For years I’ve been fascinated with parody songs, skit comedy and impressions. But that part of me always lingered in the background covered up by a career and the opinions of people. People told me that if I wanted to be a professional, I needed to act like one. Impressions and silly songs were for clowns. After I resigned, I remembered the boyish fascination and began to step into it. I started watching old Saturday Night Live skits, stand-up comedians, parody […]
Tag Archives | Kids
We Raise Our Kids to Leave
It’s that time of year when a lot of parents are preparing for their children to leave. And regardless if it’s kindergarten or college, the emotions are the same. We’re sending someone we love out into the world—a world that doesn’t seem love them like we do. But in both the sadness and excitement, it’s important for us to remember that we raise our kids to leave. When my son, Matthew, Jr., was born, my best friend sent me a song […]
Parenting is the Most Frustrating (And Rewarding) Part of my Life
Seven years ago, my wife and I were in a barren place, both literally and metaphorically. Our efforts to start a family seemed to be in vain and our marriage was on the rocks. But these past seven years have taught me that difficulty and adversity are common denominators for anything deeply rewarding. At least that’s what I have to remind myself of, now, as a father to four kids under the age of seven. Being a dad is the most frustrating […]
Learning to Appreciate Your Kids for Who They Are
Too often, I use social media to show you the picturesque version of my family, smiling for a selfie followed by the hashtag #DadLife. What you don’t see is the unrelenting effort that it took to capture that picture, and that’s not fair to you. You only get to see the facade. Truthfully, I spent all of my time trying to capture the moment that I missed the moment altogether. Social media has done a great job of connecting us. But it has also given […]