Published in Forge·PinnedMember-onlyThe Best Advice I Got About My Child’s Smartphone AddictionGreat tips from readers — A year ago, I wrote a story called My daughter was a creative genius, and then we bought her an iPhone. It went viral— 219k views — with hundreds of people commenting. Some readers called me an idiot for the way I’d handled things; others made me laugh. Some shared…Parenting4 min readParenting4 min read
6 days agoMember-onlyI Got My First Tip on Medium!A thank you note — Dear Fred, I don’t know who you are or which post/s you read, but you are my new BFF on Medium. Here I was blogging away — and seriously wondering why I bother, given I earn less than supports a Starbucks’ habit — when your tip appeared in my PayPal…Money2 min readMoney2 min read
Jan 18Member-onlyMuch Ado Over Messy KitchensCrumbgate — Here I thought I wrote a light-hearted post about research that explains why men generally feel less compelled than women to clean up after themselves. But according to some male readers, it seems I’ve been “whining” and “nagging” and, let’s face it, I’m “neurotic”. “Oh look, another article on how…Family2 min readFamily2 min read
Dec 24, 2022Member-onlyCambridge Professors Give Men the Excuse They’ve Been Looking for to Continue Not Helping Around the HouseDirty Laundry — You rise early, feed the kids, feed the dog, clean the kitchen, take the kids to school, walk the dog, race home and open your laptop — to do your day job — and that’s when you see it: Fresh crumbs on the counter; dirty dishes in the sink. Greeting…Parenting2 min readParenting2 min read
Dec 17, 2022Member-onlyStill MomentStill moment in the snowy woodsPhotography1 min readPhotography1 min readPhoto by Stephanie Gruner BuckleyStill Moment----2
Dec 17, 2022Member-onlyWhat Do I Do With My Daughter’s Baby Teeth?Bad Idea Parenting — Here’s something really stupid I did. I kept my daughter’s baby teeth. I’d leave the coin and grab the tooth. Not having the heart to throw the tooth out, I’d wrap it in tissue and toss it in a drawer. Over time they piled up. Gross, I know. At some…Parenting2 min readParenting2 min read
Dec 12, 2022Member-onlyHow to Spice Up Your Sex Life, according to ChatGPTBots Get Funky — I’ve been reading about ChatGPT, the new AI platform that spits out in seconds everything from haikus to business plans, and how it’s going to replace us creatives. It seemed a good idea to see for myself. First, I asked it how to potty train a child to compare it…Writing2 min readWriting2 min read
Dec 12, 2022Member-onlyPotty Training with Dora the ExplorerToddler Tips — I never liked Dora the Explorer. (Read rant about how toddlers watching it become zombies). But I’ve since discovered the show’s other benefits. It turns out that the promise of a single episode of Dora is compelling enough to get a stubborn toddler to use the potty. For weeks we’ve…Parenting2 min readParenting2 min read
Dec 10, 2022Member-onlyIs Dora the Explorer Evil?Hooking kids on cartoons — a Flashback post — I’m shopping with my toddler daughter. She needs dress shoes for a party, but is fixated on a pair of Dora the Explorer sneakers. I ask her to put them back. Usually she complies, but not this time. She’s cuddling the shoes like they’re a favorite doll. It’s the first…Parenting3 min readParenting3 min read
Nov 25, 2022Member-onlyWhat I’m Thankful for this ThanksgivingA list — Life is difficult just now. Bad news everywhere: Russians bombing Ukraine, mass murders in the US reaching record numbers, increasing homelessness and poverty, hurricanes, inflation. All the more reason to be grateful for what we have. Thank you Phil Bunyan for this wonderful list idea! This Thanksgiving I’m thankful for: …Parenthood2 min readParenthood2 min read
