fatherhood

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Dear Holly: Why There is a Roller Skate on Your New Hat

9 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

I’m sure I’ve pointed this out before, but I’m officially the person in our family who says “no”. It’s written into my DNA and therefore my role as the patriarch of our family.

Not only do I say “no” to questions like, “Can we get a pet dog?” and “Can we get a pool?”, but I also am the person who initiates what time we will go to an event and what time we will leave.

I’m the gatekeeper and the timekeeper. As I like to think, I keep things fun by creating and promoting the boundaries.

Accordingly, I make sure that you and your brother get to bed on time, and more importantly, get to sleep on time, each night.

It is of course your instinct to delay the bedtime process every single night: “I need a hair tie first… I need some water first… I need some lotion first… I need my stuffed animal first…”

I learned to proactively say, “Okay, Holly… it’s time to go take your shower. Before you do, I need you to go get your hair tie, your water, your lotion, your stuffed animal… your roller skates!”

Part of our nightly routine is for you to respond to my silly joke, “Daddy, I don’t need roller skates to go to bed!”

So when it came time for you to create your trucker hat this past weekend at the “hat bar” at Mommy’s work party, in addition to the shell I suggested to represent our last name, you obviously also chose to include a roller skate patch!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Your First Week Away at Summer Camp

9 years, 2 months.

Dear Holly,

Last week as you left for your first time away to summer camp, I was so sad to see you go… and I was so sad all week while you were gone.

But… you didn’t seem sad at all! And that definitely makes me happy.

I am so proud of you for showing confidence and displaying your natural need for independence.

Granted, it helped that your cousin Darla was there with you the whole time and that Aunt Dana was there as a chaperone.

And it helped me on my end that Aunt Dana was able to send me pictures of you each day so I could see how much fun you were having, in real time.

You have now been away at summer camp for the first time!

Love,

Daddy

 

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Dear Jack: Reciprocating Your Sister’s Need for Affection

14 years, 9 months.

Dear Jack,

I feel like one of the themes of this summer is that you continue to reciprocate your sister’s efforts in wanting to be buddies.

What I am seeing is that now, instead of you seeing her as some sort of competition as your only sibling, you have begun to see her as an equal member of our family.

I see the way that the two of you now mutually choose to hang out around each other, like when we were at Lowe’s this past weekend.

Or when as a family, we were watching TV in the living room this week and I noticed that you both were sort of cuddled up together on the bean bag.

I love this!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Ramen for Lunch During the Summer

9 years, 2 months.

Dear Holly,

During these couple of summer months, it’s never a mystery what you are having for lunch each day. While I rarely ever take a full lunch hour for myself as I work from home, I do stop long enough to prepare your daily ramen noodles on the stove top.

Once I place your bowl of hot Ramen noodles on the counter of our breakfast nook, it is tradition that I pour a cup of milk for you to drink. Next, you fill up a cup of ice and use some tongs to place the ice cubes one by one in the ramen, until it is cool enough for you to eat without burning your mouth.

You then are able to enjoy your ramen lunch while watching SpongeBob on your phone. I love that you have your little lunch tradition everyday.

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Doctor Squish Squishy Maker

14 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

I love to see how it is a regular thing now for you to proactively find ways to help your sister. It was the middle of the week during the middle of the day, while Mommy and I were both working.

Your sister needed something new and creative to work on, so we pulled out one of her birthday gifts she got a few months ago: Doctor Squish Squishy Maker.

Thanks to you, she was able to make sort some of slime-filled water balloon ball.

I guess in a way, it felt like we had a “3rd parent” there to help entertain your sister while we worked. I really like this concept because it’s not only helping Mommy and me, but I know it means a lot to your sister as well; as it provides quality time for you and her.

Love,

Daddy