It was the perfect day for a bike ride. I picked up my five-year-old son after work and drove straight home. As soon as I changed clothes, Bryce and I mounted up on our bicycles. Thanks to a lot of help from my parents, Bryce could now ride without training wheels (that’s a big deal in his world)! I’m a … Read More
What Ice?
My son is very outgoing. He rarely meets a stranger. Or, in terms of “breaking the ice,” Bryce usually just skates on across! That should probably scare me a little bit, but for now it just makes me smile. In fact, sometimes it makes me blush. Several months ago Bryce and I were on a flight together. As usual, he … Read More
Remember the Elevator!
My son Bryce and I joined my parents for a family vacation in the Boston, Massachusetts area recently. We were able to visit some famous landmarks and walk most of the Freedom Trail. However, Bryce’s favorite part of the vacation had nothing to do with sightseeing. Bryce’s favorite part of the vacation was pushing the buttons on the hotel elevator. … Read More
Nothing to Whine About
I make a distinction between whining and crying. Crying is usually legitimate whereas whining is never legitimate. I can be sympathetic to crying, but not to whining. My son knows that I have a “no whining” policy. I simply won’t tolerate it –no matter what the cause of the whining. He also knows that when he whines, I will always … Read More
Quit Multitasking Family
We use the term “multitasking” quite a bit. While it may be possible to do two things at once physically (walking and chewing gum at the same time), I’m not sure it is possible to do two things at once mentally (at least not voluntarily). Have you ever tried to reply to email and simultaneously carry on a telephone conversation? … Read More
Moonwalking in Heaven
I often wonder what it will be like when my son finally meets his mommy. Bryce was three months old when Jill died. Therefore, everything he knows about his mom is a result of the stories and pictures that I, along with my friends and family, share with him. In a sense, he has a second-hand knowledge of his mother. … Read More
Why I’m Concerned About Evangelizing My Son
I have a parenting struggle to confess. I am uncomfortable about my young child being asked if he would like to make a decision to trust Christ as his Savior and Lord. Please, don’t label me a heretic just yet. This is a real issue that I imagine other Christian parents have dealt with and I am hoping to generate … Read More
Aren’t You Forgetting Something?
It may be the most creative question in the history of the world. Out of the blue, with no warning whatsoever, my son loves to ask, “Aren’t you forgetting something?” Then he loves to wait in silence to see if I can guess from the 43 billion possible things his overactive five-year-old brain is thinking about! It makes me laugh … Read More
Don’t Try to Parent From “The Cloud”
Do you ever take your work home with you? I do. I don’t bring work home in the traditional briefcase or backpack. It’s all “in the cloud” now anyway –just waiting for me to pick it up. Worse than what’s “in the cloud,” however, is what’s in my head. I don’t have to be sitting at a desk or staring … Read More
Recognizing a Single Group
I’m a part of a unique group of people: single parents. We are a diverse group. Some of us are widowed, others divorced, some have never been married. Yet, most of us feel similar pressures: To compensate for the absent parent To make sure our children feel “normal” To provide for our children To make time for our children While … Read More