Sometimes it's hard to put into words how I feel about my sons. Though regular readers here have no doubt seen some of my humble attempts to do that in past blog posts. But this struggle has become even more pronounced as I watch my sons grow year after year and change in ways most … Continue reading As another year ends, two silver linings bring hope to one dad’s parenting journey
Yesterday I was sharing with a couple of friends how parenting is analogous to navigating open waters. For currents and weather are often unpredictable, even to the most seasoned of fishermen. The same goes for parenting. Babies don't stay babies. Neither do toddlers and prepubescent boys. They grow. They change. In ways not always predictable. … Continue reading Father-son bonding #3 — Investing emotionally in children pays the “best dividends”
Looking back, one of my regrets in life is that I didn't mature faster. If I did, perhaps I could have gotten more done before I turned 50 two years ago. So what brought on this sudden sob story you ask? For one, a lifetime of wondering what if I could have turned back the … Continue reading Parenting motivations #15 — how can my sons mature faster?
Unbelievable right? As previously mentioned, this is now my seventh installment in this series (I dare not call it a mini-series anymore!). While I apologise this still isn't the last one, I do hope to wrap it up soon (fingers crossed!). Thanks for staying with me this far. So. To recap. This series is my … Continue reading What I learned from parenting workshops #7 — Motivations
So here's the thing about this parenting series. When I started it, I really thought it'll be a mini-series. After all, I'm basing it on three webinars about parenting teens. So I figured three would also be the magic number for posts about it, right? Strike #1. As I was working through entry #5 previously, … Continue reading What I learned from parenting workshops #6 — Rules and consequences
Hey guys! I'm writing this parenting entry today as a letter to you because I need to come clean about something deep inside my heart that's not gonna be easy. To be honest, I've no idea if there's a right or wrong time for me to talk about this. So I figured what the heck! … Continue reading Parenting motivations #12 – A “truth” letter to my sons
The Looming Divide! It's happening It's happeningI can literally feel the creep Settling in! All he wants now is time withToys and screensToys and screensToys and screens All I want is time away fromTests and screensTexts and screensTags and screens Yet this has been happeningLong before it's been happeningThe looming divideThe fleeting kiss goodnight My … Continue reading My (July) Monday Metrical Musings #90
In my last post on this series, I touched on how setting boundaries was necessary with teens. So what's one opportunity I thought would help do so? Why, a regular dedicated meeting aka family time of course! I still remember late last year when my wife mooted the idea to have an "assembly" every week. … Continue reading What I learned from parenting workshops #5 — “family meetings” aren’t “family time”!
Okay what?! Setting boundaries as a parenting strategy with a teen? I must be joking right? Alright my apologies. Who fires off three questions in rapid salvo to kick off a parenting mini-series that's looking less 'mini' by the week? (Oops not another question!) The truth is as I pen this series, I have to … Continue reading What I learned from parenting workshops #4 — Adaptive Mechanism 2 — Setting boundaries
Three weeks ago I started a parenting mini-series. To share insights gleaned from workshops I attended this year on how to parent teens. I then followed it up with another entry a week later. That one discussed the emotional, biological, social and relationship changes teens undergo. I ended the piece by mentioning mechanisms that parents like me might incorporate … Continue reading What I learned from parenting workshops #3 — Adaptive mechanism 1: Respect & consideration
