parenting

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Dear Holly: You are Now in Pre-K!

4 years, 3 months.

Dear Holly,

I didn’t realize it until your teacher sent us a picture on Monday, but as of this week, you are now officially in Pre-K.

All these years leading up to this, you have been in preschool.

But now, this is Pre-K; the year designed to specifically prepare you for Kindergarten, which you will be starting a year from now.

It snuck up on me. I’m the last person to ever say, “They grow up so fast.”

I admit though, it feels like you shouldn’t already be old enough to be starting Kindergarten a year from now!

 

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: I Really Love the 4 Year-Old Version of You!

4 years, 2 months.

Dear Holly,

I wrote a song a couple of months ago called “These are the Good Ole Days.”

It is a reminder to myself that despite all the craziness in this world that we are living in right now, I have a true blessing with you as my daughter.

I know that years from now, I am going to bitterly miss living in the time I live in now, because I get to be around you everyday.

This 4 year-old version of you especially speaks to me.

You are in some ways the cure I need; the offset to my existential crisis that I have been working through for a couple of years now.

Your sweetness reaches me in a way that I need in my life right now.

It was meant to be that the 4 year-old version of you and the 39 year-old version of me would exist at the exact same time; right when we needed each other the most.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: Keeping You Physically Active During the Summer of Covid

9 years, 8 months.

Dear Jack,

With Mommy and I both working from home this summer, and you being stuck here with us, we’re doing what we can to be able to get you out of the house and have some fun whenever we can.

I have made a routine of taking you out to parks on Saturday mornings before it gets too hot. We go on hikes, play in creeks, and sometimes you get to get some exercise on playgrounds that aren’t closed.

This week has been particularly special, because Mommy signed you up for Archery Camp! You love coming home each afternoon and telling me about all the fun you’ve had getting to shoot arrows at different types of targets.

I won’t be surprised if archery becomes an ongoing interest for you!

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Jack: House Arrest Summer Camp

9 years, 7 months.

Dear Jack,

Every previous summer of your life, I felt a bit guilty that you had to spend 5 days a week at a summer enrichment program, as opposed to hanging out at the house like I did during my summers as a kid.

Now, thanks to Covid Culture, your only option is to hang out at the house with Mommy and me; as we spend all day working from home.

It’s almost like trading one parental guilt for another.

I feel bad that I can’t spend quality time with you during the day, even though you are right there in the next room.

But we are making it work.

You are especially good at keeping me posted on your newest self-assigned Lego project; as our living room is currently an ocean of Lego blocks.

Love,

Daddy

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Dear Holly: Why I Call You “Squeaky”

4 years, 2 months.

Dear Holly,

Ever since you started really talking, and especially now to the point you are actually chatty, the name I have called you has been “Squeaky”.

You have a soft, sweet little voice, that often sounds sad for no reason.

Any time you tell a story, you often begin with, “Yeah, p’cause…” as if it needs some melancholy explanation.

You make things sound so sad even though they are not actually sad at all.

So to me, the naturally name for you is Squeaky.

Anytime you call out to me to tell me something, with “Daddy…”

I instantly respond with, “Yes, Squeaky?”

That has become the norm for us.

Love,

Daddy