When I was really young, I thought the pinnacle of being a good son was buying your mom a house like Elvis did. What I didn’t know was that idea was dumb (no offence to me). Maybe if I was from an immigrant family who moved to a new country with nothing then that would be a nice idea because it … [Read more...]
Don’t be the Weak Gazelle
When I was in my late twenties and working as a youth pastor, I fortunately bumped into a woman I had worked with when I was a teenager at the Lime Ridge Mall movie theater. Oh, the good old days when the mall had a theater... and herds of cockroaches because of the food court and Bulk Barn. Side … [Read more...]
Know Your Power
One of the best life lessons I’ve received was from a grade seven teacher... when I was 20. No, this wasn’t a Billy Madison situation; I was a volunteer. When I was in OAC (if you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re old enough to know what that was... and got the Billy Madison reference), I was … [Read more...]
Part 2: Talking to My Daughters About Sex
When it comes to talking about sex with kids, there shouldn’t be the official sex talk that is super awkward for everyone, but a more ongoing open discussion made up of many smaller conversations like when you’re on a long drive or sitting by a lake. It’s like how kids share more with their friends … [Read more...]
You are a Treasure: Talking to My Daughters About Sex Pt1
My daughters are one and three, so talking about sex won’t be for awhile, but my plan is to do more than my parents did. Fortunately, that won’t be hard – nothing isn’t hard to beat. I remember when I was in university, my brother’s older, married friend made a comment about sex, and my Mom … [Read more...]
Why Grandparents Love the Kids More than the Parents
Talking to a grandparent I recently learned a very interesting lesson: Grandparents love the kids more than the parents at least for a season. I should point out my definition of love is the traditional idea that love is patient, kind, and self controlled. In this case you can also throw in … [Read more...]
Patience, Parenting, & How Women Affect Men
My dad was a strong disciplinarian with his kids and I... well, I suck. When I was a kid, you didn’t mess with my dad. Me?... whatever; I’ll take it. With my dad you knew your place – you were a child and he was the adult. He had three kids who were continually praised for being very well … [Read more...]
Are Your Parents Proud of You?
I have had more graduations than anyone I’ve ever met, and how does someone achieve this? By making a lot of bad life choices: (announcer) Do you want a great way to pay a ton of money for the privilege of doing endless hours of homework? (me) “Will I be able to make less money than my friends when … [Read more...]