the late 1800s, we might all still be reading at night by candlelight. But does it have to be innate? Parenthood … Continue reading
A musical battle breaks out on the car radio
The radio wars have begun. I thought I could ward them off until Celeste was at least 12, but I did not take into account the power of Radio Disney and the ally it would have in satellite radio. They’ve … Continue reading
A Thanksgiving feast highlights an evolving contradiction
I can still feel the steam hug my face as it rises from the marshmallow-covered heap of sweet potatoes and cranberry-laden pile of turkey that serve as staples of many American homes on Thanksgiving Day. I’m not complaining, mind you. … Continue reading
Kids can handle bad news … if their parents can
Children learn to respond to the world around them largely from their parents. If they consistently see Dad scream at drivers who cut him off in traffic, they too will yell at children who butt in front of them on … Continue reading
Teaching children the value of money
Celeste has a wonderful innocence about money. She knows what it is, of course, and that her mother and I work to earn it, but she has not fully developed the concept of the value of a dollar. She’s beginning … Continue reading