So far I have spent some time in these posts on serious stuff: time and priorities, and discipline. And I started there on purpose: getting priorities right is so important.

But now I want to strike a lighter note, but still, in a sense, serious. Because I believe one of the key things to do if you want to keep your kids Catholic is make it fun.

I try to make sure that my kids have more fun than their friends. Thus something that could seem negative (like having no TV) can be turned into something positive: we play family games together some evenings; we read bedtime stories to the (younger) kids and so on.

Both at the daily level of enjoying themselves, and at the longer term level of seeing life from a positive point of view, I think this is an important part of their formation. And one result is, their friends like coming to our place as there’s always something fun going on.

As a kid, I was encouraged to attend a club run by Opus Dei. I think my parents hoped I would join (which I didn’t). But I think that club got a lot right: we had a huge amount of fun – and interwoven with that was spiritual formation: benediction at the end of the day, for example, and a meditation in the Oratory. And I think I owe a lot to that formation. Because I learned that life, for a Catholic, is a great adventure.

There will be highs and lows, of course, just as in any great adventure. But the underlying message is that there will be a happy ending – though not necessarily on this side of the grave.

Of course, that is a level of understanding we only reached as we grew older: at first the fun predominated; and rightly so. As kids we need to learn that the structure of life is that stories have happy endings. And as Catholic kids we need to learn that our adventure is both exciting and worthwhile.

There’s no Opus Dei club near us, so we have to provide the kids with adventure enough ourselves. So we encourage them to walk, cycle, climb trees, build tree houses, create dens, play imaginary games, and so on. This not only builds confidence and strong relationships between them, but also provides a lot of learning. Overall it is good fun, but there are also the inevitable bumps and scrapes, and those are certainly part of the learning.

Because life is not always easy, and how we cope with the mishaps is often a defining part of our development. So I want them to learn that early and relatively easily with trivial things, like stings and bruises; and then we graduate to progressively more difficult things.

But always the developing understanding is that any adventure worthy of the name will include some struggles, and that courage, fortitude, and above all hope, are virtues worth cultivating.

One other thing that really feeds this is reading them, or encouraging them to read, really good fiction. By that I don’t just mean the obvious (Lewis, Tolkien and so on) but also any great romances where a heroic and virtuous struggle against mounting difficulties or evil results eventually in a happy ending. For that is the fundamental world view I want to offer them, to help them when the struggle is the struggle for their Faith.

So here’s a challenge for you: how can you help your kids develop the sense of life as an exciting adventure, with dragons and demons to escape, and a happy ending that stretches out into eternity…?

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If a bike could have bling, then Blynken would definitely be in love with it. The girl loves things that sparkle, things that have ribbons, and things that are pink.

Well, that’s what her new bicycle looks like: Peppermint Swirl. It’s got pom poms on the handle, white wall tires with a blue stripe and a plastic carry-all on the handlebars.Of course she fell immediately in love with it as: “exactly what I wanted”. Sure, OK, right. What made it good for me was that it was actually on sale, so I saved a few dollars on it. I’m looking at the frame, the height, fit, and brakes; she’s looking at the color, the accessories, and paint job.

Sigh. That’s why girls have Dads. So we can look at the boring but necessary stuff while they just enjoy the thing for what it is. And I suppose that’s how it should be at her age.

She actually really enjoys riding a bike, so I didn’t mind getting her a new one that fit, so she didn’t have to ride the 14″ tots bike. I took both Wynken and Blynken on a bike ride by turns today, and they both used that bike since it was the only working kids bike. Since then, Blynken got a new bike, I bought a new tire for Wynken’s bike, and now Nod-girl wants to learn how to ride, so I’ve got to dig up the training wheels.

I’ll make ‘em a bike riding family yet.
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Cross-posted at: Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

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We all know we could use a bit of fun in our lives. This is especially true when dealing with our families. Where can we go that we can enjoy a wholesome family experience together, especially on vacation?

Places like that seem to be getting harder to find — or are they? Maybe they just need to be better publicized. It’s summertime and lots of you are on vacations. Where do you go that supports (or at least does not detract) from your faith and values?

Mine is (re)posted below.

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Jellystone Park is having a video contest to show how you have fun at Jellystone (yes, the one with Yogi Bear). I don’t enter contests as a rule, but this is one we think we can win on the merits.

See what you’re missing — Jellystone: It Gets Into You is my entry. They forced me to cut the music to enter the contest (50% of the punch), but I think it still stands head and shoulders above the rest! (Even though my music was copyright free. Sigh.)

