Be a better Dad

Curtis and I took a trip to the State Capital with his 4th grade class. I wasn’t sure what to expect be we had fun. We spent an hour or so touring the Capital and then an hour or more in the museum. The part that was huge for me was hanging with Curtis. I needed to do something like that with him. Laid down on floor in the state capital with him and class. While we were laying down Curt was telling me “Dad, you don’t have to lay down, just the kids.” But I wanted to be in his world doing what he was doing not just chaperoning. He thought it was cool that I laid down with him and his class and together we looked up at the dome in the center of the capital laying on our back while strangers walked by. As we were riding back on the bus he asked me “So, what songs are you doing tonight at practice.” That touched me because I felt like he was reaching into my world. He never asks about my work. I had a great time.

a few weeks ago my 13 year old and i were on our way home from church. we had a short conversation about him turning 14 this summer and how in few years he’s going to be 18. so i suggested that he make a list of goals and things he wanted to accomplish by then and over the next few years let’s work at those goals together. kind of like the movie “bucket list”.

my theory is this will give him a sense of achievement and a rite of passage into adulthood. i’m hoping this will bond us together more, extend his life skills through these tasks and bring the best out of him. we’ll see.

it took him a couple of weeks and he gave me the list. i felt proud because i didn’t bug him or nag him about it, he just put it on my night stand one night before bed. he’s into this idea because if he wasn’t he would have never made the list. can’t wait to get started.

here’s the list.
take a road trip together
go to cedar point
go camping
go turkey hunting
fix up a car together
back pack camping
learn how to get money
learn how to handle money
recording project (we are a family of musician’s-it’s what i do for a living.)
form a band
read the bible more
read more books
learn how to write songs

i love this list. i may suggest more as we go but it’s a great start.

today i was taking my 8 year old to the dentist and on the way he ask “dad, how long would it take to go around the world?” i told him that it depended if you were walking, taking a boat, car or flying. he said “what if there was a bridge over the oceans and you drove a car all the way around the world?” he guessed it would take about 6 days. :)

i’m amazed by the wonder of children. full of life, questions and quick to forgive. these are not the kind of conversations you have with adults. when do you loose your sense of wonder? at what point did life become complicated? it’s like it business, bills, keeping up with the jones and worries of life sneak up on you and takes away the mystery of life.

this one thing i love about being a dad. the topics and thought s that come up somehow gives me joy, renews me and makes me smile on the inside.