Author: Family Friendly Daddy Blog

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Dear Holly: Your School’s Christmas Program This Year

6 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

It always means so much to me to be able to see you perform on stage. This past week, the 1st grade at your school had their Christmas program. You had been practicing for so long for it.

Everyday for weeks leading up to it, I would watch you set up your school laptop in the living room and sing along with all the songs.

I was so proud to see my little Holly up on the front row.

My offer always stands for me to teach you how to play the guitar, in case you want to ever follow my footsteps…

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, Nostalgia, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Hot Wheels are Cool… Again?!

12 years, 1 month.

Dear Jack,

The very first toy I ever remember you seeing at a store and wanting was a Hot Wheels car. We were at a Walmart near our townhome where we used to live and you saw a little maroon sports car.

“You want that car, man? I’ll get that car for you…”

That was a long time ago. And though over the years, dozens of Hot Wheels cars have come and left our house… they haven’t all gone.

And more specifically, there’s still more coming in- but for different reasons now, compared to when you were a little boy.

Now, you are using Hot Wheels as models for your art class projects. You love drawing and even designing cars.

You have also purchased model car kits and have even started replacing the body on some remote control cars with cardboard shells you’ve created.

It’s no surprise that your sister serves as your partner in testing out your new Hot Wheels cars on your drag race track that you bring downstairs from the bonus room.

She’s even spent some of her own money to buy some Hot Wheels for herself.

Hot Wheels are back… again!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Our 90 Minutes Together Before School in the Morning

6 years, 7 months.

Dear Holly,

On the days during the week when Mommy has to drive to downtown Nashville to work in the office, and after your brother has already gotten on his bus, you and I have an hour and a half before I have to start work and I walk you out to catch your bus.

So I always say, “Alright, Holly- we have about 90 minutes before you have to go. Let’s get you ready real quick so you can have more time to do whatever you feel like doing.”

Therefore, it takes about 5 minutes to get you ready- and from there, you love to play upstairs in your room with your dolls.

Meanwhile, I’m unloading the dishwasher or running loads of laundry- whatever tasks I need to get out of the way before the day really gets started.

I love checking in on you. A few days ago, I walked in, and you had meticulously wrote out your two dolls’ math assignments on two tiny sheets of paper: One for Willa and one for Isabella.

I assume you were playing the role of the teacher, because I noticed you went through the trouble of grading both of their papers.

You are just the sweeting thing!

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, People, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: You’re Our Family’s Handyman

12 years.

Dear Jack,

You love being involved with putting things together- and you always have.

This especially comes out when it’s time to prep the house with Christmas decorations.

You truly enjoy putting the Christmas tree together. Not me.

You took pride in going outside and setting up the new reindeer inflatable out in our front yard. Not me.

And yesterday, when your sister needed help putting together a made-in-China Christmas snow globe that erroneously came with the instructions locked inside of the globe, with no way of knowing how to detach it from the base, you figure out. I tried… but still, not me.

We need you around!

 

Love,

Daddy

Leave a comment Posted on fatherhood, parenting, Storytelling, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: Our New Hamster, Snowball!

12 years old.

Dear Jack,

After our Saturday morning routine of going as a family to get donuts, we swung by the pet store to pick up some bedding for our hamster, Beta.

But while we were there, you and I showed Mommy the super furry hamster we saw there the week before.

Things escalated quickly:

We asked one of the workers there to let us hold the hamster.

That led to Mommy suggesting we buy an aquarium for him.

Needless to say, as a family, we are all very excited to now have a 2nd hamster in our home:

Snowball.

He is super cuddly. He loves to be held.

And he especially likes you!

Now our hamsters both have a friend to look at through the glass of their aquariums.

Even though they are both male, they can’t live in the same space because of how territorial they are.

Two hamsters, two aquariums… your bedroom!

Love,

Daddy