My love for music began in middle school. As a rising 6th grader, I joined the middle school band, choosing to play the tuba. Practicing every evening, I became very proficient in the instrument. In fact, my middle school band director insisted that I was on track to become a professional musician if I chose […]
My children have seen me cry. While I don’t let them care for me as a parent may care for a child, I will let them see me shed the tears when I’m sad, discouraged, or anxious. All three of my kids know I am a person of integrity and determination; they also know that
Modeling Humility for Your Children Read More »
“Necessity,” Plato said, “is the mother of invention.” In the era of Covid-19, we see invention underway in the expansion of the so-called “Gig Economy.” Furloughed seamstresses are crafting inexpensive, reusable facemasks from fabric swatches. In the absence of customers needing lifts to one location or another, Uber drivers are now shuttling groceries and takeout
Creating a Side Hustle that Benefits the Whole Family Read More »
In a previous life I lived in a little town that was considered my state’s unofficial capital of chicken farming. Take a drive through that fine town today and you’ll smell what I’m talking about. “That’s the smell of money,” the farmers will tell you. When this bucolic place was home, we occasionally had a
10 Ways to Serve as a Family Read More »
I’ve been on a Kenny Rogers binge since last Saturday. While I’m not a Kenny fan per se, the artist’s passing reminded me of all the Kenny Rogers I heard as a child. It seems like every time our family hopped in the family car, Kenny was performing on the radio, belting his gritty ballads
Kenny Rogers, Old Memories, Great Examples from Great Men Read More »
I took my son out for a drive yesterday. Like many of your children and grandchildren, he’s stir-crazy. While we talked about virus topics for a few minutes, the bulk of the conversation centered on cars. Fast cars, old cars, muscle cars. My contributions to the conversation consisted of a few memorized factoids about the
The Quest for Normalcy: Getting Back to the Basics Read More »
Recently, my ordered, predictable, hope-filled world has become disordered. I feel like I’m being controlled. Controlled by virus particles that can only be seen with the strongest microscopes. Controlled by a nebulous disease none of us had ever heard about two months ago. Controlled by 24/7 breaking news and alerts that keep me perpetually distracted
7 Things you Can Do to Help Kids Negotiate Fear Read More »
A few days ago, my middle child and I spent the better part of two hours arguing about shoes. Yes, shoes. Being a bit tight fisted with the buck, I set a price limit for the shoes and told my daughter that anything above the top price would be her responsibility. In hindsight, the price
Today: The Power of Presence in Fatherhood Read More »
A few weeks ago, my middle-school aged daughters challenged me to a little footrace through the neighborhood. Historically, I’ve “smoked” the girls during these sorts of races, showing no mercy in pursuit of the finish line. This time the outcome was far different. While I jumped out to a fast start, both girls quickly passed
Balanced Wellness for Fathers: Caring for the Heart, Soul, Mind and Strength Read More »
As a member of the “Latchkey Generation,” I spent much of my adolescence fending for myself at the end of the school day. Like many of the families of my generation, our family relied on the income of two working parents to keep the bills paid and the retirement account funded. In many ways, the
Father’s Work and Family Life: How to Balance Read More »
