Forever Twenty-Bucked
If you’re like me, you almost never see it coming. It’s a bolt out of the blue, a maddening surprise, a whack across the back of the head when you least expect it. And there’s nothing to do but hunch…
Have a Favorite Child?
As my children get older, I can feel myself starting to favor one of my kids over the other. Is this normal? Parents can feel more ease with one child and more strain with another. Research shows that each parent and…
What – Me, Worry?
My youngest daughter, who is sixteen, would make art all day if I left her alone but is not in love with reading. Unfortunately, like her mom, she suffers from chronic and recurring 2-page narcolepsy – accompanied by a tendency…
Dads and Passing Time
Not too long ago, I joined a small group of dads for some post-bedtime drinks at a local pub. We chatted about podcasts. We chatted about sportsball. And after a couple of drinks, the conversation shifted to talk about our…
When a Child Dies by Suicide
Our state ranks forty-seventh for treatment of childhood major depression – the leading risk factor for suicide. That means seven out of ten Virginia kids most at risk for suicide don’t get the help they need. My family lived that…
Make-and-Take Kindness
Community. Neighbor. Kindness. In times of joy, pain, loss, and need, bringing a meal to others is an everyday act that can bring these words to life. I would be lying if I said one of my favorite memories about…
Parenting Through the Ages
How do you feel about letting a 6-month-old baby cry it out at night until she gets back to sleep? She has been sleeping through the night for a few months, but lately has started waking up. It is not…
Parenting Solo
Parenting is the most important and difficult job in the world. While parenting with a partner isn’t easy, and co-parenting from separate households has its challenges, the parent who is going it alone is contending with a very different set…
The Real Thing
Atticus, you need a sport.” “Is rock ‘n roll a sport?” We were having a bedtime conversation. But before I answered, I thought about Mick and Keith, who still throw themselves across the stage and do all those high kicks.…
