Aaron Plaat

Author Archives

SCROLL

Recently, I was explaining to a friend of mine some of the experiences I’ve had as a single dad, as well as a few of the challenges. Most of the work you do is largely done without any sense of gratitude or recognition from your child – and it can often wear you down if […]

For most of my life, I’ve been somewhat contemplative and reflective about my journey through the hourglass. The older I get, the more I appreciate the moments that matter. You know, the times where life takes your breath away for a second. These days, I experience these moments a lot when I spend time with […]

For most of my life, I’ve felt like a bit of an outcast because I was homeschooled. One of the first things that comes to mind when people hear “homeschool” is the denim jumper-wearing family of 8. That’s a pretty tough act to follow. In most cases, the homeschool families I met were a lot […]

In the last few weeks, I’ve been waking up before sunrise in order to get to the local skate park. I wake up early in order to beat the heat, but also to avoid seeing anybody else at the park – there’s still a part of me that feels like the new kid in the […]

There are a lot of things you have to look out for when you’re a parent; not only are you responsible for your own life and safety, but you’re also responsible for ensuring the security and safety of your offspring. In most cases, the offspring are a lot more likely to stick a knife in […]

Years ago, I watched one of my now-favorite movies for the first time. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, a timeless tale about time, life, love and happiness. ”It’s never too late – or in my case, too early – to be who you want to be. There are no rules to this thing…” For over ten […]

One of the responsibilities I have as a Dad, involves showing Atlas how to live his life. I don’t have any interest in dictating what he does, as much as I look forward to helping him understand the best how to live it. I think most parents want their children to do better than they did. “Better” […]

When I was little, I remember my Dad used to have a phrase he repeated frequently. I never understood what he meant until I grew up and got a firsthand look at the world around me. ”Nobody ever lost money underestimating the stupidity of the American people.” – Wim Plaat One of the reasons why […]

One afternoon, a Dad found himself hiking in the forest with his little boy. It was a cool afternoon in Portland, and the two were taking advantage of the weekend-long Summer weather, when suddenly his little boy stopped to ask him a question: ”Daddy, what’s God?” Smiling, the man looked down at the boy and […]

It feels like yesterday. I remember the feeling of my blue heather sheets, the sharpness of the birch bed frame that grazed my arm and the cold, white depths of the walls I stared into after I hung up the phone and fell back asleep…knowing I would never wake up a boy ever again. Sixteen […]

1 5 6 7 8 9 80