Category Archives: The Problem

Boys are doing very badly these days, relative to girls. Now, a new study helps us identify the main culprit. It’s our schools. The study points out that, while boys get worse grades than girls in school, they do about as well as girls on standardized tests (better in math and science, worse in reading). Statistically speaking, they get much worse grades, relative to girls, than their test scores would predict. Why the disparity? Behavior and attitude, according to teachers’ assessments. … Continue reading →

In many previous articles on this blog, I’ve characterized my oldest son Marco (8) as a great player, and I’ve praised his independence. However, just like any kid, he’s not all-great – he’s a complex mix of great and not-so-great. So, in this article, I’ll talk about the not-so-great: Marco has an attention problem. Every day, my wife and I struggle mightily to get him to do the simplest things – put on his socks, eat his food at mealtime, … Continue reading →

A few months ago, my wife and I were very pleased to get solicitations from two different neighborhood teenage girls wanting to babysit our kids. Although we’ve been employing various foreign-born women as babysitters for years, we’re very happy to consider employing neighborhood teens. After all, they’re neighbors! They’re smart! They’re fun! They’re nice! Unfortunately, they’re also almost completely unavailable.

Before you were a parent, you heard this question, I’m sure. That chatter still continues, but to the extent that you surround yourself with other parents, you’ve pushed it to the background. Still, it’s a worthy question to consider. The world is getting more crowded every day. In the opinion of most scientists who study the global climate, the earth’s increasing population is causing the earth damage that could one day be catastrophic. Before kids, my answer to the question, … Continue reading →

“Look around, Michael!” My dad grabbed me by the shoulders forcefully and stared into my eyes. “There’s nothing to be afraid of. Look!” I’m sure he had tried that many times before, but for some reason, this time, I was ready to really think about what he was saying. I scanned the room, and then looked back at him. “You’re right,” I replied. I turned around and went back to my bedroom, and I was never afraid of the dark … Continue reading →

I’m sure you’ve said this to yourself. I know I have, at least once or twice. You think for a moment that your kids should perform a menial household chore – e.g. putting away their toys, cleaning their dishes off the table, helping you bring grocery bags into the house from the car. They’re old enough to perform the chore physically and mentally, and they’re right there in front of you. However, then you think about what a pain in … Continue reading →

My seven-year-old, Marco, plays fake baseball on an organized team.  That’s right.  In his league, the kids go through the motions like they’re playing real baseball, but they’re just faking.  There are nine players on each team, and there are four bases on the field, but these games have no outs, no runs, and no winner or loser.  Blahhhh… “Why can’t we have outs and runs?” asked Marco after his first game.  “I don’t like this.  It’s boring.” I don’t … Continue reading →