Browsing All posts tagged under »children«

Happy Birthday, Apollo Fonzarelli!

April 19, 2011

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Happy birthday to kid #2, The Fonz, who turns seven today! Why do I call him The Fonz? When he was born I filled out two applications for a birth certificate; the first form I showed my wife contained the name we had agreed upon; the second form, the one I didn’t show her, and […]

A Big Bah, Humbug to the Tiny Birthday Tyrant

April 16, 2011

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Is it just me, or is something fundamentally wrong with children’s birthday parties as an institution?  How can an event meant to celebrate the life and birth of a child, result in the parents’ gin-soaked resolution not to have any more children?  Twenty years from now when America’s declining birthrate brings social security to a […]

Pearls of Wisdom…As Far as I Can Remember…Probably…Don’t Quote Me on That

April 4, 2011

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Adults never know when they might make the difference in the life of a child.  A kind word or timely advice can lay a foundation of character that lasts a lifetime. As a child I remember someone saying—and I can’t remember who it was for sure—either a boy scout leader or maybe a soccer coach, […]

How to Teach Your Kids to Sound Smart (Especially If They’re Not)–Part 2

March 24, 2011

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If you haven’t read How to Make Your Kids Sound Smart Part 1, make sure you do so here, so you’ll know what all the other moms were talking about at last week’s group therapy. For those who did read Part 1, did you practice tips #1 and #2 with your ‘fork-misses-mouth’ smart child? Remember, […]

Economics Even A Six Year Old Can Understand–Part 2

March 19, 2011

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My six year old son, The Fonz (so nicknamed because his middle name is Fonzarelli), recently started saying the word apparently.  He uses it correctly in speech, but I assume its use adds a flavor he didn’t intend. If I ask him if Ethan is his best friend he says, “Apparently he is.”  In his […]

Economics Even A Six Year Old Can Understand–Part 1

March 18, 2011

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Every parent hopes children learn the following important lessons about money: How to live frugally. When it is okay to borrow money. How to save for a rainy day. How to be wealthy, but still win the respect of your servants in a way that ensures they’ll hide you when the local peasants form a […]

How to Tease Your Kids

March 8, 2011

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My wife said I can’t tease the kids anymore. I use the word anymore as though it used to be okay to tease and now it isn’t, but in reality she’s always said not to, only now I think she really means it. It seems the kids were having trouble in school for a long […]