by janetedgette | Apr 15, 2021 | Boys, Boys and sports, Family life, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parent-Child communication, Parenting young children
Many men credit sports as having served as the cornerstone in their relationship with their fathers, as does Keith Gessen in his article Game Over (3/22/21). Tossing a ball or driving to events together offers an easy backdrop for talking and hanging out as well as a...
by janetedgette | Nov 6, 2020 | Family life, Mental health, Parent-Child communication, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting
“Mom, there’s a guy in our driveway with a tow truck,” my son tells me, urgently. With miscalculated insouciance I reply, “No worries, dude, I’m sure it’s Bill.” Bill is our neighbor, and he owns a service station. “But he’s hooking up...
by janetedgette | Nov 6, 2020 | Boy behavior, Boys, Boys and sports, Family life, Kids who don't like sports, Male athletics, Masculinity, Nonathletic boys, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
Whether it’s innate, or acquired from their respective environments, or due to a lack of socialization, or some mix of these, boys have a long history of doing odd or mischievous things that amuse grown-ups and make them think, Well, there’s a boy for you! Norman...
by janetedgette | Dec 6, 2019 | Bullying, Family life, Mental health, Parent-Child communication, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting, Parenting young children, Self-esteem
People love Mr. Fred Rogers and the recent movie, It’s a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, elegantly illustrated his abundance of empathy, generosity, emotional intelligence, and grace. Yes, he was kind, but there was something more that drew children toward him and...
by janetedgette | Jul 4, 2019 | Family life, Parent-Child communication, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting, Parenting teens, Parenting young children, Teenagers
A teenage girl stares at her mother who waits patiently and smiles kindly at the elderly man whose unfamiliarity with paying electronically is holding up the line at the register. “Why were you smiling at that guy?” the daughter asks on their way out, her impatience...
by janetedgette | Oct 4, 2017 | Family life, Home Page, Parent-Teen communication, Parenting, Parenting teens, Teenagers
Olivia calls her dad a s**t-head every chance she gets, but what she really wants to say to him is this: “Every time you talk to me you’re trying to make some point and it gets old. Plus, you think you’re being funny but it hurts my feelings and that’s why I don’t...
