Stories for Dads and Moms who Need a Laugh

"Harry Potter". A former obsession.  The Oppressed has moved on to other things, but she still has a place in her  heart for J.K. Rowling's creation. Parents know what it's like when their child discovers something new. It can last for a week, or a few years. Either way, your child's obsession will be something everyone at home will know about. If you're a parent, at one point your child has had an obsession with something; a movie, a book, a fictional character. It may even be a food that your child had to eat every day. Sometimes it's alright to indulge your cherub in that which gives them great joy. Other times, especially in cases of food, you need to step in and limit what they think they need every day. The World of Percy Jackson My youngest daughter is no different. Our dear little tween has discovered the world of Percy Jackson and his books. I'm not quite sure how she came across this treasury, but she did. I'm glad her obsession is rea

It's great to play a game of cards with the kids. You can teach them new skills, like order and math. Traditional card games sometimes require new rules if your children are going to remain engaged. My family likes to play cards. My grandparents played cards. My mother played Cribbage with them. When my siblings and I were children, we played poker with our grandparents. Draw or Stud. Texas Hold 'Em wasn't a thing back then, and I must say the Hold 'Em Fever passed over me  when its popularity exploded. My Family Plays Cards Card games are something my family has done for generations. A cousin, may he rest in peace, even worked in Las Vegas taking care of guests who were playing cards. As an aside, this was a tough job because V.I.P.'s had his cell phone number and could reach him day and night. I grew up playing cards. Card games started with Concentration and Go Fish. As I got older, friends and I would play card games we invented. One revolved around baseball,

Nights and evenings mean it's time to unwind from a long, hard day and rest for what the morning has in store for us. For Wife and me, it means climbing into bed and reading before closing our eyes for some well-earned slumber. One More Important Duty Before I can climb into bed for my slumber, though, I need to fulfill an important fatherly duty. This duty requires me to read to The Boy. This has been a tradition we have observed for years, and my youngest son has a stringent list of requirements that need to be religiously followed every night. The night begins with a "First Assigned Spot". This means I have to be on my bed while The Boy changes his clothes and gets ready for bed. When he is ready, he comes to my room and informs me he is ready for me to go to his room and read to him. Every night, I take a shot and ask if my intelligent child might want to read a story to me for a change. I think that would be a nice little treat if I get to listen to my child's

August, 2022. My in-laws' dog in the background. P arents do things for their children. It's part of the job description. Sometimes, we do things and we don't even understand why we're doing it for them. Sometimes, our children ask us to do something that seems simple enough when we start out. A Halloween Tradition We have a tradition in our family that centers around Halloween. It's been happening for a few years. Every Halloween my children decide what I'm going to be. I don't go trick-or-treating with them. I hold down the fort at home and keep a little campfire going for the nice children and parents that come by for their annual candy. I usually have a pot of apple cider warming on the fire for the nice people who come by. There is one constant element to the costume my children pick out. I have to have a beard. Beginning October 1, I give the shaving cream, razor and aftershave a month-long vacation and let nature take it's course. My children