This column is dedicated to the fine young woman who shouted medical advice at my son and I across three lanes of traffic as she was trying to navigate a minivan full of kids through a very crowded Union Avenue after the Saratoga Race Course’s Open House last Sunday.
And I think you know who you are.
On the Fourth of July, fresh off of a vacation to the epicenter of family values, Atlantic City, my wife and I took our two sons over to my in-laws’ for a barbecue. Twenty minutes later, we were on our way to the emergency room. Our daredevil of a 5-year-old broke his leg by running and jumping into some elaborate kiddie pool complete with oasis, slide, palm tree and about half a cup of water in it.
He didn’t want to go...
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 Oct 03 Advice: A hard habit to breakwdevoe, Pop Culture CATEGORY: General Society
Oct 03 With kids, you’re always on the clockwdevoe, Pop Culture
Sometimes you just want to mow the lawn.
But when you have kids, you can no longer “just” do anything. You no longer “just” go out to dinner. You no longer “just” run right down to the store. Things that you “just” used to do become ordeals that involve hours-long preparation, the stocking of diaper bags and the changing of diapers, the wrestling of clothes on and back on squirmy little kids as they do just about anything they can to delay the process of “just” doing something that used to take no time at all. When I do get a chance to “just’ do something, I like to spend my time in the garden or doing yard work... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
Oct 03 September brings school, sports and separation anxietywdevoe, Pop Culture
The first day of school, I walked Kevin upstairs through the hallway and out to the schoolyard where his kindergarten class lines up every morning.
At the entrance to his new elementary school, the assistant principal, who warmly welcomed Kevin and assured him that he was going to have a blast in this new and exciting place, greeted us. When he took his place in line out in the schoolyard, in between a girl so tall she looked my age and a shorter kid with a spiky Mohawk, I hugged him goodbye and started to walk away. I got about 5 feet before I had to turn around and look at him. Kevin, usually the biggest kid in his preschool classes because of his late birthday, seemed so small in that schoolyard full of children. I’ve seen my boy in so many ways before that day... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
Oct 03 One fish, two fish, dead fish, new fishwdevoe, Pop Culture  The lie began while I was getting ready for work Monday morning. I was taking a shower when my wife cracked the door and half whispered something to me. “Orn is ed,” she says. “What are you talking about?” She raised her voice a little bit to be heard over the water. “Orn,” she says emphatically, and begins to shake her head in the direction of our living room, “is ed.” I’m not too bright, and if you catch me before I’ve had my morning coffee, I’m downright difficult... Continue Reading CATEGORY: General Society
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