Meet My Son, SJ

Son playing on his KindleI was sitting at the kitchen table last week writing a blog post. SJ, my seven-year old son, was at the table as well. He said to me, “I want to write a blog post.”

I laughed, “That’s cool but not now.”

“When,” he asked.

I didn’t have an answer, “I don’t know buddy.”

He asked repeatedly throughout the day, “I’m ready. Are you ready?”

“No, I’m not ready. Please stop asking me.”

While SJ has created, okay co-created, many Captain Underpants stories, I wasn’t so sure my son was up to a blog post.

So, I did the next best thing. I interviewed SJ. He really is a funny character as you may have noticed here or here or here

Anyway, here is my recent interview with my younger son. It’s slightly edited and includes responses to some prompts not noted.

1. What is your favorite thing to do when you are home?
I like to play on my Kindle. Well, there are certain games. There’s Angry Bird Start War and other Angry Bird games and Ice Age Village and Minecraft. Continue reading

A Son Grows, A Dad Wonders

Dad and child.

Jack and his daughter.

They change right? Our children that is. They grow up and when they do, we want them to do better than us. Isn’t that the rule?

Well, my fellow Dad Blogger, Jack, who blogs at the TheJackB surely feels this way about his son who seems to be growing rapidly right in front of his eyes. Jack, a writer and author of 39 unpublished books and three screenplays, fashions himself as a would-be superhero fighting for truth, justice, and the American Way. Over at the TheJackB, the husband father and friend covers a wide range of topics including business, technology, parenting, politics, education, sports and religion.

Trust me: the TheJackB is an engaging blog which I read regularly. So, after you read this, head on over there.

“Dad, they shouldn’t give us so much homework to do during summer. It’s not fair and it’s not right.”

I nod my head and tell him part of me agrees with him, but it doesn’t matter because this isn’t a debate. His homework is his responsibility. It’s part of the joy of going into 8th grade and getting ready for high school.

High school.

It doesn’t seem possible that my son is almost old enough to be in high school. It is hard to fathom how fast time has gone, but it’s growing easier to imagine a time when he will not be a little boy any more.

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Tony Dungy and What Makes Sports Great

Football/Sports fieldAcross the NFL, teams are beginning training camp. Endless analysis is available about every imaginable aspect of the game. However, the biggest story is only marginally related to the game itself. That story, of course, is the controversy related to Tony Dungy.

Here’s some background for those of you who are not football fans or don’t know who Tony Dungy is. Dungy played briefly in the NFL before becoming a coach in the league.  Eventually, he became a head coach. His first head coaching job in the NFL was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.  He is most famous for his second head coaching job which came with the Indianapolis Colts.  It was with the Colts that he led a team to a Super Bowl victory. Dungy has since retired and is now a football analyst for NBC.

While I don’t know Dungy personally, the sense I get from listening to him and hearing others talk about him is overwhelmingly positive. He comes off as decent, respectable, and graceful. To be clear, Tony Dungy has been a stand-up guy.

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I Choose My Family

Family at the Magic Kingdom

My family and I at the Magic Kingdom

I consider myself a good son. Despite living two hours away, I see my mother monthly. I talk to her a couple of times a week. When I do see or talk to my mother, I am polite, respectful, etc. Therefore, my actions this weekend should be no surprise.

We had arranged for my mother to come for a visit this past weekend. My family and I had not seen her in a few weeks. The boys really enjoy seeing their bubbe (Yiddish for grandmother), and I want to foster that relationship.

When my mother comes for a visit, she, Ms. MMK, and I often watch a movie together. We eat snacks – popcorn or ice cream – and relax after the children have gone to bed. As part of my preparation for my mother’s most recent visit, I checked out my queue on Netflix. I skimmed through the titles trying to pick a movie which I thought would appeal to my mother. After consulting with Ms. MMK, I moved August Osage County to the top of the queue.

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