Preschool

Pretty cool this week. My son started preschool. My stay home dad duties have been reduced a little so I am trying to figure more constructive things to do with my time. I met a fellow stay home father this week. He has three beautiful children and a wife that has celebrity status. You might say he is a pioneer in the "stay home dad" world. He has been doing it for 10 years! Way to go Jon!

I am amazed at how fast the past three years with my boy have gone. Soon I will be throwing his batting practice and blocking his jumpshot. That is until he is swatting mine.

Enjoy your children!!!

Spending Time

I had someone say to me the other day: "You never hear a parent say I shouldn't have spent so much time with my child." On the other hand, I have heard someone say: "I should have spent more time with my kids."

Terrible Twos???? Hah!

I don't really know what people mean by the "terrible twos".... At this age, my son is developing at an astounding rate. His personality is coming through and I am amazed more and more each day. There is never anything terrible about a child. Even when he is stubborn or does something to test his boundaries he is not terrible. I hope that other parents don't buy into this saying!

Unconditional love

What a blessing and joy it is to be with my son almost every day. It has been this way for most of his first two years. He recently completed a series of classes or workshops called "Kindermusic". It was amazing watching him grow throughout the weeks. As well, he has started forming sentences and picking up on everything he hears his mom and I say.

I have still had little success finding a fulltime day job that will allow me to be home with my family on weekends and evenings, so I will cherish the time we have during the weekdays. His precious hugs and kisses and phrases expressing love are what keeps me going as I pursue a career opportunity.

His love is unconditional and that is fuel for my heart.

Big Trucks!

My son and I took an awesome field trip today. We visited a local fire station. At near 2 years old, he has an infatuation with fire trucks, school buses and most large vehicles. The fire fighters were very receptive to us dropping in unannounced and allowed my boy to sit in the driver's seat of one of the large engines. Although he has no comprehension of what really goes on with this beautiful vehicle, he was thrilled beyond belief.

If you have a chance to do something like this with your child, I highly recommend it. He hasn't stopped talking about it since we left. This is a trip we will be making again in the very near future.

Everyday Love

There is no question that the love of a child is an everyday thing that cannot be duplicated. How do you show that love in return? No matter how many other things we get wrong as parents, "love" is the one thing we need to get right. You may do little things wrong often, but nurturing your child with love and affection will give them confidence and security that will later enable them to overcome obstacles.

Thoughts about Fathers

I was just thinking today how lucky I have been to be so close to my son. I am lucky to be with my precious boy every day of the week and a great deal of time on the weekends and evenings.  I wish my father and I would have had the same interaction.  Not that my dad wasn't around or not providing, but the day in and day out bond my son and I are building is already amazing and it is growing all the time.  I know I will have to really "step up my game" as he gets older because I want to be the best example and role model possible. 

My dad is my role model and a good one at that. Successful business man, involved and well liked in his community. He spent 23 years as a junior high school math teacher over 26 years ago and I still hear from some of his former students how highly they regard him.  I know what they mean. He's my dad!  I think at times if he would have had an opportunity to be with me as I am with my son would he have enjoyed it as much as I do? Probably not... things were very different in those days.  It doesn't matter because what we have now is special and his standards and caring heart have become my own. 

I am lucky to have him in my life to this day.  Ironically, my two closest friends have very unique situations and I learn from them all the time as well.  One is adopted and the other lost his father when he was a toddler.  Both have had father figures in their lives and one is a daddy now himself.  A damn good one, too! They are both influences in my life and supportive of me as the father to my son.  I am also very fortunate to have these guys in my life.  I hope all of you have special men in your lives, too.