Category: parenting

  • Shifting Your Parenting Goals

    Shifting Your Parenting Goals

    My blogging journey started when we learned Kristen was pregnant with Megan. 21 years ago, using a Gateway laptop, and a now long-out-dated version of Microsoft Word, I wrote daily entries into a documents pouring out my hopes and dreams for my unborn child.

  • Raising a Whole Kid

    Raising a Whole Kid

    I had this thought yesterday and I think it’s important for educators, youth workers, and others working with teenagers to consider.

  • Start Saving for College Today

    Adults, can we have a conversation? Less than 5 percent of Americans have college savings accounts, and those who do are far wealthier than average. How Paying for College Is Changing Middle-Class Life, Caitlin ZaloomSource How in the world are Kristen and I unicorns because we saved for college?

  • Justice is a Funny Thing

    Justice is a Funny Thing

    Watching Megan go through the college admissions process has been really hard. On the one hand, I fully get why we have quotas and the need for diversity. I support it. If I were an elected official I’d vote for affirmative action in college admissions every time. Why? Because achievement isn’t just a personal accomplishment…

  • Now that college admissions season is over

    Now that college admissions season is over

    College admissions season is officially over until October.  Having gone through it for the first time I can confirm a few things:  The college admissions system is broken from top to bottom.  There’s no silver bullet or obvious solution for fixing it on the horizon. It’s way more complex than it should be. It’s way…

  • College Admissions Process Reflection

    College Admissions Process Reflection

    Yesterday, our eldest child received the last of her college admission decisions. She was with a friend and after she sent us texts to update and react to the decision the next thing she sent us was, “It’s over!” Amen. Hallelujah.  This process is technically from October to March 31st, but in actuality it started…

  • The Role of Pruning in Parenting

    The Role of Pruning in Parenting

    Recently, I splurged on nice gardening pruners. I had an old pair, maybe from a garage sale or purchased 15 years ago, but they were worn out and dull and didn’t work quite right.

  • Perfectly Abnormal

    Perfectly Abnormal

    This morning my 13-year old got up at 6:00 AM to go on a training run with his mom. Pretty soon he’ll run in his first half marathon. After he got home, he showered and got ready for school, cooking himself breakfast along the way like he normally does. Then, like just about every 8th grader…

  • Parents, you’re doing fine

    Parents, you’re doing fine

    Bruce’s Facebook post really got to me because I’ve experienced the same thing. People have directly or indirectly told us we’re not doing a good job as parents. And it hurts.

  • Shrunken to Surveillance

    Shrunken to Surveillance

    Our House Is this what we’ve become? People of surveillance? That’s a question I’m asking myself this week in recognition that something deep inside me has changed. After living on this block since 2009, when the worst thing we’ve experienced was someone swiping Stoney’s leash off the front porch, a few days ago we awoke to…