We are all, to some degree, products of the environment we were raised in. I'm honestly not sure how much other parents think about this, but nothing has made me more acutely aware of this than fatherhood, where I observe Miles's assimilation of environmental characteristics in real time. Of course, these traits range from desired … Continue reading Year 5, Day 342
Tag: nature
Year 4, Day 274
When coming up to visit us for Thanksgiving, my dad had only one request (and no, it wasn't "Thanksgiving dinner") -- "Find somewhere we can go on a hike." Today, after much anticipation, Papa, Miles, and I went on our nature walk at Latta Plantation Nature Preserve. All my dad really wants in life is … Continue reading Year 4, Day 274
Year 4, Day 189
When I was a child, one of the first magazines I held a monthly subscription to was Ranger Rick*. Unsurprising, considering that wildlife remains my father's life's passion, second only to making socially inappropriate comments in mixed company**. Well my dad has wasted no time in getting Miles on the bandwagon, recently subscribing to Ranger … Continue reading Year 4, Day 189
Year 3, Day 239
A big part of the ongoing "nature vs. nurture" debate involves examining the emergence of desirable and undesirable characteristics and whether or not these traits are inborn or the result of conditioning. It's the sort of debate that argues whether someone like Adolf Hitler might've been an okay guy if he had just been hugged … Continue reading Year 3, Day 239
Day 341
FACT: This is the first time Miles has ever listened to "Thriller." Watch closely and you'll see (on either side of the burp, anyway) what appears to be a portion of Michael Jackson's actual "Thriller" dance. Could it be this dance has become so ubiquitous that it's now evolutionary???
Day 86
The "nature vs. nurture" debate is as old as child rearing. I'm sure that the key to effective parenting lies somewhere between the two, and I keep this in mind when making virtually any decision involving my son. Case in point: Miles woke up a little early this morning and, after a feeding, got a … Continue reading Day 86
The Perils (& Pride) of Paternity 