Another school year has begun, and many parents are already wondering what they should be doing to make sure their children are poised to have a fantastic school year. If you are one of those anxious parents who desperately want the best for their children, this post will be of particular interest to you. As a father who has been where you are, ... [Continue Reading]
“Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!”
“Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!” If you grew up in the mid to late sixties or if you are a fan of “classic” TV, you are no doubt familiar with those four words from Lost in Space. “Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!” are words the Robot spoke every time it realized the Robinson family especially the youngest son, Will, was in danger. The Robot ... [Continue Reading]
The State of America’s Fathers
A short while ago, I had both the honor and privilege to attend the 1st ever State of America's Fathers Summit. No different than any other high-level meeting, in attendance was a who’s who list of the top minds and advocates for an improved state of fatherhood in America. Full disclosure, yours truly was not invited because he was considered to ... [Continue Reading]
4 Parenting Tips From Muhammad Ali
As is the case with many people, I too have a Muhammad Ali story. Perhaps, it would be more accurate to state that I have several Muhammad Ali stories. I could tell you about the overwhelming number of times my father lectured me about the greatness of Muhammad Ali. A greatness that for my dad extended well beyond the boxing ring. While most ... [Continue Reading]
Do You Know the Seven Deadly Sins?
Do you remember The Seven Deadly Sins? I do. They are pride, covetousness, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. I was first introduced to them by my grandmother. If memory serves me correctly, that first introduction preceded my grandmother’s attempt to get me to behave. I know that this going to come as a surprise to some of you but I ... [Continue Reading]
My Tiny Home, Nerf & African Violets
Throughout the first decade of my life, not only did my family live in an apartment but we lived in a small apartment. The total square footage of our apartment was 500 feet. Today, if I lived in a 500 square foot home, I would be living in a tiny home. And living in a tiny home would afford me the opportunity to puff out my chest and brag ... [Continue Reading]
How A Black Dad Taught His Son to Surf
Let me guess. When you saw the words “Black” and “surf” in the same sentence you knew this had to be a misprint. I’m even going to go out on a limb and guess that you thought that there was no logical reason “Black” and “surf” should ever go in the same sentence. Except for the sentence “Black people don’t surf”, the words “Black” and ... [Continue Reading]
Hot Air Balloon – A Metaphor For Life
Most of you are unaware of this. Scratch that… None of you know what I’m about to tell you. This year, I’ve resolved to take a Hot Air Balloon ride. I’m not exactly sure when I first recognized that I wanted to go all Fifth Dimension but I must tell you that going up, up, and away is a priority for me. In fact, sailing along in a Hot Air ... [Continue Reading]
Please Keep Your New Year’s Resolution
If you’ve ever made a New Year’s resolution, your resolutions have probably fallen into the same categories of most Americans – Lose Weight; Getting Organized; Spend Less, Save More; Enjoy Life to the Fullest; Staying Fit and Healthy; Learn Something Exciting; Quit Smoking; Help Others in Their Dreams; Fall in Love; and Spend More Time with ... [Continue Reading]
Parent Explained In Four Simple Words
A recent conversation with a parent that I have the utmost respect for inspired this post. During our conversation, the other parent (whose name I won’t mention to protect the innocent) encouraged me to ponder how to best explain the role of a parent. Just as I was prepared to wax poetically about what it meant to be a parent and as I was ... [Continue Reading]