Pat Kose

Cowboys and Muppets: Lullabies of Choice

When my oldest daughter was a baby, we tried all the things to see what worked to calm her down and get her to fall asleep. Some of them to our own detriment. Though video clips on YouTube calm them down, they are the toddler equivilent of crack. We seriously had to ween her offContinue reading “Cowboys and Muppets: Lullabies of Choice”

An Awareness of Genitals

After our first two kids were girls, my wife and I agreed that when it came to anything related to their anatomy “ask your Mom” would be a totally acceptable answer on my part. I would take the kids when they throw up, she would take them when they had questions about their lady parts.Continue reading “An Awareness of Genitals”

Boss Is a Four Letter Word

I like to think my kids don’t have the capacity for hate. Surely these sweet little people can’t have a mean still-developing bone in their bodies. I know there are things they dislike – spicy food, baths, sitting still long enough to play a game – but I didn’t think they could hate. However, thereContinue reading “Boss Is a Four Letter Word”

Official Ranking of Holidays for Parents

The holiday season is just around the corner, and as I start looking forward to the things I’ll do with and for my kids, it got me thinking about how you approach the holidays differently with kids. Mostly there is less, or at least more discreet, drinking involved. (All manner of booze can be enjoyedContinue reading “Official Ranking of Holidays for Parents”

Reintroducing My Kids Shopping

Back when I took my kids places, I think my kids were pretty well behaved. At least as well behaved as toddlers can be. Did I have to walk back into a restaurant to retrieve a shoe? Yes. Did I ever have to drag a screaming kid out of a store? No. Did childless peopleContinue reading “Reintroducing My Kids Shopping”

Hot Dogs Are To Be Bitten

A great thing about kids is their innocense and goofyness. They say and do pretty much whatever without much awareness of what they are doing, and therefore have not yet developed a sence of what should be embarassing. In a way, it is wonderful. They do their thing in their own world and don’t careContinue reading “Hot Dogs Are To Be Bitten”

Fighting Dad Stereotypes: Dad Clothes

In my ongoing attempt to address harmful Dad stereotypes head on, I next take on the issue of dressing like a Dad. Close your eyes and picture what a Dad wears. What do you see? The Sterotypical Dad Outfit A t-shirt – it’s probably from a vacation destination. Could be from a civil war battlefield,Continue reading “Fighting Dad Stereotypes: Dad Clothes”

Summer is Officially Over. Good.

However you choose to mark the end of summer, mark it. Kids are back in school (virtual or otherwise), Labor Day weekend has past, and the weather is cooling off. For some this change of the season comes with a sense of melancholy. They are closing their pools, packing up their cottages, and already longingContinue reading “Summer is Officially Over. Good.”

I Must Protect This House. And These Garbage Cans.

So there I was working from home, sitting in my basement on a Slack call when I hear a sustained car horn – at least a solid four seconds of honk – followed by three or four muffled sounding booms. I’m intrigued. My house is on a corner, so my first thought is car accident.Continue reading “I Must Protect This House. And These Garbage Cans.”

Time Is a Traveler

Maybe it is part of being older, or maybe it is part of being a parent, but the value of my time is something I think about more now than I did a few years ago. Actually, I don’t think value is the right word – you can’t put a price tag on time, andContinue reading “Time Is a Traveler”