My students ask for my opinion on things, especially when I’m covering film and television in class. Sometimes it’s a litmus test to get to know me. Sometimes they want to hear if I’ve got an opinion so they feel free to share theirs. And… Read More
All posts tagged “Parenting”
You’d listen to yourself if you were somebody else
Early on in the semester for my Introductory writing class, I like to bring in motivational and inspirational quotes from other disciplines. I’m looking for examples of strong writing that also offer an opportunity to segue into discussing the work of writing. For example, when… Read More
When the best words aren’t the right words
Dena and I have been having a lot of conversations with our daughter about Thankfulness because of the napkins on our kitchen table. Every napkin has a discussion prompt for people at the table, and this one is Sprout’s favorite: It’s her favorite because of… Read More
On not passing on your fears and failures
My daughter loves getting in the pool, except for one thing: Getting water in her face. I know this problem well. When I was a kid, I hated being in the water. Hated it with a passion. Needed to be bribed, heavily, in order to… Read More
Talking to My Daughter About Death
I didn’t realize how far the thoughts had gotten in my daughter’s mind until we were playing a game of hide-and-seek at home. My daughter (I call her Sprout online), reminded me about a game we had played the other week where she got upset… Read More
Celebrating “The Distance I Can Be From My Son”
In 2013, Lenka Clayton had a goal for a series of works she wanted to create via An Artist Residency in Motherhood. As she put it: Artist residencies are usually designed as a way to allow artists to escape from the routines and responsibilities of… Read More
Let’s Talk About Cats
Picture a cat. Now picture that cat in your home, somewhere near you. What do you imagine that cat doing? Don’t overthink it. Whatever immediately came to mind when I said to imagine a cat in the room with you works fine. Got it? So,… Read More
