Arts & Culture

Movie Review: Despicable Me

“When we got adopted by a bald guy,” the character of young orphan Margo states, “I thought this would be more like Annie.” But this weekend’s new animated 3-D flick, Despicable Me, ain’t no Annie. There’s no singing, just a wee bit of dancing, and though, like Annie, there’s a large cast, in this case, they happen to be bright yell... read more

Insight

Dads at Delivery

In my first pregnancy, I knew I was not alone in my fear of pooping in the delivery room. I had the Internet and a bunch of women in my childbirth preparedness classes to echo my concern. In fact, in a poll I found online, 70% of women admitted to this same worry. In one class I asked the teacher about it. Her answer was the same as any I’d r... read more

Bad Parent

I Let My Kid Play Violent Video Games

My 12-year-old son, Eli, is an avid gamer. The TV no longer interests him. Cartoons are relics of a vanished civilisation. When his daily allotment of screen time rolls around, he makes a beeline to the computer (or the Xbox 360, or his handheld Nintendo DS, or his new phone) and starts blasting away at his legions of enemies. On a normal weekday,... read more

Insight

Do Kids Make Us Happy?

Recently, parenthood has taken a hit in the media. Multiple studies published in the last few years have concluded that having children decreases our well-being and leads to stress and conflict in the couples’ relationships. But should we believe the research? Evidence That Kids Reduce Happiness Take this article from last year’s Journal... read more

Bad Parent

While My Kids Sleep… I Throw Away Their Toys!

When I was growing up, my mother’s end-of-her-rope tactic when my sister and I refused to clean our room was, “I’m going to throw all your toys away!” Sometimes she got out a giant black rubbish bag and chased us around the room with it. She grew seven feet tall when she did that and sparks shot from her eyes. Which is to say, she shook... read more

Insight

Five’s Company

I thought I was done raising young children. I'd been a single dad since Chet, my littlest one was just eight months old and his big sister, Ava, was three and a half. I'd blogged about it, written a book about it, congratulated myself on what a faithful parental servant I'd been to them, and now that they are of school age, I get a thrill commandi... read more

First Person

On Love, Arguing and Psychosis

I met my husband when I was twenty years old. Most people enter marriage with their parents’ old china and Velvet Elvis paintings; we had those plus abandonment issues, histories of domestic assault, and a complete inability to communicate on every level — oh, and youth, which is arguably the greatest obstacle we had to overcome. During the... read more

Arts & Culture

I Hate Taking My Kid to 3-D Movies

(Warning: movie spoilers ahead!) I’m going to come right out and say it: I loathe 3-D movies. If there was a Facebook-style dislike button one could press when an ad for a 3-D movie came on TV, I would lean on that sucker to make my point. When yet another 3-D movie ostensibly marketed to the whole family is released, I pray my kids won’t no... read more

First Person

Parents, Facebook and Google

I Googled my mother. I was certain I knew everything there was to know about her — or at least everything a daughter wants to know. She watches the detective show Bones twice a day, hates board games and bland food, loves coral lipstick, Hollywood tell-all books and George Clooney. She's prone to offering unsolicited opinions, has no qualms ab... read more

First Person

Preparing Kids for Disappointment

Recently my daughter Phoebe and I were at a birthday party. Five-year-old girls poured from vents in the ceiling, cracks in the floor, through open windows. There were pigtails and pink clothing and loose teeth everywhere. A clown was flown in from New York to juggle stuffed bears, and two puppeteers performed a musical written about the birthday g... read more