If Corrupting My Child Is Wrong, I Don’t Wanna Be Right
We’re the parents who allowed our 12-year old daughter to watch two R-rated movies. Is it my imagination, or have our phones stopped ringing for
Category: Kids & Parents
What Happened When I Forced my Daughter into the Ocean
Bad Parenting 101 The day was perfect for boogie boarding at the beach. The tubes were hollow; the pits weren’t dropping, there weren’t any bombs
5 Summer Camp Activities My Kids Hated
I did something that totally pissed my kids off. I sent them to summer sports camp so I could work and try to make money
My Daughters They Would Never Speak to me Again (Funny)
Okay. This is funny even if you’re having period cramps. Don’t want to publish any spoilers, so all I can really write about this is:
Good Dads! Thanks for Your Hard Work!
Daddies. They’re so wonderful. First of all, they usually smell good. My dad wasn’t much of a cuddler when I was growing up. But sometimes
Daughters are from Venus, Daddies are from Mars
The Father Daughter Relationship Daddies value quiet, calm, cool-headedness, solutions to problems and a frothy lager. Daughters value love, acceptance, patience and a safe place
7 Surprising Things My Mom Did!
Mother Daughter Relationships: I was raised in the 70s; era of the skyrocketing divorce rate (key parties?) and the afternoon martini cart (reference any Bewitched
The Exquisite Maternal Martyr
Let Them Eat Cake! “Alright fine, let’s just go! No one wants to be here anyway, so let’s just go home and all get on
I’m a Tween’s Worst Nightmare
Bridget just turned 10. Claire has 12 in her sniper sights. I’ve had a few epic fails recently, which I won’t detail in order to
10 Ways Having Kids Changed My Life
When the nurse placed my first swaddled newborn on my chest right after I gave birth, I believe the first words out of my mouth
Experts Say, “Don’t Tell Your Daughter She’s Pretty!”
There’s a trend in parenting to compliment our children’s abilities rather than their appearance. The lead in a recent Daily Telegraph article states: “Parents should
Sex and Drugs “To Don’t” List For Teenagers
My kids don’t do what I say. Especially in the morning before school (TMBS). In TMBS they become spaced-out love children in the Haight circa
The Thing That Put This Soccer Mom In Her Place
I’ve been reveling in some bragging rights about my daughter Bridget’s prowess as a soccer goalie. She made the All-Star team this year and I
The Post In Which I Fail As A Mother
Me to Bridget (aged 9) when I fail as a mother: Honey, I’m sorry I lost it with daddy in front of you today.
What Makes Me Feel Optimistic In A World Full Of Bad News
If you read my blog you know I’m capable of catastrophic Irish morbidity. Case in point. When my daughters strike an aloof attitude toward me
6 Ways to Keep Kids Happy on Vacation in Paris While Enjoying It Yourself
Welcome to my Traveling With Kids In Paris series: This year our vacation has been to Paris over the kids’ winter break. Here are my
Traveling With Kids in Paris
Shhh. I’m hiding in an internet cafe on Rue Thouin across the street from the apartment we’re renting on the Left Bank in the Latin
In Defense of a Commercial Christmas
We Collearys are not a religious people. Henry’s a recovering Catholic. I was raised Mormon and love them dearly, but simply could not commit to
My 5 New Year’s Resolutions For 2014
I’m not entirely sure how this happened, but it appears that in less than a month we’ll be entering the year 2014, in which I
The Boy I Tutor Doesn’t Appreciate Me aka It’s Not About You, Shannon!
I’m embarrassing the pubescent testosterone right out of Miguel just by standing in the doorway of his homeroom class. Miguel’s a 13-year old 8th grader
The Anti-Thanksgiving
Today, in an effort to prove my Mavericism — a phrase first coined by Tom Cruise when he played Maverick in that cinematic masterpiece Top
My Name Is Tom
Last week I picked my daughters and a friend of theirs up from school. We made a pitstop at our favorite taco truck in front
How I Ended Up Holding A Package of Brains
Why You Should Support Public Education I was a little startled to find myself holding a package containing twelve vacuum-packed brains last Wednesday. “Please tell
The Surprising Thing That Happened When I Parented Someone Else’s Child?
When other people’s children are in my care I treat them like they’re mine. I didn’t used to do this, but I’ve had kids for
Yea, Though I Walk Through The Valley Of Lice
It hath come to pass that a plague hath beset the Colleary family whereupon we were ravaged by lice. No, they were not any of
