Pat Kose

Teaching My Kids About Being White

We recently had a diversity and inclusion seminar at my office. At first, I thought the idea was kind of silly. Having a diversity seminar at my office would be like having a scuba seminar in the desert. Not that we discriminate in our hiring practices in any way, but we are in Grand Rapids,Continue reading “Teaching My Kids About Being White”

Kids in the Backseat: What the Hell Is Going On Back There?

What is it about the backseat of a car that seems to instigate bad behavior? Most parents would agree that they would prefer their kids to be on their best behavior in public and act out at home rather than the opposite. But what about the car? It is neither home nor out. They feelContinue reading “Kids in the Backseat: What the Hell Is Going On Back There?”

Preschool Boyfriends, Girlfriends, and Marriage

Having two girls, I know that boyfriends would some day come into the picture. Part of me completely dreads it, but part of me really looks forward to intimidating the young suitors that they bring home. I completely understand that it is probably not the most mature thing, but I really think I’ll get wayContinue reading “Preschool Boyfriends, Girlfriends, and Marriage”

Now My Kid Knows What War Is

While sitting at dinner, my 5 year-old informed me that, “Dad, there is a war today.” I cringed on the inside. She now lives in a world where war is real and not just a scary scene from Mulan, and a generation of kids has been failed by those that came before them. Armed conflicts,Continue reading “Now My Kid Knows What War Is”

Dad Takes It Away

Before you have kids you really have no idea what kind of a parent you’ll actually be. You’ll have an idea of the kind of parent you’ll want to be, but until it’s your job to stop a tiny baby from crying there is absolutely no way of knowing for sure. Over time you developContinue reading “Dad Takes It Away”

A Child’s Laughter: From Adorable to Annoying

There is no sweeter sounds to a parent’s ears that the first time they hear their baby laugh. A tiny little coo or a bubbly little giggle, these are great. The first time they give you a solid belly laugh, the stuff dreams are made of. A kid’s genuine laughter is almost magical. Emphasis onContinue reading “A Child’s Laughter: From Adorable to Annoying”

Turning the Volume Up: A Parenting Strategy

As Garth Algar pointed out, parents hate any music played at the appropriate level. Perhaps it is generational, but to me certain music just sounds better loud. It is a scientific fact (probably) that you can’t play Welcome to the Jungle loud enough. There are certain songs that as soon as they come on theContinue reading “Turning the Volume Up: A Parenting Strategy”

Dad Food: Leftover Chicken Nuggets

As Chris Rock pointed out, the least you can give a Dad to eat is the big piece of chicken. While mostly true, the actual least you can give Dad to eat is a half-eaten chicken nugget. Oddly enough, this is mostly what Dad eats. Like any other kid, I ate my fair share ofContinue reading “Dad Food: Leftover Chicken Nuggets”

This Is What Parental Failure Looks Like

Even before you have kids you wonder if you’ll be a good parent. After you have kids, you wonder even more. It can be pretty easy to be hard yourself. You really need to remember that nobody is perfect, and there is no such thing as a perfect parent. Even though we know this, thereContinue reading “This Is What Parental Failure Looks Like”

A Kid’s Concept of Money

My daughter is five and getting to the point where she knows that things exist because she has heard about out them or seen them in a movie, but doesn’t quite understand what it is. Money falls into this category. I know this because she thinks we have “so much” of it. For the lastContinue reading “A Kid’s Concept of Money”