Family and Friends

Taking matters into his own hands

My favorite parenting moments often turn out like this… I’m sitting at the table on a lazy Sunday morning, reading the paper on my trusty PowerBook, when Adam comes galloping over with a great big grin… and woofing like Blue (of Blue’s Clues fame). He climbs up on the chair next to me and sticks out his tongue, like he’s going to give me a great big happy hello…
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BethFamily and Friends

Surely this can not last

Recently seen in the Kauffman house: Beth and Adam fighting over who got to take out the garbage. Mind you, they weren’t arguing over who HAD to take out the garbage, but who GOT to take out the garbage… like it was a privilege, not a chore. It’d be really something if this trend continued. “No, I WANT to carry in the groceries.” “No, I WANT to take a shower…
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Family and FriendsWellbeing

News from the front

I’ve just now discovered a reason why I should not let my children play in my bedroom; although I must admit I share some of the blame. It has to do with the way I lay my head to sleep… usually in an unsubtle manner. Imagine plopping your head down, expecting a soft pillow… only to find that some enterprising toddler has apparently found a new sibling-proof hiding spot for his…
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Family and Friends

The little boy that could

Have you ever known a child to enjoy washing his or her hands too much? I’m not a regular on the parenting circuit so I can’t claim to be an expert; but I can tell you it’s a 50/50 proposition in our modest household. Our daughter exhibits many of the signs of phobia. She has little time for cleaning, and little use for clean hands. I didn’t think much of this… I…
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Family and Friends

Dripping with potential

Anyone who’s taken a high school physics class is familiar with potential energy; which is important because potential energy is le metaphor du jour. Tonight we made a discovery in the Kauffman Household… the existence of potential irony. This form of irony has the potential to change the perception of other objects around it. For example… consider dishwashing detergent. On…
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Family and Friends

Anatomy of an evening

Having kids is a lesson in equal opportunity, taken to extremes. Take this evening (please). First, Adam is happy with his bowl of Crock-Pot special (mommy and daddy’s diner of choice). Enter Beth, with her bowl of specially prepared, left-over Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Sooner than you can say, “mommy, mommy,” Adam was out of his chair in search of greener pastures. Since we…
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Family and Friends

Lessons from the twentieth century

This morning Adam was angry about being abandoned by his mother. Cheryl and Beth snuck out early to hit Busch Gardens for a little mother daughter bonding. They left Adam in the clutches of the evil daddy, who had no desire for a return engagement with the full pull of Adam’s mass. Adam demanded to see his mommy and wasn’t going to do anything until he got his way, including eating…
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Family and Friends

Boy discovers strategic value of gravity

Yesterday my son and I were settling into our Friday evening routine, consisting of a daddy on the floor doing his best impression of a jungle gym. I was lying on the floor, when Adam decided to go old-school WWF on me. I didn’t know he could jump, let alone jump backwards, but facing the opposite direction he jumped backwards from a standing position, pulled his knees up and drove his but…
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