Parenting and family stuff

Many of us have motivated our children with fear, guilt and shame. “I would’ve thought better of you,” or “if you want something to be scared of I’ll give you something to be scared of.” And you know, as a parent you pause and you say, does it work? Well yeah, sure, especially depending on your kids’ personality and temperament, it’s going to work... See more

In the three years of TNF, we’ve covered all kinds of topics and I’ve spent a long time wondering exactly this is. I think there’s something special happening here: a group of dads that have congregated to redefine what fatherhood means for them, and to perhaps contribute towards a shift in the wider definition too. But the core of what this might... See more

TO MY MIND, THOUGH, there is a third development that has altered our parenting experience above all others, and that is the wholesale transformation of the child’s role, both in the home and in society. Since the end of World War II, childhood has been completely redefined. Today, we work hard to shield children from life’s hardships. But... See more

Reading for pleasure was the lodestar that governed my entire teaching process. A lot of other “teach your child to read” methods are based on modular lessons and exercises, which makes learning to read separate from what it’s all about, which is enjoying books. Comparatively, I did it by mostly reading books together, because it turns out reading... See more