http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner en-us Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:02:28 -0700 Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:24:16 -0700 BlogCFC http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d22-Birthday-cocooning-is-the-new-cool?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner I’ve always thought an excellent way to measure the success of a child’s birthday party is to check whether the adults are having any fun. This may seem counter-intuitive; after all, it’s the child’s birthday, not his paren... parenting humor young children family Judaism Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:24:16 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d22-Birthday-cocooning-is-the-new-cool?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d20-The-preschool-report-card?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner My five-year-old son recently received his report card. Why preschoolers need a report card is beyond me; aren’t they supposed to just play without worrying about anything? But no; I am summoned to the school for an actual conference, a one-... parenting humor young children family education Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:09:11 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d20-The-preschool-report-card?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Bring-it-home-King-Antiochus?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner Students and staff at my daughter’s school have started practicing for the annual Hanukkah play. Or, semi-annual, as the case may be, because last year it was canceled due to a bad snowstorm. To avoid another massive disappointment, it&rs... parenting humor young children family holidays Judaism education Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:35:53 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Bring-it-home-King-Antiochus?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Not-planning-for-summer-camp?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner In spite of the fact that winter has not quite arrived, we’re already expected to think about summer camp of 2010. There are emails, phone calls, brochures, and meetings. Representatives of Herzl Camp show up at my daughter’s day schoo... parenting humor young children family Judaism Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:36:36 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Not-planning-for-summer-camp?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Please-play-my-stupid-game?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner “I don’t want to play this game,” my son tells his sister. “I want to play something else. Your game is stupid.” My ears perk up: is this going to escalate? “How about this,” I hear Isabella respond, &... parenting humor young children family Thu, 19 Nov 2009 09:22:29 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d19-Please-play-my-stupid-game?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d13-Catch-your-own-Thanksgiving-turkey?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner Most of my friends know I’m not a big Thanksgiving fan. If it were up to me, I’d just celebrate Halloween twice and call it good. However, I have American children, and they need to know these things: time to make up the balance, and s... parenting humor young children family holidays Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:28:03 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d13-Catch-your-own-Thanksgiving-turkey?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d11-How-to-kills-small-rodents-without-your-kids-noticing?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner It’s fall, without a doubt: squirrels are dropping by the thousands. In their frantic search to find enough food for winter, they don’t look where they’re going. This morning, it was my turn. It happened like this: I was driving ... parenting humor young children family Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:43:02 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d11-How-to-kills-small-rodents-without-your-kids-noticing?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d11-Crazy-but-not-too-crazy?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner The whole family is in the car; we’re listening to the radio, when a story comes up about two guys who were sentenced to 40 years in federal prison for growing some pot in a field somewhere. Forty years is quite a lot, we comment, for growin... parenting humor young children family Child Safety Judaism education health Wed, 11 Nov 2009 10:47:04 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d11-Crazy-but-not-too-crazy?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d4-Leftover-candy?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner It’s four days after Halloween, the costumes have been thrown in a corner, and here we are: stuck with piles and piles of candy. It’s the same story every year: what do we do to get rid of this, as soon as possible? We don’t want... parenting humor young children family Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:25:16 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m11d4-Leftover-candy?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d30-Funscary-television?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner “Are you sure about this?” I ask Isabella. She nods, sort of in my direction. She can’t know for sure, because she’s covered her eyes and is sitting on the far end of the couch, huddled, a fist in her mouth to keep herself ... parenting humor young children family Television Pop culture Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:18:51 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d30-Funscary-television?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d29-Halloween-vavavoom?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner A few years ago, I found a well-made, sturdy Belle dress at the Disney store, complete with shoes, faux fur wrap, and crown. Total cost: $150. Perhaps it was handmade by elves. Needless to say, this particular dress did not come home with us... parenting humor young children family holidays Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:19:31 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d29-Halloween-vavavoom?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d27-Boys-who-love-boys?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner I’m staring at my computer screen trying to form a coherent thought, when suddenly I hear a squeaky voice coming from the bathroom. “Boys can only marry girls, and girls can only marry boys,” my son is telling himself. I wa... parenting humor young children family Politics Tue, 27 Oct 2009 11:48:30 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d27-Boys-who-love-boys?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d27-Washing-our-hands?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner It’s the last week of October. Normally, this is the time when we slice our pumpkins and bring out the ghouls. We hang up our skeletons, dig some graves and bury some bones; however, this year, we have different things on our mind. Who car... parenting humor young children family health Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:06:09 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d27-Washing-our-hands?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d19-Nagging?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner Isabella has a party to go to, and I ask if she wants to change. “Are you sure you want to wear that? Your colors kind of clash.” After a little back and forth arguing, she agrees to at least wear a light jacket. She’s firm on ... parenting humor young children family Mon, 19 Oct 2009 13:07:05 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d19-Nagging?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d17-That-is-not-a-good-costume?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner “Look at me,” Isabella says, “I’m a nun!” With Halloween just around the corner, my daughter’s tendency for dressing up has gone into overdrive. It’s the most fabulous time of the year, as far as she&rsq... parenting humor young children family Omaha art Sat, 17 Oct 2009 08:32:30 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d17-That-is-not-a-good-costume?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Did-it-leave-a-mark?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner I bring my son home from pre-school and while I am feeding lunch, I notice a mark on his arm. “What happened?” I ask, knowing full well I will not get an easy answer. “Why?” “To your arm. What happened?” And while... parenting humor young children family Child Safety education Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:44:26 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Did-it-leave-a-mark?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Big-questions-for-little-girls?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner To my daughter, being eight means moving seamlessly from teaching her brother how to properly dress a Barbie to asking impossible questions that have no simple answers. When I sit down with her to review her math (an innocent and safe pastime, until... parenting humor young children family Judaism Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:40:50 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Big-questions-for-little-girls?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Hava-Nagila?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner Make it stopWe’re watching soccer. It’s a World Cup 2010 qualification game; America versus Costa Rica, and it’s not going well (in case you’ve TiVo’d it, and haven’t watched it yet, stop reading). Although I norm... parenting humor young children family Judaism Television Sports Thu, 15 Oct 2009 16:21:30 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d15-Hava-Nagila?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d14-It-was-an-accident?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner If I have to believe my children, they are never naughty on purpose. “It was an accident!” Isabella yells when her brother is sitting on the floor, crying. “Sorry, an accident,” Mendel claims when there’s toothpaste sme... parenting humor young children family Wed, 14 Oct 2009 09:39:07 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d14-It-was-an-accident?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d13-Its-not-a-competition?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner Better times.I’ve had it with lippy eight-year-olds. My daughter has been home from school for exactly three minutes when her foot –accidentally- comes into contact with three cars, which then fly, all on their own, into her little broth... parenting humor young children family Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:25:18 -0700 http://www.examiner.com/x-5645-Parenting-Humor-Examiner~y2009m10d13-Its-not-a-competition?cid=exrss-Parenting-Humor-Examiner