I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD START A BLOG …

There is nothing more enjoyable or rewarding in my life than raising my two children, Jared & Karina. It's the most wonderful, bizarre and crazy ride I have ever been on.  It's also a richly rewarding experience that has taught me a great deal about myself.  I never dreamed of starting a blog, and certainly not at age 48.  Yet here I am about to go "live"  with a few thoughts and ideas to help other parents navigate this jungle of teenage life.

 It is very important to note that my wife Whitney and I share two starkly different upbringings. Whitney's parents divorced when she was 7 and my folks were married 49 years.  My parents were born in the Depression,  raised in the 40'S and started a family in the late 60's. Whitney's parents were born post WW II and grew up in the 50s and had kids in the early 70's. My parents offered a dictatorship style of governing full of structure, discipline and love.  Meanwhile, Whitney grew up in a democracy filled with love, a bit of chaos and lots of freedom. Luckily, we both had lots of love in the equation and for that I am forever thankful. Our own parenting journey has been very uneven at times and thats to be expected given how we were each raised. Finding the perfect governing structure for our family is an evolving process and something we are constantly trying to fine tune.

My primary purpose in this blog is to share our experiences raising a young boy and a girl who have now arrived at adolescence as a young man and young woman. Yes, they are teenagers, filled with craziness, awkwardness and raw emotion. They also are very happy children, smart, and quite funny. Most importantly, Jared and Karina exhibit love, empathy and a genuine curiosity about the world they are soon to explore.  This blog is my blog and written exclusively by me. The opinions and methods contained herein are solely mine. Yet, I couldn't share any of these thoughts without Whitney and her leading role in raising our children. Cheers to Whit for being my partner in this crazy dance and for choosing motherhood as her greatest passion.