How I'm coping with my sons' sibling rivalry
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
Newton's third law:
For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
I use this as a reminder in coping with my sons' sibling rivalry. Usually, it starts over something silly (at least it seems that way to me). Whether it's a water bottle, soccer ball, video game, it doesn't matter. The argument is basically the same. One kid . . .
Posted in: emotionsempathybrotherssibling rivalry
Shutdown & Drummer Boy
Two poems
Shutdown
Shutdown
don't talk—
ignore the old man,
he's angry.
I deserve it,
just don't yell
at me anymore,
Dad
I cry cuz it
hurts my feelings
I annoy my brother
cuz it's so fun
I'm just a kid
brain not fully formed
don't expect me
to be an adult—
I'm just a kid,
just a kid
don't kid yourself;
think I'm doin'
pretty good
I hate you
. . .
Posted in: poetry
After ten years, I finally reconnected with my long-lost friend
Life is not a good excuse for falling out of touch
I hadn’t seen my good friend in ten years. He moved over 4,000 kilometres away and we lost touch. Life kind of got in the way. So in July, 2016, we flew out to visit and reconnect.
We were greeted warmly at the airport. A pleasant surprise. If I knew they were waiting on us, I wouldn’t have dawdled with the kids watching the Euro . . .
Posted in: friendship
The most precious gift I can give is my time
My sons and I enjoy a professional development day together
P.D. Day!
Hear the swish-swish of their snow pants as we walk home from drugstore. Sun, so bright, reflecting off snow. Younger likes to hold my hand still, sometimes. Older walks ahead, blazing a trail on slushy sidewalk. We laugh, waddle, joke. Feel like a new dad, all over again.
Silver jet streaks above, double contrails painting . . .
Posted in: emotionsdaydreamingpd day
I made myself redundant as a stay-at-home dad
My family needs me in different ways—and that's OK
This article first appeared in The Good Men Project on February 10, 2017.
For over six years, I was very comfortable in my role as stay-at-home dad. But I knew it was time for a change.
My kids are in school full time. They don’t need me in the same ways. They don’t need me to hover. A healthy sign of their growing . . .
Posted in: stay-at-home dad
Fuzzy Bunny and Winter Apples
How a bunny learned to like apples more than carrots
Fuzzy Bunny was not a bear.
He was a rabbit. He did have hair.
He did not like carrots as much as you'd think.
Oh, sure he liked them, but what he loved, were Winter Apples.
His friend, S, led Fuzzy out to the yard. They came across an apple tree. Not just any apple tree, but a crabapple tree.
"Do you want to try a crabapple, Fuzzy?" S . . .
Posted in: fuzzy bunnykid stories
Let's talk about mental illness
I'm no longer silent about bipolar disorder
Every year around this time, the Bell Let's Talk campaign is front and centre. I admire the spokespeople who share their personal stories in the hopes of raising awareness about mental illness.
I've blogged about depression, but something always held me back about bipolar disorder. Well, here it goes ...
In my early twenties, I was . . .
Posted in: bipolar disorderdepressionmental illness