While this space is usually used to recount the utterances of our younger son, Sebastian, today the quip is from our older boy. Nathan now 18, is 6’4″, a senior in high school and finds his parents to be extremely un-cool.

I have been coaching the JV Boys Basketball team at the kids’ school (long story) since we moved here. This off-season, I am making a concerted effort to get those team members who are not participating in a Spring sport to come work out in the weight room three times a week. Thus far, attendance has been, at best, sporadic. As such, I posted this on the team’s group chat: Nathan (within less than a minute of posting the above comments): “‘Theoretically graduating’? Are you serious?”

Me: “‘Theoretically’ was a parenthetical, however.”

Nathan: “Just because it was in parentheses does not make it a ‘parenthetical’!”

Me: “Really? I stand by the original comment.”