January helped create a spark again

Well, today is the last day of January. That means I have successfully gone a full month of writing at least 500 words for every week day. Not bad. By no means is this amazing, but I wanted to get back into a routine. I wanted to reignite something I used to do a lot more of. I would say, so far so good.

Has it meant a lot of traffic? Not really. Has it meant a lot of SEO rich results? Not yet anyways. So why do I bother typing out all these words and sending them out there for very few to read?

Well, like I said, it’s a routine. It’s setting a goal and sticking to it. It’s keeping the mind clear and giving me a creative outlet.

Do your kids want to spend time with you?

Leave it to the platform formerly known as Twitter to spark a debate among parents. It’s kind of what it’s there for. You throw out your thought or opinion, and hundred to thousands of people weigh in on what you said with their thoughts and opinions. Arguments happen. Things go sideways and before you know it, the argument is not even about the original topic anymore.

So why do I read these threads? I find it a little entertaining to see just how silly it gets. But every now and then there is a thread that shares a lot of solid thoughts.

Take this one for example I read today:

High school exams

I can’t think of something that worried me more. High school exams. Even today I get anxiety thinking about it. The studying. The stress. The worry. Sure, there was a lot of success, but I don’t envy those who are going through it now or have to in the future.

Why are high school exams of all things on my mind today? Well I have a kid taking his first official high school exam today – math.

First, woof. I have a kid old enough to be taking his first high school exam. That hits hard no matter how you look at it.

Parent corner: Being patient with teens

Not to steal from the great Bill Simmons, but I wanted to start my own parent corner of sorts. This blog started over 10 years ago based on the day-to-day of having little kids. Well, those kids got bigger and the entire parenting landscape changes once they are over 10.

It especially changes once they hit the teen years and for myself (and wife), this land of having a young adult is all very new.

And after a few years in, one thing for me anyways, is that I am learning to be patient. I am learning to ignore the voice in my head to help them figure it all out. I’m ignoring that skill you developed as a parent of young kids – you know, trying to stay ahead of any and all problems.

BBFs: Exploring ways to encourage positive brother relationships

Best brothers forever!

I want to start by letting you know, I don’t have a brother by blood but I have a few people in my life that are pretty darn close. But what truly inspired me to delve into the topic of brotherhood is the bond between my two sons, who are three years apart in age. Witnessing their close relationship as they navigate their early teen years has been a source of immense joy and pride for me as a parent. So, what has contributed to fostering such a strong, supportive, and positive sibling dynamic between them? How have my partner and I encouraged the development of this bond?

Let’s go.

The pure joy of seeing your team win for the first time

For me it was April 3, 1989. It was a Monday night, I was allowed to stay up and watch my Michigan Wolverines take on the Seton Hall Pirates in the Men’s college basketball National Championship.

The Wolverines won in an OT thriller that I still remember quite vividly as I watched in the Corunna basement (which tells you, it was a long time ago).

Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson, Terry Mills and ol’ Coach Fisher got it done it what was a Cinderalla run (even though they were a very good team). You always remember the first time you see YOUR team win the title.

Dad’s musical odyssey: Navigating the tunes of parenthood

Hey there, rockstar parents. We need to talk about a topic as crucial as the perfectly executed diaper change, the unparalleled joy of finding a lost toy in the couch cushions, or the tactical brilliance required to sneak vegetables into mac ‘n’ cheese. Brace yourselves – we’re diving into the world of dad’s musical tastes. You know, those tunes that keep us groovin’ through the chaos of parenting.

So, picture this: you’re driving the minivan with kids in tow, and suddenly, “Baby Shark” starts playing on the car radio. You clench the steering wheel, contemplating if it’s too early for a mid-life crisis. Fear not, fellow parent. Your musical taste hasn’t vanished; it’s just taking a detour through the realm of children’s tunes.

Smells Like Teen Spirit In Here

Can you believe it has been 10 years since I first started this blog? 10 years since I started documenting my life as a Dad. Well it’s time I checked in on myself and what better time than when my oldest child just turned 13!

Yep, if the title didn’t give it away, I now have an official eye rolling and always ready to eat all the groceries teen. To be fair he doesn’t so much roll his eyes as he just puts up with my attempts at humour.

It’s a new chapter, or dare I say, a new book of parenting that I am writing/living IRL as they say. We survived the terrible twos. The actually more terrible threes. Whatever was in between five and seven was a blur and then the pre-teen angst that seemed so cute and easy to manage. You know, when your kid thinks they have it so bad. That’s when I was eye rolling a bit.

But now. The unknown for us. I think I would have more success understanding the Metaverse at this point.

All I have to go on is remembering what life was like when I was 13. Fire up the microfiche machine.

Now I would definitely say our 13 year old has a lot of similarities to me at that age. Like me he’s super tall, super hungry and super helpful. But that only gets me so far when understanding how to be the parent of a teen in 2022.