Foundation Father
Why do children end up liking things that we like? Because they see us experiencing joy and they want to experience that same joy. They want whatever it is you have. You are guiding their affections. You are modeling what your children will spend their time studying. The student becomes like his teacher. This is […]
Do not let anyone make you feel inadequate about your ability to teach your children. Parents have been doing it for thousands of years without the help of a college degree. Many times other parents feel inadequate themselves and project that onto others. Or they feel guilty about not teaching their kids and so they […]
The Golden Goblet by Eloise Jarvis McGraw is a historical fiction novel taking place in ancient Egypt. The main protagonist is Ranofer, a young boy who desires to be a goldsmith’s apprentice but is under the oppressive thumb of his older stepbrother. During the story, you’ll be presented with a clear picture of what life […]
My youngest son, 6 years old, held back tears. I could tell he was upset. “What’s wrong?” He held three superhero toys in his hands. “I’m trying not to cry but I forgot what I was going to do!” And then the tears flowed. He was going to play with his toys and enact some […]
You can’t let your kids live in a bubble. Eventually, it will be popped by something beyond your control and they will have to deal with the outside world. If your children need to walk around with a fainting couch, just in case they hear someone use a bad word, you have failed as a […]
I read over 50 books last year. These are the 5 every father should read. 1. The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis This is a repeat read for me and it will continue to be in a constant rotation. Lewis understands human behavior and the little justifications we have for our monstrous sin. I’m fond […]
I’m a big fan of homeschooling. That’s no secret. There is no better environment to tailor the education of your children to their specific needs. And you get to prepare them for the world before throwing them into the deep end. There are other good options, of course. Private schools and private tutors can be […]
This is from the excellent book by Anthony Esolen. 1. Keep your children indoors as much as possible. A child weighed down by busywork (homework), endlessly distracted by flashing screens, will find the outdoors boring. And so they will find life boring. As a consequence, they will *be* boring. If they spend too much time outside, they […]
Whenever we ask our kids a question, whenever we try to get them to open up, there are two dreaded responses: Silence “I don’t know.” When this keeps happening, we should first check that we aren’t asking boring questions. Or that we are asking questions that deserve to be asked. They need to be worth […]
My kids were playing hide and seek at the park with another boy. A few rounds had gone by, and it was my youngest son’s turn to be “it.” He counted and found the other boy fast. But he had some trouble finding his older sister. After a few minutes, the boy tempted him. “I […]