Pat Kose

Don’t Waffle On Discipline

I thought I had such a good idea for a punishment. I was ready to stick to my guns, to settle in for a long battle. I underestimated how many waffles my daughter can eat. Like most weekend mornings, we made waffles for breakfast yesterday. Apple cinnamon don’t ya know. The two older kids eachContinue reading “Don’t Waffle On Discipline”

My Daughter Hates Pants

It is interesting to see what traits of yours show up in your kids. Will they have blue eyes? Will they like mushrooms? Will they like sports? Things like eye color you find out pretty quickly, while others take years. As soon as my daughter turned two she started taking after me in her hatredContinue reading “My Daughter Hates Pants”

Having a Baby During the Coronavirus Pandemic

If you were able to pick the best time to have a baby, during a major public health crisis would not be at the top of the list. Higher than while being in high school maybe, but definitely in the bottom three. This wasn’t something we could have planned for nine months ago, and asContinue reading “Having a Baby During the Coronavirus Pandemic”

When the Water Breaks

There are some situations in life when you really have no idea how you’ll react until it happens. Most of these are extremely imaginary. What would I do if I won the lotto? How would I survive a zombie apocalypse? What If I actually did turn this car around right now? One of them isContinue reading “When the Water Breaks”

Forrest Gump as a Bedtime Story

Recently my daughter has added asking to be told a story to her bedtime routine. She wants one each from me and my wife. At first I wasn’t sure how I’d come up with different stories every night, but then I borrowed a strategy from a friend of mine. He mentioned that he has beenContinue reading “Forrest Gump as a Bedtime Story”

Their Smiling Little Faces are Everywhere

For the last week and half I’ve been working from home. Luckily, my job can be done anywhere with WiFi, so in terms of my work only the scenery has changed. I went from a nice ergonomic desk in a nice new office to an old table in my basement. But hey, at least thereContinue reading “Their Smiling Little Faces are Everywhere”

Cracks in the Sidewalk: A Child’s Natural Predator

Since the dawn of pavement, there has been no greater threat to small children than any gap or crack in a sidewalk. Unofficial studies show that these relatively minor and completely avoidable obstructions cause roughly 105% of all skinned knees. All they do is ruin things. Once joyful walks get reduced to tearful treks home.Continue reading “Cracks in the Sidewalk: A Child’s Natural Predator”

What Everybody Should Be When They Grow Up

It’s fun to think about what kinds of people your kids will be when they grow up, and not just what they will do for a living. Sure, the first time my daughter picked up a ball and threw it across the room on a perfect line right to my chest I immediately thought professionalContinue reading “What Everybody Should Be When They Grow Up”

Dad Rock: An Appreciation of Bruce Springsteen

Full disclosure – at almost no point in my life did I listen to music that was currently popular. Outside of a few exceptions like MC Hammer when I was 6 and the Foo Fighters in my late teens/early twenties, the majority of the music I listen has always been at least 20 years oldContinue reading “Dad Rock: An Appreciation of Bruce Springsteen”

The Greatest Punishment of All Time

Today my daughter threw a piece of burrito at me. She was promptly sent to her room. Her initial reaction was fear, she doesn’t like it when Dad gets mad. Then disbelief, as if being sent to her room was a completely unexpected result of throwing a semi-chewed piece of tortilla at one’s father. WhenContinue reading “The Greatest Punishment of All Time”