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Category: Family & Life

Rules For Dating My Daughter

Rules For Dating My Daughter

One thing that consistently irks me is the time-honored convention of Dads being clueless bumbling buffoons. The perception is beginning to die off, but it still pops up every now and then. I suppose it’s time for me to address another one: The hyper protective boy-hating Dad of a Daughter. This image has appeared on my time line many times over the years. In the beginning I would just roll my eyes and continue scrolling. But each time, I found…

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Preserving Memories

Preserving Memories

“Years ago a couple came into [the French Laundry]. They said, “Thomas, this reminds me of –” and they gave a very emotional description of an experience they had at a restaurant in France. And it’s about the memories we have –at the end of the day it’s our memories that we hold near and dear to us.” –Thomas Keller That’s really it. Isn’t it? There can be as many reasons why people eat and why they cook as there…

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Goodbye Crib: The End of the Baby Era

Goodbye Crib: The End of the Baby Era

“So…one of these days, soon, you’ll be graduating to sleeping in a big girl bed, just like Lydia!” “No.” replied Regina. “No?” I was incredulous. “What do you mean no? Your entire M.O. has been about growing up and out of your tiny little body. Getting out of the crib and into an actual bed is a pretty big part in this whole growing up thing.” “I Love my crib. I want my crib forever.” “Well…okay. For now. I’ll hold…

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Lydia’s Last Day of First Grade

Lydia’s Last Day of First Grade

I remember her first day of first grade. She wanted to make an impression that day–she wanted to wear her “gold” boots, they were a size too big but she was very proud of them. We all walked her to school that morning. Her aunt got her a backpack, a huge backpack with a garish purple (of course) design, her initials stitched in. She was so proud, so bold, she spoke in such platitudes of all the things she was…

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Little Girls and Two-Piece Bathing Suits

Little Girls and Two-Piece Bathing Suits

Recently I stumbled across a Dad’s forum debate regarding two-piece bathing suits on little girls. For the most part, members were against them. Some made comments about the sexualization of children. Others posted about creepers and perverts who think horrible things. A couple opinions stated that there is absolutely no reason ever for a two piece bathing suit on a little girl. I don’t really believe in absolutes, and I tend to believe there is nearly always a function in…

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Mother’s Day–Backed by Scientific Theory

Mother’s Day–Backed by Scientific Theory

On this Mother’s Day, I’m thinking about the news. Most news stories seem to be incredibly negative. Terrorist bombings, beheadings, shootings, hurtful remarks, all of it coming from hate. If you believed everything the news tells you, you’d guess the entire world is about to collapse in on itself–consumed by hate. I choose to not give these stories much attention. Sure, I’ll listen, watch, read enough to know what happened but then I walk away. Hatred is an emotion that…

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The Art of Manufacturing Optimism

The Art of Manufacturing Optimism

When I’m not at Home raising our daughters, I work as a Stagehand. These days I work pretty much exclusively as a Truck Loader. We empty the trucks in the morning and we reload them at night, after the performance. For the most part I like my job. Loaders work in small teams of four. We’ve been working together for a long time, there’s a lot of trust. We know how the other thinks and moves, hence not much talk…

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We Decided to Hire Our Seven Year Old Daughter

We Decided to Hire Our Seven Year Old Daughter

One of the greatest things about parenting is simply watching them growing and learning and discovering the delights and wonders of life. The heartbreaking side of that is knowing that they will also be discovering the flip side of those delights and wonders, like rejection, bullying and not always winning. It can be a struggle to stay on that fine line of preparing her for life’s disappointments without casting a negative light on life itself. This is a particular issue…

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Twelve Years, And We’re Just Getting Started

Twelve Years, And We’re Just Getting Started

“Maybe I can run the girls out to my parents place, you can be left alone to pack undisturbed. Then we take off?” “That sounds wonderful! Before you go downstairs, do I look okay in this dress?” (Does she look okay in that dress)… “Our twelfth anniversary is coming up.” “Good God! It’s been Twelve years already?” “Daddy? Regina is climbing on top of the couch again.” “Daddy? Wydia hit me” “Regina! It’s time to sit on the potty!” “No!”…

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Some Thoughts on Sexism and Dads

Some Thoughts on Sexism and Dads

A couple weeks ago there was a video that went viral of Professor Robert Kelly attempting to have an interview on BBC News about South Korea, unfortunately he forgot to lock his office door and his children came wandering in. Pure natural comedy ensued as Prof. Kelly attempted to maintain the interview while keeping his children at bay all the while trying to not crack up. The best part happened seconds later as his wife skids into the room to…

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