FamilyEducation Blogs

August 12, 2008

A bite worse than the bark

On most days, the conversation after I pick up K-Man from school goes something like this: “What’d you do today in school, K-Man?” And he replies, “I played.” Then, in a precursor to what life will be like when he’s a teenager, we spend time prying additional details from him. Who did he play with? Did he do any art? Was there any music? And so on. Yesterday, however, the conversation was different. “What’d you do in school today, K-Man?” He replied, “E bit me.” [more]

July 8, 2008

The lessons of kids

We knew it was a bad idea, but we let “cute” get in the way of “practical.” “Let’s let the boys sit together,” was what our friend said. “It’ll be so cute.” And, for a while it was. Right up until the point when K-Man’s friend, C-Dude, didn’t want to share his airplane and responded by sweeping his silverware, bread plate and (full) water glass off the table – the glassware shattering on the floor. C-Dude proceeded to melt down as only a two-and-a-half-year-old can. K-Man, now basically soaked in cold water, responded with his own tribal scream and shrieking cries. [more]

June 12, 2008

Judge, jury & executioner

As I continue to ponder my father-in-law’s passing (a serious game of introspection, which will likely start to subside now that the Jewish tradition of sitting Shiva is officially over), I am forced to take a very hard look at myself, and especially the reasons that he and I were recently estranged. In doing so, however, I was surprised to also discover that many of my thoughts wandered to K-Man. [more]

June 9, 2008

Still teaching

In addition to all of the things that made my father-in-law an extraordinary man, he was a teacher. Through his career, he mentored the development of thousands of young doctors. He not only taught them about medicine, but also about compassion (while perhaps trying to pass on a legacy of wearing bow ties). [more]