by Marc Parsont
I do not own my life anymore. I drive to soccer. I drive to karate. I drive to school. I drive to the doctor’s office—frequently. I drive to fix the cars that drive the kids to soccer, karate, ballet and yoga.
I drive to the grocery store. I drive to the grocery store. I drive to the grocery store again.
I am being driven insane. […]
In 2010, after the birth of his daughter, Alice Bee, (midlife father and) photographer Dave Engledow set out to capture her in a variety of humorous situations. Placing only the two of them in the photos, he created a series of vignettes which allowed him to express his (many varied) emotions at being a first-time dad, while documenting the growth of his daughter. He hoped this collection would be his gift to her, as an adult. […]
by Maggie Lamond Simone
Well, kids, I’m here to report that we’re lifting the lid on “Toilet Repair Month.” I know, I know, I’m sort of down in the dumps about it too; just when you think you could overflow with excitement about summer, there it goes, swirling away. May it rust – er, rest – in peace.
Yep, October received that very special designation by – come on, now, be creative here – yes! Manufacturers of toilet parts! They’ve finally conceded what I’ve always recognized as an epidemic problem, i.e. the reckless abandon with which people flush other people’s toilets during the Halloween season. It was just a matter of time, really. […]
by Marc Parsont
Men are like auto mechanics.
We haven’t been primary childcare givers for more than just gender and birthing ability. We do things, look at things differently. Groups supporting men being primary caregivers exist to ease the mind of women/mothers and to hide how men actually relate to one another. […]
by Wendy Sue Noah
Are you a Polar Bear type of mom ~ do you really know what that means as a mothering analogy?
Well, I didn’t for a while, at least fully.
A few years back, my close friend, Sharon, compared me to a Polar bear mom whose main focus was to protect her cubs. It sounded complimentary, and it was something I held in my heart for strength, but not something I fully grasped. […]
by Andrea Lynn
When I picked my 3-year-old from preschool Friday, she greeted me with a happy shout of “It’s the weekend!” And proceeded to pull me over to the school calendar on the wall, point to the Saturday, and repeat: “It’s the weekend.” She was delighted.
I’m a little discouraged that my 3 year old already looks forward to the weekend. God knows I do too – but she’s only started school three weeks ago. Is that how long it takes to resent the day-to-day grind of a Monday-to-Friday schedule? Three weeks? And to think she has just 15 or 20 years of school to go, before she can hopefully find a full-time job. Another 60 some years of looking forward to Friday night. […]
by Marc Parsont
I never met a sale I didn’t like. The Battle Cry of the Parsont Clan is, “It’s On Sale!” Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble could “Charge It,” all day because they’d be left flapping in my wake. And why, you ask, should you care?
I plan on buying enough school supplies for our kids—for the rest of their natural lives. One time, one trip, and we’re through. […]
by Maggie Lamond Simone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60Koe5FSE9M *
The big yellow bus will soon rumble once more down our street, signaling the end of summer and the beginning of another chapter in my life. My youngest is now in kindergarten. Big brother and little sister will stand together at the bus stop, he surreptitiously looking out for her, his fear for her safety and feelings only slightly stronger than his fear of being caught caring.
I think of all the emotions I should be feeling, emotions that any normal mother would be feeling at this momentous occasion in her children’s life: a deep sense of pride; hope for the future; nostalgia for baby days long gone; and maybe even a little fear about what lies in store for these innocent young people. I should be crying.
So why, then, will I be doing The Happy Dance in my driveway as the bus is pulling away? […]
by Marc Parsont
The creator of MotheringintheMiddle.com thinks that as Mr. Mom (Mr. Stay-At-Home-Midlife-Mom), I’m also “EveryMan.”
Yes, I am a stay-at-home father, but frequently very comical in my attempts. I nearly burned the house down twice, once by cooking baby nipples down to a black tar with the second time gloriously wiped clean from my memory by six years of changing diapers, wiping tears from faces down to polishing poopy smeared backsides. Poop is close to writing in many cases or is frequently the end result. […]
by Lori Shandle-Fox
You’ve always heard that kids keep you young. I want proof. Are there actual studies on this? I think not. I know that I’ve conducted my own studies and am here to report to you that it’s all a big myth. I admit, the core group I’ve focused on has consisted of a small informal gathering of neurotic people.
Case Study #1: My father-in-law. He has had neck and back issues for most of his adult life. To what does he attribute his cervical demise? One might guess the massive car accident that he had years ago that kept him in the hospital for months. According to him, that doesn’t even compare to teaching his children how to ride a bike. […]