to write in this manner. My typical email conversations go something like this:

No, you can't do it that way. The price is X. I can't be there until the 7th. Look in the top drawer. It's in the manual on page 40...

So now that I’m trying to write something real with regard to being a parent, I must admit: it's got me stumped. I’m more of a list person than a paragraph one. So here's my list of five qualities that make a good parent:

(1) Must be willing to make funny faces, funny sounds, and pretty much act silly at will.
(2) Must have a high level of tickling expertise.
(3) Must be willing to read, sing, talk, dance, play, run, chase, hide, seek, and cuddle for long periods of time.
(4) There are other specialties that not essential but helpful...like Pillow-Tunnel Engineering and Airplane-Flight Pretending.
(5) Be as calm and collected as you can as you deal with your kid. Trust me, this one is not easy!

All in all, I think the most important thing in parenting is to listen to and talk to your kids and moms...because they’ll tell you exactly what they need from you.

I know the certain things that I’m not good at—such as saying No. I find the utter happiness that ice cream and cookies induce in Baby A, and the pleasure of watching her indulge, addictive. I am the pushover, the giver-in...and I’m working to change that. After all, parenting is a game of cooperation

- TWH