As the parent of two teenage sons, life is full of emotion and we have constant chaos. One of the things that I am trying to instill in them is a sense of responsibility. I thought we were past the stage of “when it breaks, dad will buy me a new one.” Not that I did that very often anyway.
Bedtime. At the end of the day, that word can mean many wonderful things. It can mean peace, alone time with the wife and even some late night television. But when it comes to a toddler, the word can take on a completely different meaning. Tears, screams and the fight to resist the temptation to grab your child and soothe him or her to sleep can disrupt many parents’ night. But those rough nights can be converted into a smooth transition with the implementation of a simple concept: the routine.
When dealing with a toddler, we’ve all had times when it just seems they can’t stay out of anything. They’re curious of course, but there are times when we just want them to find something harmless to play with, if only to give us just a few minutes of peace. Recently though, I’ve stumbled upon a way to lessen the madness of chasing a toddler around all day. By sacrificing the few precious moments of peace, I’ve gained the pleasure of watching my 17-month-old begin his learning odyssey.
We went out of town for a little retreat last weekend. Sunday (Father’s Day) was spent both goofing off at the pool and trying to calm down a fussy baby. The polar differences of activities over the weekend made me think about the popular conception (among people who don’t have children) that life is less exciting after you are burdened with progeny. I know that I felt this way before I had kids. Now I look back and think that my pre-child life was actually not that interesting. Life was generally a plain with the occasional hill now and then. Toss in a kid or two and your life suddenly has some topography.
I was 19 and my wife had just turned 18 when we married. We had been dating since high school and I was just starting my first semester of college, so it seemed like the perfect time. Our honeymoon was a road trip across the United States in four days. We settled into our new home quickly; I started school immediately and we both took on full time jobs to pay the bills.Then, about a month later, we found out we were about five and a half months pregnant.
Sometimes you Just. Want. Them. To. Go. To BED!!! But you should never (Never!) pass up an opportunity to talk to your kid. Even when you know that tomorrow AM will Not Be Fun as a result.
