August 2010

Mocha Dad and Moms: A Parent’s Dilemma – Pushing Too Hard vs Giving Up Too Soon

Mocha Dad and Moms is a monthly column where a mom and I give our points-of-view on a parenting topic. This month’s featured mom is Maria Lianos. When Is It Too Soon to Give Up on Something? When my elder son, the Boss, started playing hockey in our very Canadian hockey town, my younger son, [...]

15 comments Read the full article →

Creative Lessons in a Brown Paper Bag

Creativity is a trait that I try to nurture in my children. Whether through art, music, or literature, I strive to give them many opportunities to express themselves. Because of my encouragement, my 9-year-old daughter, Nee, is blossoming into a talented writer, artist, pianist, and photographer. Although she is naturally shy, her artistic endeavors give [...]

15 comments Read the full article →

10 Things My Kids Learned in School Last Year

It’s back to school time and like many parents, I’m scrambling to make sure my kids are prepared. But while I was shopping for school supplies, going to parent orientations, and finding the perfect backpack, I started to reminisce on last year. It was my kids’ first year in public school and they managed to [...]

22 comments Read the full article →

Always Listen to Your Wife

KayEm told me to leave the house earlier, but I disregarded her advice because I’m a seasoned traveler. My heart stopped as I entered the highway and saw the traffic backed up for miles. I could hear KayEm’s voice in my head, “You should have left earlier…” I managed to get around the traffic, but [...]

44 comments Read the full article →

When Siblings Are Rivals

One morning at breakfast, my wife, KayEm, was teaching my daughter Nee about matter. As they discussed the concept, Nee provided some concrete examples of matter. KayEm was pleased by Nee’s mastery of the topic and continued explaining the three states of matter. My son, N, upset that he wasn’t grasping the concept, decided to [...]

21 comments Read the full article →

Guest Post: The Value of a Doll

It was a hair emergency that brought us to the American Girl Store in Dallas, TX. While the clothes, books and dolls were nice, the real reason for our visit was simple: Nee’s 2-year-old doll needed a hair intervention. After a couple of years of being braided and re-braided, the poor doll’s hair was a [...]

29 comments Read the full article →