Earlier this week, I got to judge projects at a Science Fair, which, as usual, was loads of fun. This year, however, owing to budget cuts and staffing cuts and things like that, there will be no science fair at the sprogs’ elementary school. We are wistful about this, especially after the fun we had […]
Because there are some conversations you have to have with your kids even if you wish you didn’t have to have them: Dr. Free-Ride: I wanted to talk to you about a situation that has come up for a friend of mine and is a little worrisome. So, you know I went down to UCLA […]
It’s been awhile since the Free-Ride offspring have shared their artwork. Today, we offer some of their drawings of animals. From the younger Free-Ride offspring: Tigers. They may look cute, but you don’t want to get near them when they’re hungry.
In which we discover a version of “the talk” we forgot to have with our younger child.
Although I swear that the Free-Ride offspring have not read the relevant prior posts! While walking home from school: Younger offspring: From now on, in the sprog blogs, can you call me “the small, silent one”? Dr. Free-Ride: Why? You’re neither small nor silent. Elder offspring: Definitely not silent. I live with you, I know.
On account of Valentine’s Day being right around the corner, and inspired by Sheril’s almost-through-the-edits book on the science of kissing, I thought I’d ask the Free-Ride offspring (now 8.5 and 10.5 years old) whether they had any questions about kissing that they thought science might be able to answer. Their initial reaction:
Dr. Free-Ride: And your teacher said this was a good idea?
Elder Free-Ride offspring: Well, she said it would be edible but it probably wouldn’t taste good, and that she encouraged me to try it.
The elder Free-Ride offspring, always a fan of mustelids, has lately taken a particular interest in ferrets. Given that Casa Free-Ride is located in the great state of California, this interest in ferrets has also spurred an interest in state law. In California, it’s illegal to keep ferrets as pets. According to the elder Free-Ride […]
Early this month, my better half got something for the Free-Ride offspring that is somewhere in the realm of “this will be edifying, but maybe they’ll find it cool, and if they don’t then at least the grown-ups will have fun playing with it”. So far, it has been all of the above. It’s a […]
Longtime readers of this blog may recall that the elder Free-Ride offspring has a fondness (occasionally verging on obsession) for Pokemon cards. This means I had no choice but to involve my offspring in Dave Ng’s Phylomon project: [W]hat can we do to get kids engaged with the wonderful creatures that are all around them? […]