fatherhood

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Dear Jack: Your Maturing Attitude Towards Your Sister

13 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack,

I am currently feeling equal parts relief and pride as I see the way that you are displaying a maturing attitude and mindset towards your sister.

As Mommy and I were working on the dishes Sunday night, you initiated a game of tossing a bean bag to your sister from across the living room.

This eventually evolved into you turning her into a sandwich, between two beanbags.

It is such a reward for me personally, as I have been working so deliberately in directing you to a perspective that your sister is not your competition in regards to attention nor affection.

Instead, she is actually a means of you making us proud as parents, as we see you give her attention and affection.

Even if if by “attention and affection”, it involves you turning her into a beanbag sandwich.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Christmas Crafts on Veterans Day

8 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

I appreciate that you are at the age, as well as the maturity level, that you can be off a day from school while Mommy and I work from home, and you can be happy without depending on watching a screen all day.

Monday was Veterans Day so you were at home with us. When I would make my way by the kitchen, it seemed that’s where you spent a good amount of your time; making Christmas crafts.

I think it is safe to say that creativity and curiosity are highly encouraged in our household.

Thank you for not being a screen-watching zombie all day!

I love to see you being crafty.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: I Wish I Could Be Loveable Like You All the Time

8 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

You get to just be loveable all the time. I totally appreciate that about you.

It’s deniable. Everyone who meets you immediately loves you and finds you adorable.

You’re like a sweet little kitten. That’s your personality.

As for me, I am a grown man with so many responsibilities to fulfill and expectations to meet. I can’t just be nice and get away with it. People all around me depend on me to be more than just likeable.

Specifically, most of my roles in life require me to be the designated assertive person in the room.

It’s rare in my daily routine that I can just shut off that part of me.

When I am able to, it’s usually because I am spending time with you.

You always let me let my guard down. You make it okay.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Your New Basketball Hoop

13 years, 11 months.

Dear Jack,

Your 14th birthday is still 9 days away, but thanks to Nonna and Papa, your first birthday present is now sitting in our front yard.

Nonna wanted you to be able to enjoy your basketball goal “early”, as the weather is still currently fairly warm. So this past Sunday after church, Papa came over so that the two of you could set it up.

This marks the first time in your life you have actually had your own basketball hoop. At our home in Tennessee, there were 2 or 3 in our neighborhood that you could easily access.

But this one is all yours.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Like an Only Child Now?

8 years, 6 months.

Dear Holly,

It appears that your brother is at the age now where he is too cool for some of the childhood activities he used to love doing.

For example, he expressed no interest in pumpkins this year.

So that meant more pumpkins for you!

You spent some time painting a couple of pumpkins pink, to decorate our house.

And though it used to be your brother’s job, this year Mommy and I shared the responsibility of actually carving the Jack-O’-Lantern for you.

Similar to the way your brother spent the first 5 and a half years of his life as an only child, it’s like you are getting a sense of what it’s like to be an only “child”… now that your brother is a full-on teenager instead.

You’re still into childhood activities, while your brother has mostly outgrown them.

Love,

Daddy