Articles about Parenting
University Park Treehouse Gets the Shaft
In July, the good people at Overheard brought our attention to the story of the UP family with a treehouse in their front yard. Apparently, a neighbor complained about said structure because its placement is against UP ordinance.
Last night, the Johnson family got the verdict: the house must come down.
The Dangers of Taking Your Child to Work, Ctd.
In my defense, the first time, Zac was screening your son from my view. The second time, I was quoting an e-mail from Wick, so that was work-related.
Update: His son is 10. By that age, I’d seen Animal House. IJS.
Update: I just walked into his office, and Tim, with his son three feet away, pointed to a story we’re working on and said, “Who’s designing this s%@#?”
Texas Is On Pace For Terrible Record: Most Kids Drowned In One Summer, Ctd.
Just a couple of weeks ago, I wrote the following:
So far this summer, 72 kids have already drowned in the state, including 19 in North Texas.
Sadly, both of those numbers need updating. The statewide record has been achieved (it’s at 84 now, following the deaths of two 7-year-olds at Scurry Lake near Midland), and we’re up to 20 in North Texas (the latest was a 1-year-old who fell into a pool in Garland).
I’ll repeat this again, so this record will (hopefully) never be broken: People! Watch your kids when they’re near water! Any kind. If you see a puddle, make everyone hold hands. If it’s sprinkling outside, get some floaties. Whatever it takes.
Not In My Neighbor’s Front Yard: Treehouse Controversy in University Park
The Johnson boys: breaking code and loving it.
Folks at our sister blog Overheard have been all over this treehouse story for more than a week, and now Good Morning America and the LA Times are getting into the mix. Intrepid community columnist Merritt Patterson reports that Brenk and Amanda Johnson, the parents who constructed a treehouse for their sons in the front yard of their University Park home, have been contacted by the national media outlets about the city’s threat to tear it down. The possibility of two cute kids (ages 8 and 6) losing their treehouse has caused quite a stir, but UP reps say city code restricts treehouses to the back yards of homes in University Park. It is unclear whether or not the city council will consider making an exception or change the code. Mr. Johnson, who says he spent 50+ hours building the treehouse and lost the tip of his thumb in the process, just wants his kids to have a treehouse—and doesn’t have a tree that can support a treehouse in the back yard. He was given 30 days to tear the treehouse down.
Texas Is On Pace For Terrible Record: Most Kids Drowned In One Summer
So far this summer, 72 kids have already drowned in the state, including 19 in North Texas.
I know this goes without saying, but then again, I guess it doesn’t: People! Watch your kids when they’re near water! Any kind. If you see a puddle, make everyone hold hands. If it’s sprinkling outside, get some floaties. Whatever it takes.
Dirk Nowitzki to Take Over For Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in The Game Plan 2: Full Court Press
At least, that’s what I gather from this report out of Beaumont.
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