Archives
The Parent Ren, Part XII: Just Breathe
Posted on February 19, 2020
Sometimes, you just have to chill…
The Parent Ren, Part X: It’s Harder Than It Looks
Posted on September 6, 2019
Some people will tell you that it’s easy to be a parent. They’re lying. It’s not easy to be a responsible parent, especially if you’re also trying to balance a career. You have to learn to let go of some things and embrace other things… Things like the unpredictable nature of a little person who is learning how to adapt to the world around them. It’s a big responsibility, but it comes with great reward, if you’re up to it.
The Safe Places We’ll Give You
Posted on July 1, 2019 1 Comment
When I was a child, there was only one place where I fell asleep at night without any problem. Even at my own home, I had a hard time falling asleep. There were a lot of noises coming in from the outside, or some sort of family drama would seep in and take my sleep. […]
The Parent Ren, Part IX: Ren Returns… To Public Health
Posted on June 21, 2019 1 Comment
Life is all about adjusting. From the moment you are born, you have to adjust to the world and people around you. WIth my new job come some big adjustments, and I find myself missing my baby girl a little more these days.
The Parent Ren, Part VIII: A Man Raising a Woman
Posted on December 6, 2018 1 Comment
When I think of how hard it must have been for my mother to raise me, I think of the one time we went to the state fair in Juarez. There was a band playing some very loud music, and there were a lot of people dancing and having a good time. Mom and I […]
How Do Anti-Vaccine Advocates React to a Vaccine Bill in New Jersey? Hint: Not Very Well
Posted on April 6, 2018
I won’t bore you with the details because the video is quite good on its own. Basically, NJ legislators in a committee voted to advance a bill for a vote. The bill would require parents seeking a vaccine exemption for attending school to do one of several things. They can get a physician to write […]
A new public health surveillance tool?
Posted on January 11, 2018 3 Comments
When my wife and I found out that we were going to be parents, we kind of freaked out a little. It wasn’t that we were not ready. We were, mostly. It’s just that we were aware that a little person would soon be joining us, and we would be responsible for their life. We […]
The Parent Ren, Part VII: The Pathogens Strike Back
Posted on December 13, 2017
I remember being a child and having Strep throat in the summer a couple of times. It was miserable. It was so bad that I could not wait to go see the doctor and have my grandmother give me a shot of penicillin. (I spent most summers with my grandparents in the ancestral hometown in […]
The Parent Ren, Part VI: It’s Okay to Flip Out
Posted on November 24, 2017 1 Comment
Let’s face it, unless you’ve been a parent before, there is very little that can prepare you for being a parent. I thought I was going to be ready for this adventure from helping mom raise my little brother 30 years ago. I must have lost something in those years, because there was very little […]
The Parent Ren, Part V: Baby in the City
Posted on October 4, 2017 3 Comments
I traveled with my wife to New York City for a conference she was attending. While she was at the conference, the baby and I walked downstairs at the hotel to get some food. Well, she immediately started crying, and I don’t blame her. There were a lot of people, a lot of noisy people, […]
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