Once you are a parent, to a certain extent your life is not your own. So many of your actions and thoughts are dictated by the actions of a your kids. Yes, you should focus on your kids. Yes, you should take pride in being a good parent. But know where the dividing line isContinue reading “Stoic Saturday: Your Happiness Is Different Than Your Child’s”
Author Archives: Pat Kose
An Effective Parenting Technique: Throwing Socks
There are parts of parenting that I am better at that others. One thing I make an effort, and I think I do pretty well at, is not to lose my temper with my kids. I can probably count on one hand the times I’ve actually yelled at them. And my “them” I pretty muchContinue reading “An Effective Parenting Technique: Throwing Socks”
Telling Your Kids About Your Will: Exciting Stuff
After we had kids, my wife and I made the responsible decision to make a will and decide what should happen to our kids if we die. Fun stuff. I don’t know how it would have came up in a conversation with a 4 year-old, but apparently my daughter knows that should we die, sheContinue reading “Telling Your Kids About Your Will: Exciting Stuff”
Stoic Saturday: Focus On The Task at Hand
It is possible to become a parent without intending to, but you shouldn’t parent your kids without intention. Even if you stumbled into the role, felt unprepared and overwhelmed (what parent hasn’t?), once the responsibility of the position is yours – act accordingly. Marcus Aurelius says this: Concentrate like a Roman – like a manContinue reading “Stoic Saturday: Focus On The Task at Hand”
I Can’t Protect My Kids From Stairs
A significant portion of being a parent to little kids is trying to stop them from hurting themselves. I make sure they don’t pinch their fingers in drawers or bang their heads on tables. What feels like a hundred times a day I tell them to be careful. I remind them of what happened toContinue reading “I Can’t Protect My Kids From Stairs”
Welcome to Stoic Saturday
Welcome to the first in a series of discussions on philosophy! Exactly what you expect in a fatherhood blog, right? Well, I didn’t pick the name for this blog because it was catchy. My intention with this series is take some time to step back from the day to day of being a Dad, andContinue reading “Welcome to Stoic Saturday”
The Greatest Heroes in American History – Parents of the Oregon Trail
There is perhaps no more dreaded part of a parent’s life than spending an extended period of time in a car with your kids. Even if you tailor the entire experience around their enjoyment, the best you can hope for is that it isn’t terrible. Don’t you dare hope for actual enjoyment. If you planContinue reading “The Greatest Heroes in American History – Parents of the Oregon Trail”
What My Daughter Hears Me Say
My little girl was sitting at the table eating her lunch, when she looked at me and said, “Dad, do you know what you say all the time?” I was curious and nervous. In the mind of the three year-old, what it is that I say that sticks in her mind? Best case would beContinue reading “What My Daughter Hears Me Say”
Is My Kid a Bad Influence? Yeah, Probably.
Try as we might, we cannot completely shelter our kids from negative outside influence. They will learn bad words, they will pick up bad habids, and God help us they might even listen to Cardi B. It is clear that my daugher has picked things up at pre-school and brought them home. For the mostContinue reading “Is My Kid a Bad Influence? Yeah, Probably.”
Dad Isn’t Pretty
Evie, my two year-old daughter, dropped some truth on me the other day. She was looking at us the bathroom mirror as we were washing her hands, and she said to me, “Dad, you’re not pretty.” At first I was insulted. I’ve been called a lot of things, but but “not pretty” has never beenContinue reading “Dad Isn’t Pretty”
