There are so many great toys out there. I don't know how anyone choose beyond what the kids say they absolutely must have this year. I can tell you what's on my son's list and that will give you an idea of your 8-year old boy: 1. Stylus - his sister has one. Her school gave out iPads in seventh grade, so she spends every evening doing math, English, and science on the iPad. I … [Read more...] about Holiday Gifts for (mostly) boys
News of the dreaded peanut allergy
There are over a million people in the United States with a peanut allergy. We have gone from a country 15 years ago where people scoffed at this type of allergy to now a universal acceptance that kids, and adults, can die very quickly from anaphylactic shock if not treated immediately. Even five or six years ago, parents in our pre-school found it hard to refrain from sending … [Read more...] about News of the dreaded peanut allergy
Dads at Election Day 2012
Here we are finally at Election Day. This has to be the longest slog to the first Tuesday in November in recorded history. Even we political junkies are tired of the repetition of talking points and downward spiral of the last months. Our kids are tired too. They've listened to too many conventions, debates and last speeches. They long ago decided who they would vote for, along … [Read more...] about Dads at Election Day 2012
The 3 RC helicopters I want for Christmas
Actually, I want them for my birthday in November, but Christmas is the season-appropriate title. Why do we love RC helicopters so much? Maybe it's the way they hang in the air, able to do more delicate manoeuvres than other flying craft. We like the way they can glide and pull back, unlike anything a mere airplane can do. And for some reason, the thrill seems to be greater … [Read more...] about The 3 RC helicopters I want for Christmas
Talking to Kids About Online Porn
Good article today at Mashable.com about how one dad handled finding a good size cache of porn in the family browser history. Short story: he writes his son a note saying he doesn't want to make a big deal of it or embarrass him. But he does want to warn him of the dangers on the internet. All of us with kids at any age struggle with this. How much internet do we allow and how … [Read more...] about Talking to Kids About Online Porn