Dear Jack: Catchin’ Crawdads with Papa

11 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

You never need my help in discovering things to do, that an 11 year-old boy should want to do.

Now that the weather has been beginning to warm up, you found a colony of crawdads that live in a drain pipe on the walking trail in our neighborhood.

So with Papa in town last weekend, you made sure he accompanied you to help catch and release a few dozen.

Because when you’re a 5th grade boy, it’s easy to spend hours doing that!

Catchin’ crawdads is apparently one of the main attractions in our neighborhood. I didn’t realize that until now!

 

Love,

Daddy

Dear Holly: Your Silly “Sad and Happy” Socks

5 years, 10 months.

Dear Holly,

It has become a tradition at this point for you to look up at me and giggle in the morning after you choose your socks to wear that day, if it happens to be one of the days you choose to wear what I call your “silly sad and happy socks”.

If there were both happy socks with a smiley face on them, that would make sense for a 5 year-old little girl’s socks.

But instead, one of the socks is a sad face, while the other is a happy face.

And you just love to make me laugh by wearing them!

 

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: Your Sister Thinks It’s Fun to Watch You Play Video Games

11 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

I realized recently that one of your sister’s chosen activities throughout the week is to actively watch you play video games on your laptop.

An entire hour can pass, where it’s you playing your game, as your sister is helping you find items on the screen, or serving as an engaged audience member:

“What does that thing do, Jack?”

I can tell that you appreciate the moral support.

And it helps keep you from just playing the game in your room by yourself, because on some level, it serves as “quality time” for the two of you together.

 

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: Your Profitable Career as the CEO of Dollar General!

11 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

Last Sunday afternoon, after running to every clothing store in town, I was able to find the last two remaining size large boys’ dress shirts; so that you could dress appropriately as the CEO of Dollar General for your school’s participation in JA BizTown.

I had no idea how involved of a process it was, until you came home and told me about it the first day.

So for two days this week, you went on a field trip to what you described as “a big warehouse”, where all the students had working debit cards to purchase goods at each other’s businesses; based on the money they earned at their jobs.

Your business sold slap bracelets and other toys.

Not every business turned a profit. But as the fearless CEO of Dollar General, yours did!

You ran a tight ship. You took the accounting and inventory very seriously; even down to the marketing! And it worked, very well.

I feel like this is a glimpse of your future…

 

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: You are the CEO of Dollar General, For Your JA BizTown Job

11 years, 4 months.

Dear Jack,

You came home from school and quite excitedly told Mommy and me about the fun project you and your classmates are participating in: JA BizTown.

The job you wanted the most, was to be the CEO of Dollar General. I reminded you what I doing for a living is to set up interviews and hire people; therefore, I could easily help you ace the interview to get the job you truly wanted.

Between my insight and your capabilities, you indeed were granted the job of CEO of Dollar General for your grade!

You explained to me that your (imaginary) wage of $9 per day is higher than other of the other jobs anyone could have been given.

“Even more than the mayor, Daddy!” you exclaimed.

Now is the hard part- to prepare your presentation for your class!

Love,

Daddy