I’ve learned that there are pros and cons to inserting myself in the details of our children’s lives.  “Helicopter parents” hover over their children and protect them from developing their independence and decision-making skills.  I understand the desire to watch over our children closely, I just do not know if this is the best approach for their long term development. As Khalil Gibran writes in The Prophet, “your children are not your children.”  I believe us parents owe it to our children to give them independence and freedom.  They need to learn how to fly on their own.   But I just had a moment in which I abandoned the hands off approach and fired up the helicopter  myself. (more…)

The kids and I live with Captain Safety.  Who’s Captain Safety?  He’s the guy in our house that can often be heard shouting warnings like, “Wash your hands before you eat!” or “Don’t run with scissors!”  He has a nose for spoiled food, an uncanny ability to remind us to dress appropriately for the weather, and is always chasing the boys with fruit to ensure that they have consumed their daily allowance of vitamin C and anti-oxidants.  In the summer, Captain Safety is always armed with sunscreen in one hand and bug spray in the other.  He is our protector and although we love him dearly, his reminders are often met with sarcastic eye rolls and disrespectful utterances. (more…)

Our sixteen-year-old son is learning how to drive a car.

A sixteen-year-old. And my car.

And, unfortunately, I have to teach him.  There are no do-overs or reset buttons when learning how to drive and this scares the hell out of me.  I would rather have a colonoscopy—and I’m speaking from experience here–than  be a passenger with a  teenager behind the wheel. Don’t get me wrong, I do like the kid and he is way high on the responsibility bell curve for his age, but what is that really saying? He is one of the best of the worst drivers?  Why are Carolyn and I allowing him to pursue his license?  I would rather have him be driving than sitting in a passenger seat with another teenager at the wheel. But I’ve also concluded that  teenage drivers should have their own lane on the highway with barricades on each side. Just like bowling: no gutter balls allowed. (more…)

Why does bad sh*t drip on good people?  There were moments this thought passed through my head as water dripped on my head from the upstairs bathroom on that Tuesday before Thanksgiving. But did it really matter if the house was not in perfect order over the Thanksgiving weekend?  The house matched the hosts, both imperfect.  And now we had a conversation starter. (more…)