Tag Archive for: common sense
How Sports Teach Us
This is a great time of year for sports. We’ve just seen a great French Open, Stanley Cup Final, and NBA Final.
Whether you’re an athlete or not, sports offer real opportunities to teach values, focus, and tenacity. As parents, even…
3 Simple Solutions to 3 Common Parenting Challenges
There are very few things that I find “absolute” in parenting. What works for one family may not work for another… except for the three strategies I am about to share with you. These primarily concern multi-child households. They worked…
The Power of Appreciation
I’ve lived long enough to see many of my divorced friends find new mates. It’s quite a relief actually – not because I think everybody needs to be a couple, but because their divorces have left scars that I’m happy to see healing.
In…
The High Cost of Bad Parenting
I believe that most parents are good parents. It’s my observation that a majority of our citizens are well-behaved, respectful, and law-abiding. But I also see a society that devotes an immense amount of energy and resources to deal with…
It’s All My Fault
When I went to college in the mid ‘70s, I made fun of people who sat in the front row of the class. I thought their eagerness to get good grades was a “kiss ass” thing and that real “free thinkers” didn’t have to conform to the rigorous…
A Legacy Of Love
My Grandfather, Nathan, was an incredibly shy man. In addition to being very short (5’4”), he was a quiet and kind immigrant who listened far more than he spoke. He came from Russia to pursue a better life, and made his living as a bicycle-riding…
Are You a Free Range Parent ?
I never thought I’d use a new-age term for happy chickens to address a parenting-related issue, but I suppose over-cautious parents are as oppressive to children as cages are to chickens.
The organization known as Free Range Kids is “fighting…
Kanye’s Silver Lining
Yep, we almost saw it again, Kanye West deciding that his musical opinion trumps all others – and that he is the true arbiter of all musical “art.” Part of the good news is that we didn't see it – at least we didn’t see the rude…
Ballet Dads
We’ve got three sons and a daughter. They arrived in that order. By the time our daughter Emily was born, I had coached and/or refereed multiple seasons of Little League, Muni Basketball, and AYSO. When our daughter arrived she showed…
Weddings and World Peace
My wife, JoAnn, and I started this year on the perfect note - we went to a wedding on New Year’s Eve. Essentially, we doubled down on hope.
After all, what is more optimistic than two people sharing their love on a day that marks the beginning…