[serialposts]I just got in from playing catch with my son. And as we sit around the table and draw pictures together, my wife comments at how nice it is in the house today.
But it’s not just any day… it’s a day that we didn’t turn on the TV or computer until well into the evening.
The silence was a little awkward, but it was refreshing.
I know that I’m a little late getting this month’s post out for the 7 project, but I’m kind of glad. It gave me a chance to really experience a little time shutting down the media in our house. It’s an experience that I think we’ll definitely try to turn into an ongoing habit.
I gotta be honest… It’s hard to connect with my nine year-old son when we both have our faces focused on our computers or the latest episode of Phineas and Ferb.
One of my favorite activities that we’ve started is the “get to know mom and dad story time.” My son told me that he knows me, but he doesn’t know anything about me. He wanted to hear stories about my life. So I tell him to pick a number, and I tell him a story about my life at that age. I love seeing the wonder in his face when he hears the stories about me solo-sailing a small sailboat when I was only a year older than he is now. Or how I was part of two presidential inauguration parades, one in which I wore a “dress” (technically a kilt, but not to a nine year-old).
So we leave the TV and computer off, and the result is a deeper, stronger relationship with my son.
I’ll take it.
Are you a participating?
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I remember so clearly the day Dan took off in the Sunfish on
his own. What he didn’t disclose is that
he briefly was stuck on the other side of the pond until he figured out how to
get wind in the sail again and make his way back. I was watching every minute saying over and
over in my head “please let him make it back ok”! I remember when he first started to walk how
I was worried when he stood on the parking stopper and hopped down. I remember when I held his hand and walked
him to the end of the driveway and let him walk across the street (in a totally
residential neighborhood) all by himself.
I remember all of this as if it were yesterday. I also remember so many unspoken requests
that he stick with me through so many times when I tried to keep up with
life. We moved many times and each time
he would approach the neighbors, extend his hand and introduce himself. I’m so happy we both found that wind in our
sail to make it across the pond and back.
Love you Dan, Mom.
Mooommm… I “conveniently” left the “got stuck” part out of the story!