Tagged: fatherhood

The Road Ahead

Homily for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year B

Driving lessons and the end of the world Today’s readings speak to us of the end of the world and of the signs that it is near. As we watch the news after hearing these readings proclaimed, we might begin to think that these are the days Jesus was referring to when he talked about the tribulation. The east coast is recovering from Hurricane Sandy, the Middle East is struggling to keep peace, other parts of the world are dealing with the aftermath of earthquakes. I have to...

Father and Daughter

Of Earrings and Aging

When my eleven-year-old daughter left the house yesterday to go to the mall she was still a little girl, but she came back a teenager. The lobes of her ears were pierced by ruby earrings. This is a new parenting landmark for me. I don’t think I like it. I liked it when she and her brothers and sister each learned to walk on their own; it meant my arms could start functioning normally again. I loved it when they all moved past the diaper stage; it meant...

Fantasy Short Short Stories

5 Great Books to Read Aloud at the Family Dinner Table

One of my favorite things to do is share stories with my family at the dinner table. A few years ago when I was reading Patrick O’Brian’s Master and Commander series my boys asked me each night at dinner to tell them what had happened to Captain Aubrey and his friend Stephen Maturin. It gave me a chance to share the joys of reading with my sons, and it also encouraged me to keep reading. Another great way to encourage reading in your kids is to read to...

The Best Old Movies for Families

The Best Old Movies for Families

I was browsing through Borders Books the other day and came across a new book called The Best Old Movies for Families: A Guide to Watching Together by Ty Burr. Old movies are an interest of mine, and I have struggled with trying to get my kids to watch them, so I picked this book up hoping to get some help. Burr, the film critic for The Boston Globe, does a great job listing movies from the golden age of cinema that kids of different ages will appreciate....