Stories for Dads and Moms who Need a Laugh

Pancakes from Scratch Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It's something that's been said to us time and again. What people have for breakfast usually depends on where in the world, or country, they are. For me, it was usually a bowl of hot or cold cereal or toast. When I went to Europe, breakfast usually included bread, cheese, and sliced meats. Breakfast is the favorite meal for Wife. It's usually the highlight of the day when we go on vacation. Scratch Grocery Pancakes Recently, I was approached by "Scratch Grocery" to try their plant-based pancake mix. "Scratch", based in Hallendale Beach, FL , is a company that sells dairy-free, soy-free products. Pancakes have always been a breakfast favorite of mine, so I thought I would give it a shot. The package arrived, and I must say it looked a little small. It's a 10 oz package and we're a family of 5. Then again, we're not eating the mix, so I reserved my judgement until after I s...

Last week was Winter Vacation for the children. It was certainly a busy week for me and the family. For some, the week was busier than others. Wife still had to work, although she was able to take a day off here and there to do things with the family. Lovie went to work. The Boy had his neighborhood obligations with his crew. As for me, I got to sleep in since there were no school buses to worry about making. It was nice to be able to relax and not worry about children (with their own devices and alarm clocks) getting up and out of the house on time to make the school bus. A High School Basketball Game My week began with a basketball game. I had been trying to get out and see the local high school play for a while. The regular season was winding down, so it was nice to be able to finally get out and make a game. As always, I extended the invite to the children in case anyone wanted to go with me. No one did, not even slugger, who loves basketball. If Steph Curry was playing, he probabl...

Parents across the nation, and even all over the world, struggle every day to get their children off screens and interact with other people. Some parents have an easier time of it than others, and it's easier to do it on some days than others. Lucas and Snoodles If you are a parent who struggles with redirecting your child from electronics day in and day out, writer Natasha Hanina has something you might want to try. Hanina is the co-creator of the "Tashi Non-Stop" web series, a transmedia program that features educational videos and fun storybooks for children. One of Hanina's latest offerings is an e-book called "Snoodles on the Loose" . The story follows a boy named Lucas and his imaginary friend named Snoodles, a creature who can change his shape and form depending on his whims and Lucas' imagination. One day, Lucas receives a gift, a new phone. He is excited to get this present and begins to play with it and explore the apps he can download onto i...

It's not always easy cooking for the family. I have four children, one of them a vegetarian, and all of them have different tastes. Sometimes it's easier for me to just go into a cooking project telling myself at least one child will have a complaint when dinner is served. Cooking that Needs Inspiration Last Christmas, I received some cooking magazines to help broaden my culinary horizons and get a little more inspiration. I've been able to try out some new recipes, and the results have brought fairly positive feedback from my ungrateful little darlings who couldn't fry an egg on a rock in Death Valley . Some people enjoy cooking. I cook because I need to keep my children alive. Despite the criticism, they manage to eat the swill I put in front of them and stay alive. I was fortunate enough to receive a recipe for Spaghetti Carbonara from Francesca De Franco at VinoCibo . The recipe seemed easy enough. Easy is good for someone like me who can't cook without the gui...

School vacation was a time I looked forward to and relished when I was in school. Now that I am out of school and living the life of a stay-at-home-parent, it gives me the chance to sleep in a little and not worry about my Miracles of Christ getting out of bed and being on time for the bus. It also means the chance for a little quality time with the cherubs. Time that could be spent playing a game or hanging out doing something fun, but that will probably not be the case. Winter of 1994 There was one Winter Vacation that has always stuck out as a memorable one for me. It happened exactly 30 years ago. In February of 1994, my father, brother, and I went to the Baseball Hall of Fame . I remember how excited I was when Dad first told my brother and me about the trip. I couldn't wait for it. Baseball had been my life ever since 1986 when the Red Sox went to the World Series against the New York Mets . Again, this was back in 1994. This was before the Red Sox were considered to be serio...

I was on the road again recently. This time, I was visiting my parents. My father had a stent put in his heart. I was at my parents for a few days, visiting my father and going to my parents' house with my mom, sleeping there, and heading back to the hospital in the morning. My sister lives closest to my parents. She was with them at the hospital in the beginning. My brother, who was dealing with an illness in his own family, was able to visit for a couple of days. My leg had healed well enough for me to make the drive to the hospital where Dad was resting. He hadn't been feeling well, and checked in to the hospital where the staff could check him out. I got the reports from my mother until I got there to see first-hand how things were going. He was going to need two stents put in. Nothing too major, I guess. I found out the surgery wasn't even that invasive. A Busy Hospital Things were busy at the hospital. Leading up to the surgery, Dad didn't even have a room. He wa...

Valentine's Day is just around the corner. No doubt you have seen ads everywhere for flowers, chocolate, candy. Scroll on your phone or jump on YouTube and there has been plenty of unsolicited advice about what she wants for Valentine's Day. But what about him? What would your husband, your boyfriend want on this day we celebrate the cupid? Spending Quality Time with Your Man I put this question to men wondering what they would like when it comes to celebrating February 14. Some of the answers had nothing to do with anything material. Some men would just like to spend some time with their significant other, like SP who likes the tradition of getting a heart-shaped pizza and a bottle of champagne to share with his wife, followed by bedtime and then something on the television. "Nothing crazy," he says, "But we like it." Another man, TP, also likes to have pizza with his lady. Theirs is a punk rock pizza party, followed by a little one-on-one time while their ...

A close-up of my post-surgery wardrobe. I woke up in recovery. The good people at the hospital made sure I was well taken care of when I recovered from the anesthesia. There was a large, bulky bandage on my leg. Wife was waiting for me outside. I got my discharge orders and prescription for painkillers. Eating after Surgery We stopped somewhere for lunch. It had been almost a whole day since I last ate something. We ate pho. It was nice to eat and have the surgery behind me. After lunch, I went home and took a nap. I woke from my nap and felt some pain in my leg. It felt like my bandages were wrapped too tight. Walking downstairs, I took my seat by the fire. The children were asking how I was feeling. I was feeling alright. My leg was in a little pain, but I was feeling well overall. A little reading. A little writing, and a little conversation with the children helped to take my mind off my tightly wound leg. The Boy answered questions as briefly as possible, as he had more important ...