Tag Archives: parenthood

Advice from my father

Posted on June 13, 2019 by

First be kind, then be tough. It is better to listen than to speak, smarter to think than to react. If you treat others with respect, they will respect you and your tentacle-like appendage. Master five good meal recipes. Know … Continue reading →

Posted in Never Happened | Tagged , , , , , | 23 Comments

Resting heartbeat

Posted on September 7, 2017 by

It started one evening when James was closing the door to the car. He leaned out and, with a pained look on his face, said, “Mom, I don’t want to go Concordia.” Then he drove away. Well, goodnight then. For … Continue reading →

Posted in Family - whadya gonna do? | Tagged , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Talking to your kids about legal drugs

Posted on January 19, 2016 by

“Sit down, son. I’d like to talk to you about a difficult subject. No, not sex. No, not why all the rock stars are dying off. I want to talk to you about marijuana. Now that it’s legal in Canada, … Continue reading →

Posted in Canada and/or Quebec, Turn that radio on! | Tagged , , , , , , | 38 Comments

I prefer to think of them as “endearing”

Posted on July 9, 2015 by

Dear children, It may seem odd to you now, but some day you’re going to make fun of your mother and me. “Oh no, not us, father!” I can hear you cry in unison like adorable Von Trapp children, except … Continue reading →

Posted in Family - whadya gonna do?, It Could Happen... | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 30 Comments

Rugby: not for the faint-hearted (parent)

Posted on May 14, 2015 by

In the 11 years I’ve been writing a newspaper column, I’ve received hate mail only two times. These being Townships readers, though, it was more like strong-dislike mail. Peevish mail, tops. The first was when I suggested that curling, like … Continue reading →

Posted in Family - whadya gonna do?, It Really Did Happen! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 47 Comments

She couldn’t just get a T-shirt…

Posted on April 9, 2015 by

“Have you heard from your sister lately?” I asked James last week. He smiled sheepishly. “You’re not going to like it,” he said. Jail, was my first thought. His Europe-jaunting sister Katie is in jail. Midnight Express, Turkish prison. Or … Continue reading →

Posted in Family - whadya gonna do?, It Really Did Happen! | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 65 Comments

So, you’re coming to meet the parents!

Posted on March 12, 2015 by

Congratulations on dating our son/daughter. Rest assured your sweetheart is the culmination of generations of only the finest natural selection, with the exception of a brief period in the late 1800s that no one in the family likes to talk … Continue reading →

Posted in Family - whadya gonna do?, It Really Did Happen! | Tagged , , , , , , | 56 Comments