Last week, I sat down with my 11-year-old son to deliver that time-honored rite of passage — for parents as well as kids — our first “Birds and the Bees” talk. I was prepared for every possible question, except the one he asked.    Read More »

There’s no denying we live in a troubled world, one that, as parents, we often don’t like to think about. But ignoring difficult issues doesn’t help our children learn how to deal with them. In this article, I’d like to discuss one such issue, teaching our kids to be more than silent bystanders. Read    Read More »

Ben Bernanke, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, spoke today in support of early childhood education at the Children’s Defense Fund National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, by video conference from Washington, D.C. For the full text of his speech,    Read More »

How do you instill respect for other cultures and traditions without singling out a particular group of students because of their race, religious affiliation or cultural heritage? And more importantly, how do you engage children and their parents in an open, honest and gentle dialogue about diversity, while avoiding any misguided approach that “force-feeds” diversity principles to them in a dogmatic fashion? To learn how, read my full article in The Huffington Post, or download a copy here.    Read More »

Just when you thought the last salvo had been fired in the war of words about whether video gaming is healthy or harmful for kids, a recent article in The New York Times has ignited a new controversy about the effects of digital entertainment on child development. Here’s a new take on the video game debate from the perspective of a storyteller.    Read More »

For a working dad’s take on the controversy sparked by Anne-Marie Slaughter’s article, “Why Women Still Can’t Have It All,” in the July/August 2012 edition of The Atlantic Monthly, read my full article in The Huffington Post, or download here.    Read More »

This week’s acquittal of the former baseball pitcher Roger Clemens on charges that he lied to Congress about his alleged use of steroids poses a huge dilemma for me. Not because I’m struggling with finding meaning in the investigation and trial of Clemens, or even whether he indeed violated ethical rules and laws by using prohibited drugs. But because I know my 11-year-old son (a huge baseball fan) is going to ask me if Clemens was a good guy or a bad guy.

What do I tell him?

Read my full article in The Huffington Post Parents, or download here.    Read More »

My family recently complained that Father’s Day has turned me into a lazy bum (they’re probably right!) So this Father’s Day, instead of just receiving gifts, I’m going to give back to my family. For the next thirty days, I’m taking the “The Father’s Day Challenge” and will create a story each night with my sons. I want the experience to be something my kids look forward to and that we can enjoy together. Will you join me in taking the challenge with your kids? Read my full article in The Huffington Post Parents, or download here.    Read More »

We’re pleased to announce that we have a new writer in the family. Our 14-year-old son William published his first post this week on the “Teen Talk” page of the parenting blog, The Parent Network. Will surveyed three generations in our family to figure out how being a teenager has changed over the years. The title of his post, “Once a Teenager Always a Teenager,” aptly sums up his conclusion. Read his full article on The Parent Network, or download here.    Read More »