I got a call from one of the moms in my 4-year-old’s class while driving home. “Did you hear? The school is on lockdown.” I had just picked my boys up from school but the shock of this news compelled …
Conversation Four: The Four Most Important Conversations You’ll Have as Parents
This is a four-part blog series. Each consecutive day this week will feature Conversation one, Conversation two, Conversation three and Conversation four in both print and video. These excerpts were taken from a chapter written by Axis in Dennis and Barbara …
Setting Stories Free
My mom dressed me in cream-colored tights and a brand new cream-colored dress for my first day of kindergarten. I whined about having to wear tights, but my mom got her way that day. It was a new school, a …
Soul Mates
“Dad, do you believe in soul mates?” I asked. His eyebrows raised behind the paper he was reading. “Well …” he began. His fingers drummed a nervous rhythm on the tabletop. My dad’s hands were always moving, either pushing back …
GIST: How Do I Know When I’m Over-Parenting?
Maybe we can make a deal. We’ll agree that “doting” is OK for a baby – if you agree to discontinue doting as soon as your child gets a little older. Deal? Doting over a baby in its first 12 …
GIST: The Balance Between Protection and Shelter
Recently, CNN’s coverage of a tragic shooting was suddenly interrupted … by another tragic shooting. Sometimes it seems that violence and tragedies are happening so fast that even 24-hour news networks can’t keep up. Interestingly, the data shows that the …
A Message to the Mum Sitting Across From You Today
I saw you today. Everyone was staring at you caring for your child. Sitting so close to his well-positioned wheelchair, you kissed his forehead, wiped his face, kept him calm and held him tight when he became anxious. I see …
“What’s Wrong With That Boy?” 6 Tips for Talking to Your Kids About Disabilities
“Daddy, what’s wrong with that boy?” the little girl asked. I knew she noticed my son Joey, an amazing little boy who just happens to have Down syndrome. He also developed alopecia a few years ago, leaving him with no …