What came first, the Parent or the Hypocrit?

 Posted by Bill on March 26, 2010  General, How to Communicate with Your Kids, The Craziness of Single Parenting  No Responses »
Mar 262010
 

This morning I was scheduled to do my monthly guest interview on The Doug Stephan Good Day Show at 5:06 am. I always love being on Doug’s show for two reasons. One because his show is heard on 400 radio stations nationwide and two, because I never know what Doug is going to ask me. That can be an interesting situation when you are up at 5:06 a.m. At 5:00 a.m. this morning Doug’s people called my people (that would be me since Michaela was still sleeping) and asked if we could move the interview to 7:06 a.m.? Who am I to argue with the host of a show heard by over 3 million people each month. Sure I said, but I will be driving the kids to school so we will need to do it on my cell phone. By the way my cell phone is tied into the speakers on my car. Fine by us they said..

Well right as Jack was getting out of the car for the bus the call came in and the interview began. Michaela is an inspiring journalist so she always loves to hear what questions hosts like to ask of thier guest. Today Doug decided to get my opinion on recent stories in the news dealing with both abortion and marijuana. Buckle up your seat belt Michaela this could get interesting. For times sake I will leave the abortion story for another blog, but having your 13 year old hear co-hosts going off on their beliefs about abortion is interesting, especially as I am sitting outside her Catholic school.

The other story that I was asked to comment on was about a father in California who stated he would much rather have his son smoke pot at home, than do it outside with others. “How would you as a single parent deal with that Bill” Doug inquired. Hmmm I thought for a minute and then I answered with… Does the dad think that if he allows his kid to smoke pot at home they will never do it outside of the home? Does he think that if he allows his kids to drink at home they will never do it outside of the home? Does he believe that if he allows his kids to steal money from his wallet, they will never steal from the local convenience store? What about if the kid steals his car at 2:00 a.m., takes it for a joy ride and wrecks it, will they never take someone elses car? Why does by doing it at home makes it all OK? Continue reading »

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Reinventing Quality Time

 Posted by Brooke on March 14, 2010  Balancing Work and Children, Getting Your New Life In Order, Raising Children as a Single Parent, The Craziness of Single Parenting  1 Response »
Mar 142010
 

There has been a lot of talk this week about spending quality time with your kids. Everyone must be feeling the same emotional yearning I am to slow down time and stop their kids from rapidly growing up. As children get older and have priorities of their own, your quality time with your child may seem less and less.

When I first started this single parent journey over 7 years ago, I was determined to not be that stereotypical single mom that Hollywood so often portrayed. You know the one…she is always frazzled and on the go, dinners consist of leftovers being heated up and thrown on the table, and the only face to face time she gets with her kids is the kiss good-bye as she is running out the door to her night job. I knew the life I had just left was not the life I wanted, but the stereotypical single mom life certainly wasn’t what I wanted either. I didn’t just want quality time with my son, I needed it. There had to be another way, and I was determined to figure it out.

My son was two when I left his father. I moved only a few blocks away so that sharing custody would be as easy as possible. In those first few years we switched parenting nights every-other day. And every-other day when I picked my son up from daycare, everything else in the world was pushed aside. This was my time with my son; he was my only care in the world for those hours few precious hours between daycare and bedtime. Nothing else took precedence. I was determined to be the opposite of those Hollywood stereotypes. We would have quality mom and son time. I was going to be a fun mom, no matter how exhausted I was. I would pick up my son, and the adventure began. Continue reading »

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I Love Having Teenagers

 Posted by Bill on March 5, 2010  Balancing Work and Children, General, Getting Your New Life In Order, How to Communicate with Your Kids, Raising Children as a Single Parent, Teenagers, The Craziness of Single Parenting, Uncategorized  1 Response »
Mar 052010
 

I can’t tell you the number of people, who when I tell them that I have teenagers, say things like “Wow that must be tough” or “Good luck you will need it”. I don’t care, I love having teenagers. I really do. I can still remember what my life was like as a teenager. I can remember when I was honest with my parents and when I was not. I can remember all of the things that I put my parents through. Believe me growing up in a family of five, where you came home when the street light came on, we had allot of time to put our parents through hell. I know that my kids, or at least one of them,  will do the same to me but… I still love having teenagers.

So why you ask? Why after all that you put your parents through? Why after all of the warnings others are giving you? Why knowing full well that the “apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” do you still love having teenagers? Well here is why in this weeks (drum roll please):

TOP 10 LIST WHY I LIKE HAVING TEENAGERS: Continue reading »

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My Son and The Cab Ride

 Posted by Bill on February 26, 2010  General, How to Communicate with Your Kids, Raising Children as a Single Parent, The Craziness of Single Parenting  No Responses »
Feb 262010
 

How can two kids from the same gene pool be so different? I know that my brothers and I were all from the same gene pool, but were we really this different? Kids never cease to amaze me, confuse me  and enlighten me, usually all at the same time.

My kids and I have a routine each morning. They wake themselves up, shower, get ready, make breakfast, make their lunch, collect their back packs  and are prepared to be out the door by 7:00 am. At least that is how the routine is suppose to play out. For the most part it usually works this way. That is as long as Jack chooses to participate in the routine.

Michaela has never had a problem with our routine. I am not sure if it is because she is a girl, or that she loves to please but whatever the reason I am happy that she is on top of it. Her beloved brother Jack is just the opposite. When Michaela is finishing breakfast and stuffing books in her backpack Jack is hitting the snooze button  for the 14th time. I really never knew that you could hit your snooze button so many times. I figured that after the first 4 snoozes the alarm just says “To hell with it, I’m done” and turns itself off. Obviously Jacks alarm does not work this way. Continue reading »

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