Every situation is a learning opportunity for your son. And for you.

A little over a year ago my son, Daniel, and I were about to board a plane to Birmingham, Alabama.  He had flown once before with his mother, but this was his first time with daddy, so I was somewhat nervous, and he was nothing close to it.  As we sat in our seats, I thought this to be a good opportunity to teach him some things about airplanes.  Even though he was only 2 years-old at the time, that never stopped me from talking about some really complex stuff...only breaking it down so that he could understand.


I like to explain the WHY to just about everything.  I remember always wanting to know why something was the way it was, or why something had to be done, or why was this right there instead of over here...etc.  I found the answer "just because" quite unfulfilling to say the least...I actually hated when someone said "just because".  There HAD to be a reason.  One of the many, many fun things about being a Dad is that you get to do it YOUR WAY NOW!  All that stuff I hated as a child...I don't have to do with MY son.  And in a way, any frustration I felt as a child goes away when I can teach my son certain things that I wanted to know...and never say...."just because".


So on the plane, I started explaining why we had to wear our safety belts...which was pretty easy because he spends his time in a car seat 100% of the time while in the car.  I explained that the airplane would go into the sky...but I wanted him to know why this happened.  I pondered for a minute on how to explain it so his little mind could grasp the concept.  I view such things as a worthy challenge...just the way I am.   I then explained to Daniel how the plane would go really, really fast and it was like feeling the wind against his face when he was running really fast.  "Do you remember feeling the wind in your face when you were running, Daniel?"  "Yes."  "Well, its kind of like that, but the airplane goes, really, really, really, really, really, (insert about 10 more reallys) fast...and there is a lotta, lotta, lotta, lotta wind, and there's sooooo much wind that it pick the airplane up into the air...because that's where the wind comes from."


"It goes up in the sky with the clouds, Daddy!"  "Yes, son...", I said.

"Cause the AIR!" he said.   I couldn't say anything else right then...

Here is another one of those times as a Dad you learn to fight back the tears.   But my son is always one step ahead of me in making them flow.


Here's to the sweetest joy.  Fatherhood.


Keep Dadding!