“It seems I have spent a lifetime of mouthing mechanically, ‘Say thank you. Sit up straight. Use your napkin. Close your mouth when you chew. Don’t lean back in your chair.’ Just […]
Erma Bombeck on Marriage and Parenting
Dick Van Dyke’s Secret to Parenting
“I decided, when I started having kids, that I’d try not to do anything that I wouldn’t be proud for them to see. I’ve kind of stuck with that, and I don’t […]
Combining Childbirth With Amusement Park Technology
We are led to understand that the process of delivering a baby can be somewhat difficult. Fortunately, for expectant mothers everywhere, inventors George and Charlotte Blonsky have come to the rescue with […]
Fatherhood Prepares Lincoln For the Presidency
While Abraham Lincoln was living in Springfield, Illinois, one of his neighbors looked out the window and saw a curious sight. The tall, lanky lawyer was walking down the street with his […]
Parenting and the Presidency: the Limits of Power
When President Theodore Roosevelt was confronted with complaints about the behavior of his 19-year-old daughter, Alice, he responded, “I can do one of two things. I can be President of the United […]
A Tale of Two Boys and Their Fathers’ Creations That Ruined Their Lives
Chris and Denny might as well have been brothers. They had so much in common — particularly their conflict with their fathers — that it almost looks as if they had the […]
Don’t be a Flipperförälder
We’ve all seen them. They tend to show up at supermarkets, airports, and movie theaters, and they make life miserable for everyone else. I’m speaking, of course, of the parents who do […]
Gunshot Wound? Don’t Worry, Son… I’m Sure There’s An App for That
Every child believes his or her mom can fix every boo-boo. Sometimes that faith can be misplaced. Consider the case of the 14-year-old son of Deborah Tagle, who received a gunshot wound […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 