My name is Mike. I love being a stay-at-home parent because, most of the time, I have no idea what I'm doing. Each day, I'm learning something new, I think (or I hope). I also do photography and, while my littles ones are asleep, digital artworks. Send me an email if you are interested in an digital artwork. I'll do one for you. |
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A hmm moment is hearing your 5-year old, who is very competitive, tell your 3-year old, who is also very competitive: "We both won. I won first place. You won last place."
How about you? What's your hmm moment?
Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer.
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I teach my 5-year old how to read by putting sounds together to create words. Fun with phonics, they call it. Dād' with ē, for example, makes Daddy.
We do this in the mornings while my 3-year old doodles with his markers to create abstract art. I don't think my 3-year old is patient enough to be reading.
I'm wrong.
"You're Dong and I am Keys," my 3-year told my 5-year old one morning.
"Put them together," my 3-year old added, "we're Donkeys."
Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
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My 2-year old is turning three this week. Three reasons why I think he is growing up—fast.
He used to think that sitting in a corner, facing the wall on time-out is a cool thing to do. He no longer thinks that way.
He used to sit still while my 5-year old, my wife and I talk over dinner. Now he joins the conversation. When nobody seems to listen to him, he shouts, "Hello? Nobody's talking to me."
His jokes used to center around poops and farting. Not anymore.
"Where are we eating?" my 5-year old asked one night when my wife and I decided to eat dinner outside.
"Hmm, let me think," I said while sitting on the couch and showing my thinking look.
My 2-year old, who was busy playing with his Legos, suddenly turned around. He showed me his bewildered look then said, "What Daddy? You stink?"
Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers LeapFrog Tag Books
Apples. Watercolor by Mike F Leonen. ©2008 mike f leonen. All rights reserved. No use, copy or distribution without prior permission.
This is my 100th post. I thought I'd share a reason why I love—and why I sometimes get scared of—being a stay-at-home parent.
"Wow, Daddy," my 5-year old said after seeing one of my watercolor paintings. It was a rainy afternoon. My 5-year old, 2-year old and I decided to do some painting.
"Yeah wow, Daddy," my 2-year old added.
"You like it?" I asked.
"Yeah," my 5-year old said. "I like your painting of pumpkins."
I smiled. I was painting apples.
Photo challenge, anyone? Try my 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers LeapFrog Tag Books
I've redesigned my my photo blog at mikeleonen.com. Three reasons:
- I had nothing else to do
- I drank too much coffee and can't sleep
- I wanted to focus on sharing photography and Photoshop tips and tutorials.
I start by sharing 12 Photo Ideas To Try This Summer. I post (or share a new photo idea) Tuesdays and Thursdays.
If you have the time to try any of the ideas I've listed or will be listing, let me know by posting a link to your photo in my photo blog's comment section. If you have a photography- or Photoshop-related question, send me an email.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer
Something tells me I should teach my 2-year old new words. Either that or I should stop reading to him The Berenstein Bears' New Baby
.
"Daddy," my 2-year old said after I brushed his teeth one morning. "I'm not new anymore."
"What?" I asked.
"I'm not new anymore," he repeated.
"What do you mean you're not new anymore?" I asked.
"I'm old already," he said.
Show-and-Tell. Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer
"Hey Daddy," my 5-year old said after I logged into my computer one afternoon.
"What's up?" I asked.
"I know your password now," he said.
I know my 5-year old to be observant. But my password is a senseless combination of capital and lower case letters and numbers. It's close to impossible for him to know.
"Okay, smarty-pants," I said. "What's my password?"
My 5-year old looked at me, smiled then said, "Dots, dots, dots, dots."
Show-and-Tell. Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer
Honesty, to me, is my 5-year old and 2-year old pretending to sleep during naptime. They close their eyes. They try hard to remain still.
I look at them and say, “Raise your hand if you are asleep.”
They do. No hesitation.
How about you? How do you define honesty?
Show-and-Tell. Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer
I'm on the second day of my 3-day no-Coke diet. Here's why:
"Daddy," my 5-year old said two days ago. "You drink too much Coke."
I nodded. Then I took another sip of my nth Coke of the day.
"You should not drink Coke for five days," my 5-year old added. His face showed a little irritation.
"Five days?" I asked. "How about one day?"
"How about three days?" my 5-year old said. He was negotiating.
"OK."
I agreed for two reasons. It tells my 5-year old that his word matters to me. It also tells him that I could keep my word.
"So what will be my reward if I don't drink Coke for three days?" I asked.
My 5-year old showed me his thinking face. Then he said, "Coke. Lots and lots of Coke."
Show-and-Tell. Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer
Mother's Day. Illustration by Mike F Leonen. ©2008 mike f leonen. All rights reserved. No use, copy or distribution without prior permission.
My wife, two two kids and I were seated inside our van one recent night. We were going to eat out.
"Did you guys know that it'll be Mother's Day this Sunday?" I asked my two kids.
"Oh, I didn't know that," my 5-year old said. "We should surprise Mommy."
Uh-huh.
"We should bake her a cake and buy her flowers," he said.
My wife, I repeat, was with us in the van.
"Well," I said. "If we bake Mommy a cake and buy her flowers, that won't be a surprise anymore, wouldn't it?"
Silence. More silence.
"But we won't tell her the color," my 5-year old said. "That'll be the surprise."
Show-and-Tell Want to see a Photoshop show-and-tell? Visit my photo blog, mikeleonen.com. Comments are appreciated.
► Need Photoshop work on your family photos? Send me an email
► Helping kids learn left from right Read my tip and share yours
► Recommended for Toddlers ClickStart My First Computer
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