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DadTalk Outing for Kids On Track Posted: Sun, 11 May 2008 21:21:24 -0500  As a surprise for our track-obsessed son, we took our kids this weekend to National Train Day, which was sponsored by Amtrak at Chicago’s Union Station. Success was guaranteed, even though there were some hiccups. The worst moment came when Lael, who had been hanging onto the model train table, disappeared when I glanced at some of the freebies my wife collected. (Note the hats and whistles the kids have on the jump.) One minute our little girl was there, and the next she was gone. I didn’t take my eyes off her for more than 20 seconds. Anne and... Overheard Posted: Fri, 09 May 2008 16:36:00 -0500  “Daddy, I want to go under the Jell-O Bean.” That’s what Lael calls the Cloud Gate, which is part of Millennium Park in Chicago. She’s confusing Jell-O with Jelly Bean. And the Winner Is… Posted: Thu, 08 May 2008 05:34:36 -0500  Both of my kids are huge Cars fans. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when Seth asked for help building the Piston Cup out of Legos. But Seth was unsure of what the cup looked like. Instead of helping him outright, I found a tiny picture of the cup online and printed it out for him. An hour later, he came back with not one but TWO Piston Cups and TWO Checkered Flags, which he made from memory. Pretty cool, huh? Overheard Posted: Tue, 06 May 2008 16:21:00 -0500  “I want pee bar.” That’s the way Lael says peanut butter. Health Care Expenses Exceed Housing, Food, Times Reports Posted: Tue, 06 May 2008 08:02:51 -0500  “ ‘The kid isn’t that sick; her temperature is only 102.’ ” – Dr. Richard Lander, a pediatrician in Livingston, N.J. explaining how parents are responding to rising health insurance costs. Rising gas prices are an inconvenience. There are ways around higher food prices, however unpalatable. But how do families cope with rising health care costs when it is too costly for Americans and their children? It’s hard for me to fathom, but consumers are now spending more money on health care than food or housing, reports The New York Times: Since the recession of 2001, the employee’s average cost... Main Street Struggles While Wall Street Seems Oblivious Posted: Sat, 03 May 2008 21:47:41 -0500  Hey everybody, did you know America’s economic problems are all over? That’s right, kiddies, after a week of stories revealing a continually worsening housing market, continued job loss, soaring prices and plunging consumer confidence, Wall Street is indicating the worst is over. Just watch CNBC for a few minutes as pundits take turns pummeling any analyst who says, “But what about those folks struggling on Main Street?” You see moms and dads, the economy isn’t really about you and me. It’s about oil and commodities and credit. Think I’m kidding? Check out this New York Times story: Many on Wall... Scenes From Immigration Rally Posted: Thu, 01 May 2008 21:01:34 -0500  I brought my camera with me for a work-related project before realizing it was May Day, which means Immigration Rally. Since 2007, I’ve watched the rallies directly from my place of work. In 2006, I was in Los Angeles. This and last year, the protesters passed in front of my office window. Since working in the financial sector, I’ve heard a handful of derogatory and distasteful remarks about immigrants, especially Hispanics. But the rally was peaceful, at least, when it passed my vantage point on Jackson Boulevard. I’ve included more photos on the jump. More Moms Try Nursing Posted: Thu, 01 May 2008 05:57:08 -0500  More American mothers tried breast feeding, though they’re not sticking with it, reports The New York Times on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study. The 77 percent rate of moms who attempt nursing is a high point. By six months, though, most women have given up on nursing despite health organizations urging moms to continue for up to 2 years. (For the record, Seth and Lael were nursed for about 2 years.) Studies have shown that breast feeding can pass numerous health benefits on to children. Perhaps the most interesting tidbit comes at the end of the article:... A New Swear Word Blooms Posted: Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0500  Siblings are experts at torturing each other. Seth for example, likes to mutter an unending stream of rhymes. “Mutter, putter, dutter, futter, jutter,” he says. I’m not sure Seth voices that exact combination, but something similar. Eventually, he hits on key words that irritate the heck out of Lael. “Cocka.” “Poopoo.” We think Seth learned some of the potty words at school. Others are completely made up. But once Seth hits on a sound that makes Lael whine, he tortures his sister by saying it ad nauseam. Lael then comes running to mom or dad, proclaiming, “Seth is using potty... Tom Chapin Video Slams No Child Left Behind Posted: Tue, 29 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0500  My wife is currently exploring the idea of becoming an urban public school teacher, which I firmly support. But I can’t help wonder why anyone ever goes to the hassle: Low pay that starts around $32,000 and never grows much beyond $50,000 except in elite school districts. Tough certification rules. The cost and time of obtaining a masters. Inadequate buildings and learning supplies. Perhaps the worst thing a teacher must face is No Child Left Behind, which I’ve been calling No Child Gets an Education. It seems to me that teaching elementary school students to a “test” would be the... Are You an Economic Optimist or Realist? Posted: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0500  Why are some humans optimists and others pessimists? I was discussing this question with an acquaintance on my bus to work last week. My theory: optimists often don’t see or simply ignore the downside to trying out a new