Once upon a time, what feels like a lifetime ago, I was working towards my masters degree. To make sense of what I was researching I read a lot. A lot a lot. Including lots on power and gender. It’s funny what sticks with you. I had to look up Nancy Folbre, but I remember … More “Who Pays For the Kids”
I like taking real events and giving them a little fantasy tweak. That’s true with he following, even if the fantasy is relatively mild. It’s there if you want to see it. He watched as his son chewed his lip before moving the wooden token across the board. The boy only had three pieces left … More The Game
I have two amazing children. One of them is six and the other is two. The are magical beings that remind me that the world is capable of love and infinite kindness. But they have also taught me that there is much overlap in the world of drunks and small children. One youngest, who was … More Toddlers are Drunks
Helgmar was known for his skill with axe and spear. The lore of his battlefield prowess meant that he could end more private disputes with but a glare of his smoke-colored eyes. He was blunt and honest in a way that earned him an equal amount of friends and enemies. He was glad for both, … More Helgmar
Tomorrow I get to take a little bit of a rest. I’ll likely read a book, play some music, maybe even turn on a video game. If my head space clears, I’ll even do some writing. My teaching job doesn’t start up again for another week and to tell the truth in a little worn … More New Year’s Dad
Recently I’ve heard a decent amount of chatter in the US news about parental leave, and I have to say the more I hear, the more concerns I have about how the issue is being discussed. It might be worth mentioning, for anyone new to this site, that while I am from the USA, I’ve … More Fathers are Parents Too
Most of my day was spent looking after our little one. She was home sick from daycare, but still had plenty of energy to play. We spent the morning looking at little toys and reading books. After a failed attempt to get her to take a nap we went out and enjoyed the sunshine of … More The Sick Baby Chronicle
We had our little girl’s first birthday party today. Kind of. She woke up feeling cranky, and that isn’t really like her. Her eyes were a little puffy and she was slightly warm. Our poor little girl just wasn’t feeling her best. Still, after some playing and some resting she was in a good enough … More The Party
It was just over a year ago, around 11:30pm on March 3rd, when our daughter was born. I remember walking in the rain with my sleeping son in a stroller. We headed to the birth house desperate to make it one time. I made it just as she was crowning. It felt as if they … More Welcome to One
Last fall I was helping run a youth camp training. The focus was on preparing new staffers to be camp counselors for a short term camp here in Japan. During one of the down times one of the other organizers and I got into a discussion on what I’ll call “active parenting.” But that isn’t … More The Character of Babies
Deadly Troubadour 