Reasons for helping? The kids love the park (it’s our one special trip a year). The prize money just about equals the pay cut I took this year; the driveway needs repair; and the kids tuition is due. Plus, it’s a real family park, and we’re a real (Catholic) family — look at all the Nodlings!

We’d like to win with your help; we need at least 1500 votes to get in the semifinals. You can vote every 7 days. Contest ends September 11.

Vote for me as the best video at http://jellystonefun.com/vote?id=96
See all the videos at http://jellystonefun.com.

Spread the word and help a deserving family!

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Well, what can I say? Give me a half day of school and a free afternoon while Rebecca runs some errands… and you get this piece of cinematic diversion! Me and the Boy gettin’ silly! PS – There’s no need to tell me I have too much time on my hands, by the way. I’m a teacher and the school year just closed! So I do!! Stay tuned for me random antics…

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Just about every kid out there loves the pool. Today, our pool opened and the day was hot. Perfect combination. After getting a bunch of chores and errands done, Mrs. Nod headed off to the pool with Wynken, Blynken, and Nod-girl while I stayed home with the toddlers and their naps.

So why didn’t I go? Other than logistical difficulties with two toddlers who are hell-bent for leather to drown themselves, and other than the fact that they love it more than I do*, I was perfectly content not to go, because I know something that the Nodlings don’t: the water is freakin’ cold still.

There haven’t been enough hot days yet for that giant mass of cold water to warm up appreciably. Wait a month, then it’ll be great. Plus, being the very first day, the chlorine levels have to be intolerably high — I’ll wait to see their puffy little red eyes in church tomorrow.

* The phrase “love it more than I do” reminds me of one of my favorite childhood books called More Spaghetti, I say! by Rita Golden Gelman in which Minnie can’t stop eating spaghetti.

“I love it. I love it. I love it. I do.”
More than me?
“More than you.”

Cross-posted at: Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

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Ever think to yourself, I’ve heard better sermons from a three year old? Now you can have a point of reference.

Nub climbed up into the chair and started expounding with fire and brimstone. I’m pretty sure he told a joke at one point, but see for yourself.

Cross-posted at: Wynken, Blynken, and Nod

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The topic of baby names came up this week which is an endless source of amusement in my house and among my extended family (because the need for it arises so often). We alternate between being actually helpful and trying to come up with the most awful combinations imaginable. Inevitably, the Bad Baby Names site gets mentioned.

For us, anything Germanic is a hoot: Ursula, Helga, Gunther, Gretchen. My brother suggested some selections from the Classics as a strategy to keep your daughter from dating: Gomorrah Chlamydia.

Many people like to be as Catholic as they can, so you get a lot of John Pauls, Benedicts, Mary Katherines, Annes, Elizabeths, or any of the 12 Apostles.

Not to be outdone, I have maintained for several years that you could name your domestic church after the Creed: a boy named Juan Julio and a girl named Kathy Apostolic. (I’ll wait while that one sinks in …)

Your second daughter could simply be named May (or Mae) and a middle name beginning with “I”; that way when she becomes the superior of her convent, she automatically becomes “Mother May I.”.

My sister-in-law was musing on things Irish and pointed out that the name Brigid is apparently pronounced “Breed” in Gaelic. Following the time honored tradition of starting all Catholic girl names with “Mary” or some derivative such as Marion or MaryAnn, we accidentally hit upon the new All-Time Worst Catholic Girl Name: MaryAnn Brigid.

Yes, that would be pronounced: Marry and Breed. Oy!

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It’s time for everybody’s favorite diversion: Insert _____! (blank)

Where we take the potty-mouth expressions we “used” to say, and baptize them into something a bit more acceptable.

That way, people won’t look at us askance who know we’re Catholic and supposed to be acting like it.

Today’s expression is: “Oh _____!”

Oh my goodness!
Oh my stars and garters! (the Beast from X-Men comic fame)
Oh nuts!
Oh no!

It’s just for fun, try it!

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A few videos of our afternoon adventures. One of Yours Truly, one of Noisykid #5.

This is a .20 caliber pellet air rifle. The target is about 10 paces, or 30 feet from the shooting site.

This air rifle is made by RWS Diana, and is powered by compressed air. The mechanism for compressing the air is called a side lever. By pulling the lever all the way back, and placing a pellet into the chamber, air is ready for release when the trigger is pulled.

Let us watch Noisykid #5 first:

Note the safe handling of the weapon, with no finger on the trigger until ready to shoot.

Now join me after I loaded the weapon:

My shot is rather unimpressive after watching Noisykid #5 blow his target away.

This is one of the things I enjoy doing with the boys and girls(the younger ones, at least).

Cross-posted on my own blog.

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