restaurant, athletic fete or business. A pessimist – though I substitute the word realist – viscerally sees the downside to new and old ideas. Without optimists, we’d still be riding horse and buggies (or walking), the moon might never have been explored and supercolliders never built. Without realists, planes would fall from the sky and even worse politicians would be elected... Breakfast Loses to Trains Posted: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0500  For more than a year, Seth has been asking for an electric train set. We’ve been putting him off for a simple reason: space. In fact, my boy’s Thomas train tracks tend to sit unused much of the time because they can never stay set up for more than a day or two. After that, mom and dad are silently swearing after jamming toes and tripping over train bridges. A few weeks ago, I got the bright idea of using our dining room table instead of the floor for the Thomas trains. It worked out surprisingly well when you consider... Trial Run at Being Stay-at-Home Dad Posted: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 07:30:50 -0500  What a crazy week. Last Thursday, we drove out to Connecticut with the kids. After a two-day stay, we were driving back. Yup, we traveled four days for a two-visit, redefining the word “Passover.” But flying wasn’t really an option. It’s easy to do the math when you compare $1,000 in airline tickets and $250 on rental cars versus $300 in gas and $150 in hotels. My kids are turning into fantastic travelers, by the way. Plus, we were fortunate that we could literally watch trees leaf out during our drive. After working for two days back in Illinois, my... Passover Time Off Posted: Thu, 24 Apr 2008 10:32:02 -0500  Sorry about the lack of posts. I drove the family to Connecticut and back over the last week. I hope to return to a more normal posting schedule soon. Falling for My Kids Posted: Sat, 19 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0500  Lael invented this game of free fall from the shelves. Well, I guess I’m partly to blame. For months now, I have held Lael up in my arms while standing on the floor. Then I cry “timber” as we fall onto the bed. It’s not a long fall, but it’s enough to thrill a little girl. But apparently, it wasn’t a big enough thrill for Lael, who quickly dumped dad for the shelving unit. It’s pretty wild to see how perfectly straight she holds her body. Seth, who tends to be a lot more cautious, finally decided it was safe... Trout Fishing and Indian Spices Posted: Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:00:00 -0500  Can two men sound like an entire band? Sure, when they’ve been playing together for almost 30 years. Can two men keep 100 children – and 100 parents – occupied and even dancing during kiddy witching hours of 3-5 p.m? Sure, if they’re Keith Grimwood and Ezra Idlet, who form the Arkansas duo Trout Fishing in America. If you never heard of these guys, or listened to them, now is a good time as any. Click on this link, and then click on “Launch Trout Radio” for a sample. Trout Fishing is one of those bands I never would have... Canada May Declare BPA Dangerous to Human Health Posted: Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:31:46 -0500  Canada may fire a great big salvo at the plastics industry by declaring Bisphenol-A a toxic chemical, reports The New York Times. BPA, as the chemical is known, is commonly “used in plastics for baby bottles, beverage and food containers as well as linings in food cans.” Health Canada is expected to make a decision whether to declare the chemical a threat to human health sometime between now and late May. Canada would be the first nation to rule again BPA. Some parents in the United States already have tossed suspect bottles in favor of aluminum or stainless steel versions.... Food Recalls Malt-o-Meal Recalls Puffed Wheat, Rice Posted: Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:44:12 -0500  While sick with the flu, I let slide a recall of cereal contaminated with salmonella. How Puffed Rice and Puffed Wheat cereals could become contaminated with salmonella is something of a mystery to me, but reports of illnesses continue to spread two weeks into the recall. At least 21 cases of salmonella agona in 13 states have been reported, according to All American Patriots. So far, the mainstream media, beyond TV News, has not made much effort to cover this recall. The cereal, which is being recalled by Malt-O-Meal, is sold under a variety of brand names and packaging styles.... Ramblings on Sustainability, Economy and Pricey Shoes Posted: Thu, 10 Apr 2008 05:08:00 -0500  While hunched over sick with the flu on the train ride home last week, I overheard this nugget from a fashionably-dressed, middle-aged woman talking to another: “I don’t care what they’re made of, a pair of $16,000 shoes cannot be called ‘sustainable.’” Both ladies were dressed in a style I would call, Green Green – that is, costly, yet fashionable “natural” clothing. I’ve long wrestled with the idea of maintaining a “sustainable” lifestyle. During my 11 years in Arizona, I tried biking to my job. Considering that my work day started at 2 p.m. and ended at midnight – I... Recalls Magnets Pose Danger in 870,000 Dart Boards Posted: Wed, 09 Apr 2008 05:26:49 -0500  I’ve been quiet on this front for a while, but it’s hard to ignore when 870,000 dart boards are recalled because the small magnets can fall out and be eaten by children. Although there have been no reports of injuries with this toy, magnets can rip through intestines after being swallowed. Similar dart boards were recalled in February and in March, MEGA Brands recalled 2.4 magnet toys, according to Consumer Reports. The Chinese-made toys in this week’s recall were sold from September 2002 through March 2008 at Family Dollar stores nationwide, reports the Consumer Product Safety Commission.