Theme
childhood
I Have No Idea What My Kids Are Going to Remember
I have been thinking about how terrible adults are at predicting what children will remember. We plan the big stuff because we assume the big stuff is what sticks: vacations, birthdays, Christmas mornings, special outings, the things that require tickets or reservations or several hours of preparation.
Maybe There Was Never an Order
For most of my childhood, I believed there were certain things that simply had to happen. Every summer, I went away for six weeks. I never thought of it as a decision anyone was making or something I could question.
Give Them The Ice Cream
My wife gets on me sometimes about giving the boys ice cream. Not in some serious way, and she is probably right that they do not need ice cream every time Dad decides ice cream sounds like a good idea.
Six Weeks Is a Long Time When You're a Kid
UPDATED — V2 · September 21, 2026 at 7:51 PM CT This entry was expanded after publication to restore important context that was missing from the original version. Six weeks sounds different when you're an adult. Put it on a calendar now and it is a month and a half.
I Hope 34 Years Didn't Erase the Paper Trail
Today I'm going looking for court records from my childhood. I'm hoping I walk out carrying documents. Orders, filings, agreements, dates, names, whatever is still there.