Laptop Destruction, or How to Be a Dad with Poise
You have probably seen the video that’s everywhere on the Internet and featured on many news outlets ... Earlier this month, a 15-year-old girl posts a profanity-laced complaint about her parents on Facebook, thinking only some of her friends would see it. But her dad does discover it, and responds by making a video for the daughter and her friends (and eventually all the world) to see. “Are you kidding me?” the dad says in the video. He reads her message and responds to it point-by-point, adding his own comments about her lack of gratitude and respect. He tells her, … [Read More...]
Social Renewal (and Being a Good Dad) Happens One at a Time
I have to tell you about Sugar Bear. He’s fifty-five, and he’ll tell you that the worst day of his life was back in the early 90s, when he was released from prison. As he was being processed out, he saw one of his sons ... being processed in. Earlier this month, columnist George Will wrote about Sugar Bear and his unlikely story. His difficult journey began with his first arrest for grand theft auto ... before his fifth birthday. He grew up on the streets of LA, without a positive father or father figure in his life. He eventually became a father of five children, but has … [Read More...]
Once in a Lifetime: Contest Winner Shows One Way to Be a Better Dad
This week, I’m celebrating last weekend’s “national holiday”—Super Bowl Sunday—and one man’s efforts to be a better dad. I hope all of you followed Jimmy Oliveira and his daughter Gina Marie, our video contest winners, on their adventure ... They traveled to Indiana and back in an RV, met all kinds of players and celebrities, took a photo on the field after the game, and had an amazing time. And surely the fact that their hometown team won a thriller made it over-the-top amazing. I know Gina Marie will never forget being at the Super Bowl with her pop, and I look forward … [Read More...]
Six Tips for Husbands on Valentine’s Day (Including One that’s “Naughty”)
“For heaven’s sake get all shopping and ordering out of the way a week before February 14.” These are the wise words from Jay Payleitner, author of 52 Things Wives Need from Their Husbands: What Husbands Can Do to Build a Stronger Marriage. It seems like a simple thing, but how often have you found yourself rushing to buy your bride something—anything—for Valentine’s Day? Buying a last-minute gift is naughty, and not in the good way. It tells your wife that you don’t consider her as a high priority. It tells your wife that you don’t really “see” who she is and what … [Read More...]
