When I was growing up, I spent every possible minute of my free time outside with the neighborhood kids, exploring our world on foot, bike, big wheel and skateboard. And when we were lucky, Mom and Dad would take us camping where we could swim, hike, and toast marshmallows. Life was good, we had fun, and all of us were fit and healthy. Sure, we had the latest … [Read more...] about Outdoorsy Kids: Holiday Gift Guide
Archives for September 2009
Movie Review: Fame
Rating: PGGenre:Musical, comedy Release Date: September 25, 2009Running Time: 105 minutes Child-friendly?This remake of the 1980s film of the same name softens the tone of the original, but keeps the same plotpoints. Perhaps one of the more noticeable changes with Fame will be the PG rating (the original was R). This new version of Fame appears to be marketed at teens, … [Read more...] about Movie Review: Fame
A new year at school
It's always amazing how quickly a new year at school starts, with its new and old routines. Today, again, I rustled through cupboards and the fridge trying to find healthy lunch food that will actually get eaten, and then to find non-plastic containers to put it all in. For some it's the laundry, for others, the dishwasher. For me the existential reminder is the daily attempt … [Read more...] about A new year at school
“Daddy, you don’t read books…”
My son was hunting around for a bookmark and asked me if I had one. I replied in the negative and he said, "Oh yeah. You don't read books." Wow, that hurt. I was a French major in college and have an MA in French literature. I once felt as bookish as my nine year old does today, but my book-reading habits have fallen off. Now, I plow around the internet and read a lot of … [Read more...] about “Daddy, you don’t read books…”
Forget buying new and look to used book stores
With the fall season already here, many young children and teenagers head back to school, which can add a strain on the budgets of some fathers.However, here's some parenting advice that will save money and won't negatively affect a child's education: buy used.Many school curriculums require children to read certain books as an assignment for class. While some families may … [Read more...] about Forget buying new and look to used book stores