Dad doing things right.

I love moments like these, I took my son to the park and he had two transformer toys with him, it was a cloudy day so not many people around – he handed me one toy and we just chased each other and played with his robots for about an hour – he then said this was one of the best times of his life while laying down on the grass and thanked me. He had a bubble bath that night and was all smiles.

Many years ago I failed a martial arts grade. Seeing as I’d been training for it for 9 months and had to do another 12 months seeing as I failed I was pretty gutted. Got home and the head had come off my daughter’s doll. I popped it back on and I got a hero hug and an “I love you Dad”. Went from a bad day to the best day instantly. She’s also got special needs so any words from her are amazing.

I’m a little confused. If he had time to just hang out with her all week, what was he looking for child care for?

awweee so heartwarming

I had a fortunate childhood. My father was a managing engineer who made enough money that we could live in a middle class neighborhood and my mother could stay at home and raise my sister and me. We always had reliable transportation and were able to afford a few family vacations every year. We were not wealthy, but we were in the upper half of middle class.

Some of the fondest memories of my childhood were when my mother would unexpectedly pick us up from school early and take us on field trips. One field trip in particular stands out—she picked us up from school with our bikes loaded on the bike rack, healthy lunches were already packed and she took us to a nature preserve so we could bike around, look at birds and have a picnic lunch. Sometimes we would go to a museum or go sledding. It wasn’t extravagant, but it meant everything to me at the time. And still means everything to me. The memories (and experiential education) of our impromptu field trips have stayed with me for more than 40 years.

In fact, she did this so often that I exceeded the legal number of allowed absences and the school threatened to keep me back a grade. Thing was, my sister and I were “gifted” and already testing two grades above, so my mother suggested that maybe the better thing to do was for me to withdraw from school for home-based experiential education and then re-enter after skipping a grade.

The superintendent of schools decided that no, they would excuse all my absences going forward as long as they could keep collecting the per pupil subsidies from the government and we tested above grade level.

My point is, these experiences mean something to kids. They help them grow in ways that book learning doesn’t. I wish all children had the same opportunities. It means something to them.

Can anyone explain what the “childcare this week” meant

Uh… so it dawned on him that he needed to spend time w/ her instead of dumping her in childcare.

Too cute!🥰

Aww..this is such a feel good story

❤️

This is the sweetest thing I’ve read all day. You’re an amazing dad!

My brain made the picture you sir are an author. Appreciate you

Da best

I was talking to my dad a few years ago, telling him about some of my favorite memories. Riding in the back of the bobcat while he did landscaping. Waking up early and setting up big propane heaters against buildings when it was -40 out so their pipes didn’t freeze. Driving to various locations delivering equipment.

He told me those were the days they couldn’t afford or couldn’t find childcare for me, and he had always felt guilty about it. He was blown away by me saying how much I loved it. I try and keep that in mind with my kids, even if I don’t think it’s a special moment it could be something they remember their whole life.

Mine turns 21 next month and i miss those days with her all the time

How sweet! Lucky you…….and her!