I recently moved to an apartment that is close to Colsen's school, so now he can walk to and from school. Like, I'm so close I can see the school from my window. The street that I live on is basically the school's driveway.
When I was Colsen's age I walked to and from school. One day, I followed home the girl I had a crush on. Not in a creepy, stalker way; we were walking together. I did this, without telling my parents, and when I got home my parents may or may not have even been home. My parents were the opposite of helicopter parents. I was thinking, if I ever was not home when Colsen got home, I might be arrested in this day and age. The times are a changing.
What age is the correct age for kids to be home by themselves? My parents decided it was 5 when I was little. I'm thinking for Colsen, it's probably going to have to be something like 18. I jest, but it's definitely going to have to be older.
Raising Colsen
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Family Picture Time
Here is mine and Colsen's family picture from this last Christmas. I love pictures. Many of my memories are only still memories because I have pictures of them. These pictures that my family does every two years serves as a gauge for the passage of time. All the same people, just a little bit older. Usually, I'm taking pictures, so I'm not in a lot of them, but I have a ton of Colsen pics. Of course, he's my favorite pictorial subject. It's good to have these pictures where we're together and looking all dressy.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Write It Down
I read an article today from an experienced parent trying to give advice to new parents. She advised new parents to keep a journal, to write down the feelings and experiences they were going through as new parents, because one day you will probably forgot. Not the so much the important moments or accomplishments, but the day to day.
She had forgotten the day to day joys that parenting brought her, the little things. And that got me reminiscing about my time with Colsen. As I look through some of these old posts from a pretty much forgotten blog, I am reminded. Of the little quirks and things that made Colsen unique. The things that are glossed over in most of my memories.
I won't say that I'm going to do a better job keeping up this blog. I probably won't. But if I do, it will be a special treasure that I will be able to look back on when Colsen is much older. And dang it, he just keeps getting older...
She had forgotten the day to day joys that parenting brought her, the little things. And that got me reminiscing about my time with Colsen. As I look through some of these old posts from a pretty much forgotten blog, I am reminded. Of the little quirks and things that made Colsen unique. The things that are glossed over in most of my memories.
I won't say that I'm going to do a better job keeping up this blog. I probably won't. But if I do, it will be a special treasure that I will be able to look back on when Colsen is much older. And dang it, he just keeps getting older...
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Life as We Know It...
If you really love bacon and you are undecided about having children, just remember that you are going to have to share your bacon with your children. You know, unless they turn out, like, vegetarian or something. Some people can accept this (do you really love bacon?), but for others... well, you know.
I bring this up because I made bacon today. I always make four slices of bacon because that's the amount that fits perfectly in my little toaster oven tray. And four is like the perfect number for satisfying my bacon craving. Today, however, I had to give one of those pieces of bacon to Colsen. And you know, bacon is one of those things that you can't secretly make. That heavenly aroma spreads all over the home. I couldn't hide the bacon. It even distracted Colsen from his Minecraft obsession.
I can't be that guy that doesn't give his kid bacon. It hurt a little. But this is parenting.
I bring this up because I made bacon today. I always make four slices of bacon because that's the amount that fits perfectly in my little toaster oven tray. And four is like the perfect number for satisfying my bacon craving. Today, however, I had to give one of those pieces of bacon to Colsen. And you know, bacon is one of those things that you can't secretly make. That heavenly aroma spreads all over the home. I couldn't hide the bacon. It even distracted Colsen from his Minecraft obsession.
I can't be that guy that doesn't give his kid bacon. It hurt a little. But this is parenting.
Sunday, July 13, 2014
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Bed Time!
When I was in Minnesota last month, I stayed with my aunt and we got to talking about back in the day when us kids would visit her kids. Her kids had a pretty set routine when it came to bed time. My family on the other hand... Let's just say my parents were more interested in getting a full night's sleep for themselves than worrying about when their kids would go to sleep. My aunt just didn't understand first of all how my parents could allow such chaos and second of all how my siblings and I managed to regulate ourselves without the supervision.
Now I have my own kid and up until recently he was staying up late with me every night. He usually fell asleep on the floor playing with toys or on the chair watching something on his Kindle. I even, on occasion a la my parents, just went to bed before him because I was tired and he wasn't. But recently, his mom instituted a bed time which I sort of adhere to. Every night at about 10pm I tell him to brush his teeth and go to bed. And he does. Cool. I think he argued on the first night and every so often he comes out to tell me he's thirsty or hot or something, but I have a kid with a bed time.
Is it necessary though? Do kids need to have a bed time? I've read a few articles on the matter and there are a couple of studies that link irregular bed time routines with problem behavior, but then a couple that counter with the amount of sleep rather than the time of sleep being the key to behavior issues.
I'm too laid back to care about this too much. I don't have a strict schedule or routine to my days, so I can accommodate whatever. But for now, I have a kid with a bed time.
Now I have my own kid and up until recently he was staying up late with me every night. He usually fell asleep on the floor playing with toys or on the chair watching something on his Kindle. I even, on occasion a la my parents, just went to bed before him because I was tired and he wasn't. But recently, his mom instituted a bed time which I sort of adhere to. Every night at about 10pm I tell him to brush his teeth and go to bed. And he does. Cool. I think he argued on the first night and every so often he comes out to tell me he's thirsty or hot or something, but I have a kid with a bed time.
Is it necessary though? Do kids need to have a bed time? I've read a few articles on the matter and there are a couple of studies that link irregular bed time routines with problem behavior, but then a couple that counter with the amount of sleep rather than the time of sleep being the key to behavior issues.
I'm too laid back to care about this too much. I don't have a strict schedule or routine to my days, so I can accommodate whatever. But for now, I have a kid with a bed time.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
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