Being A Dad--100 Words

Being a dad.

There are so many special things in life.

Becoming a Christ follower ranks number one.

Getting married is special and ranks a close second.

But, becoming a dad, is almost beyond words.

Watching a child grow. Watching a child’s face change every day. Listening as they grunt, mumble, and speak.

Listening as words become sentences.

Then, there’s crawling. Walking. Then running.

But, of all the things a child does, it’s hard to beat seeing a child reach up his or her hand, placing it into your hand, and then smiling from ear-to-ear.

I love being a dad.

Father's Day--100 Words

Father’s Day.

Most important day of the year.

Just ask any father!

It is a time to reflect upon our own fathers.

And, the job they did. Or, the job they did on us.

It is also a time to reflect on our own years of being a father.

To learn lessons discovered the hard way.

There’s no textbook that comes with our children. No owner’s manual.

Basically, shortly after birth, the doctor bundles up the screaming little child and says, “This belongs to you now.”

Honestly, that was one of the most frightening days of my life!

Still is.

A Few Lessons Learned

Last Wednesday, Evan turned one year old. What a ride this last year has been! He is such a fun kid and brings so much joy into our life.

Over this last year, I've learned several lessons as I have watched Evan grow.

* If you turn your back for three seconds, Evan can be in the next room or halfway up the stairs.
* A box is just as good as a present. At Christmas, Evan spent more time playing with the wrapping paper and boxes that his presents came in than he did playing with the presents themselves.

* I don't know what it is about cords, but Evan loves electrical cords. Thick cords, thin cords, long cords, short cords. It really doesn't matter what type of cord it is, Evan loves to play with them. So, if you turn your back, if he's not in the next room or halfway up the stairs, he's found another cord to pull on. Or, to try to eat!

* Evan has decided that he totally loves the food we are eating! At first, Evan wasn't too sure about "real" food. Now, he's very taken with it! I don't think he has found a food that he doesn't really like! He eats fruit, veggies, and meat. He especially loves chicken! Which is good because we rarely eat red meat. So, it's a good thing for him to like chicken and fish and seafood.

* Evan rarely stops smiling! About the only time he isn't smiling is when he is laughing. And, he loves to laugh.

* It is so much fun to walk into a room and watch Evan's face light up! He really does enjoy being with his mom and dad.

* Evan rarely meets a stranger. He enjoys meeting people at church, at daycare, and the mall. Especially the mall. Evan really likes to go to the mall and just sit and watch people! Then again, I like doing that too!

* The first year has gone by fast! It's hard to believe it has been a year since he was born. While I want him to grow up, I sure enjoy the innocence he has.

* Evan is fearless. Absolutely. Totally. Completely. Fearless! He isn't afraid of climbing off the bed. He isn't afraid to try to go up or down the stairs. He isn't afraid of strangers. He isn't afraid of our dog. He's not afraid of experiencing new things. Evan just isn't afraid! What do you think? Good trait? To some degree, I sure hope this trait doesn't go away any time soon. I hope he remains fearless about life!

* Just about all of life is good for Evan. People take care of all of his needs, feeds him, changes him, baths him, puts him to bed at night, and showers him with love and affection. Not a bad life for any of us, is it? It might be a better world if we all had people caring for us like that.

* Even at one year old, Evan knows how to express himself well. If he is wet, dirty, hungry, or sleepy, you know it. If he is tired, you know it. If he doesn't like something, you know it. There is no pretense with Evan. He is who he is. You know, I hope that trait doesn't go away any time soon!

I'll try to show a few more pictures of Evan over the next few weeks, and include a few pictures of his birthday cake, etc. I'll try not to be that irritating parent who shows off hundreds of pictures at the drop of the hat. Then again, it's my blog and I can if I want to! :)

Thanks for stopping by. I look forward to your comments and words of wisdom.

Tough Love vs. Spanking

Okay, many of you are faithful readers and you have offered some great words of wisdom in the past.

I need your help again. My wife forwarded me an email, that came from a friend of hers. In the email, the friend passed along a possible new form of discipline for our son. While he is still a little young for too much discipline, my wife and I definitely want to get an early start on setting Evan down the right path.

So, would you read her email below and let me know your thoughts. Your wisdom would be appreciated!

Tough Love vs. Spanking—A Good Argument

Most of the American population thinks it’s improper to spank children. So, I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of “those moments.”

One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk. Some say it’s the vibration from the car, others say it’s the time away from any distractions such as TV, video games, computer, iPod, etc.

Either way, my kids usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together. Eye to eye contact helps a lot too.

I’ve included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

P.S. This works with grandchildren, nieces, and nephews as well.