I don’t usually share parenting tips but here goes. Here you see a picture of my lovely youngest daughter Julianna at Lake Isabella Summer 2009. I put it in the post because this child made my night very happy this evening when she said something. Let me share:
I was in the jacuzzi with all three of my kids and my wife. In warmer months, I have been known to go off the diving board saying: “I don’t know my own body!” I’d say this to show my kids how one can separate their mental state from their physical fear of being cold. The result? Raising kids with strength who “jump in cold pools” more often. I see that as a metaphor to life similarly to Leann Womack’s metaphor in “I hope you dance.”
At any rate, our nearly 3 year old Julianna decided tonight would be her night she would shed her floaties and start swimming without them. This alone was exciting for us to see but the metaphor of what happened later will encourage me forever. After a while she was standing on the side of the pool behind me and she called out, “Daddy! I don’t know my own body” and she jumped into the jacuzzi.
For a dad with a job where 95 kids usually do not listen, and three at home only sometimes do, this was awesome. I wanted to chronicle it here in my diary because it is a moment I never want to forget. To the folks out there one piece of parenting advice: Your kids are listening. Don’t grow faint in doing good.
