Baby bites
Spit it out if you don't like it
Kubla goes to a friend’s house for a play date. They invite him to stay for dinner. The second he comes home, he asks for a snack. “A snack? Didn’t you just have dinner?” “I
Author: Jonathan Domsky
In the way
Is it possible to do things together instead?
I like to lift weights at home. It saves me a trip to the gym. Three year old Kubla wants to help. I’m afraid he’s going to get crushed by a dumbbell. Liping tries to
The ‘No’ Game
Take the wind out of routine defiance
I encourage small children to say ‘no’ and be naughty. I find that when they get the “no’s” out of their system, they feel less of a need to act up later. And they’re more
Who’s my favorite boy in the whole world?
A nice way to reconnect
The fight ends. We each go to our corners. Bruised feelings all around. A few minutes later we’re ready to reconnect. I invite Kubla to sit in my lap. We hug. “Who’s my favorite boy
Attempting the best brownies of all time
Is it worth the risk?
Kubla has developed a craving for brownies. The ones at the store are full of sugar and chemicals. I decide to make a healthier version at home. I look up a recipe online. I cut
The Superheroes Game
What are your powers?
Kubla loves superheroes. We like to make up our own, each with their own special powers and back story. Kubla likes being Rabbitman. He was bitten by a radioactive rabbit. He can jump really far
Good food, junk food, and poison
Just one drop of poison is too much
Kubla’s friend introduces him to some garbage on YouTube—Violence. Foul language. Women acting like no real person I’ve ever met. He comes home and wants to watch it again. When I realize how bad it
The Telephone Game
A boredom buster
Kubla and I are walking in the park. He’s starting to dawdle. He looks bored. I pretend my phone is ringing and answer it. I make like I’m listening. “Kubla, it’s that pirate calling again.
Every other word
Share the burden, lighten the load
Kubla won’t read his primer. He can’t play video games again until he finishes two pages. “It’s too hard,” he whines. “It’s so boring!” I offer him a deal. “How about this—we’ll take turns reading
What kind of kid never gets hurt?
Forget the pain and rejoin the fun
Kubla chases the ball. He falls. He scrapes his knee. Tears. Kisses. A band-aid. He’s not quite ready to rejoin the action. “Kubla, do you know what kind of kids never get hurt?” He knows