In the last two years and change, Rocket Kid did a fair amount of schooling online, including a full quarter in an online self-guided program. Fortunately, the work was rarely a problem—he typically understood and could complete assignments. How to navigate on the computer? That’s another matter. Much like his course work, I could show … Read more
The short answer: pretty much anything. Parents can and should monitor content but not the delivery system. Your kid likes to read novels? Great! Graphic novels? Great! Magazines? Great! Encyclopedias? Great! Audiobooks? Great! I don’t think it matters. It’s critically important for babies and young children to be read to. While I haven’t been good … Read more
Most jobs have a degree of complexity and/or nuance not visible to people outside of the job, even if they’re in the same work place, and running a household is on that list, especially if there are children involved. Babies are time- and energy-consuming. Even babies with lovely dispositions without food issues who sleep well … Read more
Validation is a beautiful thing on any day, especially valuable on a rough day or in a rough season. Anyone not having a rough season? We often think about this in the context of an argument or disagreement where we would like our points validated, but it’s applicable to many circumstances. • You belong here. … Read more
Adults telling teenagers that they’re in the best years of their life always struck me as kind of gross, especially if the teens in question weren’t having a particularly good time. Something recently made me wonder… do people say that because they didn’t have stress as a kid, then have no joy in their middle-aged-ness, … Read more
I don’t watch TV, rarely watch movies, and don’t know who a lot of famous people are. So if I know Will Smith hit Chris Rock at the Oscars earlier this week because of a tasteless joke Rock made about Smith’s wife, I assume you also know. Others have picked the event apart from a … Read more
In a podcasting workshop I took, the half-joke was that you’re not a real podcaster until you forget to hit record. I half-joke with my guests that I hope never to be a real podcaster. For the past few weeks, I’ve been trail running for the first time. (Typically, I’ve saved running for smoother surfaces … Read more
If everyone taught their kids at least to be tolerant of people who are different, it would help. Tolerance is better than intolerance, but would you want to spend your life tolerated? It’s a better-than-nothing space, not an end goal. If everyone taught their kids that their own emotions are valid and how to name … Read more
A meme floating around social media: Now that people can make 20 million dollars a year playing video games on YouTube, it’s getting harder and harder to convince kids that education is important. Wait, what? The sole purpose (or primary purpose) of an education is to make money? This is how it’s been framed much … Read more
I’m an extremely sentimental person, especially about people. Someone recently asked, “Do you collect people?” Why yes, yes I do. If you and I have had any remotely significant relationship at any point in my life for any length of time, you are a piece of me. For better or for worse. Regardless the state … Read more