Stories for Dads and Moms who Need a Laugh

School is over and we needed a vacation. We travel as often as we can. Wife and I love to do it, but children tend to make it a little more challenging. School tends to do that. Vacation time is limited to certain times of the year. Planning our trip at the end of the school year seemed like the perfect time to do it. The Oppressed and The Boy would be going to camp soon. Lovie has work. Traveling in June would allow us to hit the road and celebrate the academic accomplishments and spend some time together as a family, much to the delight of our teenage cherubs. As usual, nothing here really happens as planned. Wife and I were hoping to be out the door and on the road by 5 a.m. It was more like 7:00 when we finally got going. Wife and I got coffee for us and some breakfast for the children. Soon, we were on Interstate 90 heading west. We were on the road for a while. Massachusetts isn't the biggest state in the Union, but the kids didn't realize how big it was going from east...

One of the highlights of this school year was The Boy's trip to Plimoth Patuxet . This field trip is almost like a rule for children who live in eastern Massachusetts. My first time going to Plymouth was when I was in the third grade, just like The Boy is in this year. There were preparations to attend to leading up to the big day. Students wear the same shirt so no one gets lost if something distracts them and they stop walking while the rest of the group proceeds. I felt I should have the same shirt as The Boy so we could be field trip bros on this special day. He wasn't as excited about this idea as I was. We both had yellow shirts. Wife surprised me by designing my shirt so it had the same logo as The Boy. Now we were really bros. The Boy still wasn't impressed. The Day of the Field Trip The big day had finally arrived. I was ready. The boy was ready but he wasn't as excited as I was. I had been looking forward to this. The Oppressed wasn't able to go when she...

Wife and I have decided to end our run as foster parents after a run of over five years. It's been an interesting run to say the least. From our first day of training in Brockton, MA to the day the last child left our home, the entire family has had its share of challenges. Everyone, including our own children, have faced those challenges head-on. Our experience in opening our home to those in need is one that won't be forgotten. Foster Parent Training Our journey started in a room with other potential foster parents. We went through a training process that explained what it meant to be a foster parent and what we could expect while these children were with us. Wife and I learned plenty, and we also found ourselves explaining some key points to our own children. For instance, The Oppressed thought it would be great if we had girls coming to our house. She was happy and willing to share her room with any girls that needed a place to stay. The Boy wanted boys to stay, but not j...

 People don't really enjoy getting up in the morning, unless you're a kid on Christmas Morning. Alas, leaving your nice, comfortable bed is a necessary evil when it comes to living and functioning in the world. I have to do it. I don't enjoy it, but I have to do it. I wake up with just enough time to sip some coffee before I make my way around the house to wake up cherubs for the bus. Sometimes they make it, sometimes they don't make it. You never know. Our morning is always full of surprises. Lovie wakes up later (much later) than the rest of the cherubs. Like everyone else in the house, I knock on her door to check on her and make sure she is ready to begin the glorious day. In these heady days of smartphones, home devices, and other forms of smart technology, you would think one of my children would know enough to set an alarm so they can be up and at 'em in the morning. Actually, there is one person besides me who does that. The Boy dutifully sets his alarm in t...

Dinner is served.  A fun thing at my house is when the children cook dinner. It's fun for them because they get to try a new chore and cook something they know they'll enjoy. It's fun for me because I get a night off from cooking. Dishes? Probably not, but I do get a night off from cooking. Sometimes the cherubs cook using ingredients that are already in the house, other times I'm driving children to the store to procure the necessary ingredients. There was one specific day The Oppressed wanted to make dinner. This was an interesting proposition, since The Oppressed is a vegetarian. I, a proud and eager carnivore, was a little apprehensive as to what my youngest daughter may be planning for that night's meal. Buying (and Paying for) the Groceries The shopping list with the "secret ingredient". The menu of the evening required a trip to the grocery store. As a stay-at-home parent, this didn't faze me. I'm at the grocery store almost every day. This ...