parenting

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Dear Jack: Smart Money

14 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

You are the smartest person I know. That means my life is a little bit easier, accordingly.

We never have to ask you to do your homework, because you always get it done during school. Somehow you never study for tests, yet your grades are always good.

So this week when I learned you had earned the privilege of “skipping out” of your semester tests due to your consistently high grades, I was very happy for you.

This is a reminder that I am a “fun” dad. My rule: No school? No bedtime.

I don’t care. Stay up super late playing your PlayStation 5 games. Be a 14 year-old boy.

But of course, you elected to spend one of your days off from school working for Nonna and Papa; tearing down some old playground equipment in their background and helping with the insulation process under their house.

So in review: You’re a smart kid who plays hard and works hard. I endorse this.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: You are Currently about 5′ 3″

14 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

When we bought you new shoes to begin your 8th grade school year, I learned that you officially have a larger shoe size than me. And since then, you have continued growing taller.

I don’t think I grew after the 8th grade. I’m pretty sure I’ve been 5′ 9″ since 1995.

You were curious enough this weekend for me to measure you. Looks like you are currently a little over 5′ 3″.

But if your shoe size is already size 10, it seems like by the time you are finished growing, there’s a decent chance you will end up being at least a little taller than me.

We’ll know for sure in a few more years.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Going to Church on Wednesday Nights

14 years, 3 months.

Dear Jack,

For me, being active in the youth group at my church was a huge part of my teenage years.

Of course, as soon as you started school here in Alabama, you quickly were recruited by your new friends to join the football team. And it just so happened that several of them all went to the same church.

We are there every Sunday as a family, but specifically on Wednesdays while your sister is at dance class down the road, I drive you to church.

I definitely appreciate that you want to be there with the dozens of other kids in your youth group, while I am at the men’s Bible study.

Last Wednesday as we crossed the street to the church, two of your friends ran to catch up to you: “Hey, there’s Jack!”

I was so proud. Not only do you want to go to church on Wednesday nights, but you have friends waiting for you there.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: The Book Fair at Your School

8 years, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

This has been a special week for you at school. Tonight it was the “Wild About Learning” event, where us parents were invited inside the classroom to see what our kids have been learning this year.

And all week long, the Book Fair has been going on. Both Aunt Dana and Nonna have been volunteering there- and of course, your cousin Darla is already in your class. Plus, Mommy will be volunteering tomorrow. So it has been a bit of a family reunion at school.

The first day, you were so excited as you came home from school and showed me what all you got from the Book Fair. I mentioned to you, “I don’t see any actual books… Mommy gave you money to buy all that?”

You immediately smiled: “Nonna bought it for me!”

Of course. That makes a lot more sense.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your Martin Luther King, Jr. Schoolwork

8 years, 9 months.

Dear Holly,

Mommy and I have this unspoken understanding that she lays out your completed school projects for me to see before she throws them away.

So as I walked through the living room this week, your amazing artwork caught my attention:

You did such a good job of creating a portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr.

I feel like I’m telling you every single week how talented you at arts and crafts.

And then I looked closer, to realize that the portrait was actually stappled to a related worksheet.

I immediately figured it would be you telling about some of the specific ways Martin Luther King, Jr. made the world a better place. He is certainly one of my personal favorite heroes.

You filled in the first line by correctly stating that Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream was that “everybody is equal”.

But then I was confused by the picture you drew of you and Mommy shopping at Walmart:

“My dream is… every product in the store is free. In my dream, people would… go to the store and pick out a need or want and it would be free. Here is something I can do to make my dream come true… dream about it.”

Not quite a wish for world peace.

Umm… well... at least you were honest?

 

Love,

Daddy