September 2011

Parents and Teens Can Work Together to Reduce Teenage Drinking & Driving

I first succumbed to the pressure of teenage drinking on Prom Night. My friend invited us to her house after the prom for a daiquiri party. Of course I didn’t tell my mother about this party because I knew there was no way that she would allow me to go. My friend’s parents, however, had [...]

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The Mommy at the End of This Book

I often sit in the family room and read books to my children. When my 10-year-old daughter was born, we only read physical books. Now, about half of the books that I read to my kids are digital versions. One book that has stood the test of time is The Monster at the End of [...]

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Parents Can Make Money for the Holidays with eBay

I can still remember the first thing I sold on eBay. It was a broken camera lens. I was shocked when it sold because I clearly indicated that the lens was broken. It was then that I realized one man’s trash is really another man’s treasure. After that experience, I was bitten by the eBay [...]

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Clothes Shopping is Apparently No Place for Dads

I periodically take each of my children on special dates. After flipping through my calendar, I realized that my 10-year-old daughter, Nee, and I hadn’t done anything together since the Father/Daughter Dance. We were way overdue for a Daddy/Daughter date. I brainstormed a few activities until I settled on the perfect outing – a shopping [...]

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What’s Important to You?

Over the past few weeks, many Texans have been forced to evacuate their homes due to the wildfires that have ravaged our state. Some residents only had five minutes to grab their belongings and leave their homes. A few of the evacuees returned to their homes to find them destroyed by the fires. All they [...]

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What Does Being an Involved Parent Mean to You?

A couple of weeks ago, I read an article in a parenting magazine that troubled me. The title of the article was, “How to be an Involved Parent.” The writer described how she spent countless hours driving her kids to events, lessons, and activities. She said that she spent every waking hour doting on her [...]

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10th Anniversary of September 11th: A $5 Photograph of the Twin Towers Gives Me Hope for the Future

In 1999, my wife, KayEm, and I went to New York to attend a wedding. After the festivities, we took a quick sight-seeing tour through Manhattan. Along the way, we noticed several street vendors selling their wares. We stopped at a booth that was covered with framed photographs of New York street scenes. We browsed [...]

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Wedding Anniversaries Are a Time to Celebrate (I’m on #14)

My wife, KayEm, and I recently celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary. This is one of those anniversaries that can easy pass by unnoticed (who wants to observe a wedding anniversary that has a traditional gift of ivory). Between raising three kids, managing the household, and keeping other social commitments finding the time to celebrate can [...]

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The First Day of School

The first day of school is always special. It is filled with excitement, anticipation and a hint of nervousness. Although my kids won’t admit it, they were eager for school to start. This was the first year that they’ve have some consistency in their school routine. My daughter, Nee, who is in 5th grade, has [...]

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