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My Son Teaches Me about Professional Communication
One of my favorite things to do with my kids while my wife is at work is to take walks around the neighborhood. We usually have a destination, but if the weather is especially nice and we’re having a good time, I won’t exactly rush home.
Recently, we were on just such a walk on a very mild summer afternoon. My son was sipping on a cold chocolate milk and asking all sorts of questions about the various cars and houses we passed as we walked. It wasn’t until we were getting close to home that we happened upon this, sitting in the grass near the street:
Thing to Remember When Your Kids Are Driving You Frickin’ Insane
Watching a small child slowly grow into an actual, real-live person is an interesting thing. They watch you so intently when you speak, drinking it all in. This gives way to imitation as they take on your specific habits and behaviors (which they’ll then mold to fit their own personalities and such). There are times when I’m blown away by how much my son acts like me, enunciates words as I do, even the slightest mannerisms look like mirror images of myself. It’s one of the first times as a parent that you truly realize how heavily you influence your kids, down to their very essence as people.
Now, all that touchy-feely crap aside, there are times when the whole “learning everything” bit can get a little exhausting. The most common example is the “Why?” phase that hits right around 3 years old (I’m hip-deep in it as I write this). Just for those of you who either don’t have kids or have forgotten how this tends to go, I’ll give you a short example of the kind of thing I mean:
Parents: You are Their Best Friend
As many of you know, my wife and I have two wonderful kids. Our oldest will be 3 years old next month which is crazy. And as most parents of toddlers will tell you, they can be a bit of a challenge (to say the least). They can be defiant and stubborn, and the word “no” will escape their lips way more often than you think. Love them like we do, toddlers can be a great deal of work.
Another thing most parents will be able to tell you is just how tiring this parenting business can be. By the time the late afternoon rolls around, it’s not uncommon to be completely devoid of energy. This lack of energy can lead to crankiness and a “short fuse” on the part of the parent, which can then lead to snapping at your kids or not wanting to really get involved in spending quality time with them.
My wife was telling me about a quote she read in a book on disciplining children, which said something to this effect:
How to Talk to a Toddler
I’ll be honest - before I became a parent, I had a hell of a time interacting with small children. Kids who were still in the midst of learning to talk, but had learned a few words and used them frequently (and, not surprisingly, sometimes incorrectly). Tell me if this situation sounds familiar…
You show up at a holiday meal, one where there are truckloads of extended family congregating from miles around. Your second cousin Todd and his lovely wife Claire arrive with their little girl, Eunice, who is 2 years old. She runs over to you and immediately takes a liking to you. She starts yammering on, mostly babble to you - though, you think you can catch the word “puppy” in there someplace. You’re constantly looking to Mom and Dad to translate for their young daughter. For some (myself included), this can be a somewhat uncomfortable situation. You don’t want to come off like an ass by trying to pawn the kid off on somebody else, but you are also genuinely interested in this child despite the “language barrier”.
So I Got a New Tattoo…
Nothing productivity-related here, kids. But I got a new tattoo last night (first one in about 10 months or so):
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Nora, for those of you who don’t know, is my little girl (almost 4 months old already - sheesh).
And if you want to see a nearly-exhaustive gallery of my tattoos, you can do so by looking at my tattoo set on flickr.
Alright, get back to work - more lifehackery to come!
Technorati Tags: tattoos
10 Ways You Will Change When You Become a Parent
My Wife and Daughter
Just about every Thursday of every week, I get together with my brother to roast coffee, drink beer and have a few laughs. We hang out his house, are accosted by his two Bassett hounds and just sorta chew the fat and hang out. We always have a good time, indeed.
But one thing I’ve recently noticed during our weekly hang-out period (as well as other social events at the homes of non-parents) is how differently I behave now that I am myself a parent. Some of them are terribly subtle, but they really shine through depending on where I am and what I’m doing. What kinds of things do I mean? Well, let’s just dive right into the list…
How to Deal with Babies (that Aren’t Yours)
Immediate after the birth of both of our two children, my wife and I would have family and friends pop by to take a gander and the new addition. The room would be billowing with “awwww”s and such, as you’d expect. But for 90% of the people visiting, the question “would you like to hold the baby?” was met with shock and extreme apprehension. The thought of “doing it wrong” or dropping the baby was enough to dissuade these fine folks from taking part in one of the most miraculous events this life has to offer.
The fact of the matter is that the vast majority of young people (who aren’t parents) are scared to death of holding and otherwise caring for infants. I would have definitely counted myself among this lot a mere 2.5 years ago, so don’t think I’m picking on anybody. The truth is, babies (while definitely fragile) aren’t as breakable as you might think.
With all that in mind, I’ve compiled a list of a few misconceptions/tips for dealing with babies:
