DadTalk

Homework for Dad or … a Weekend With Forms

School starts early in Arizona. My kids missed the first day last week because we were flying back from a wedding in Connecticut. (More on that in a future post.)

Early Tuesday morning, I dropped the kids off at school, then headed to the garden followed by the grocery store. After school, I picked up the kids and we drove to the airport; mommy had to come home on a later flight to attend a funeral. (The bride’s grandma died just days before the wedding.)

While waiting in the cell phone lot – that’s where you can park without paying a parking garage fee until the plane lands – I took a look inside the kids’ backpacks. Sure enough, there were all kinds of forms to fill out:

• Health records (New ones must be filled out each year.)
• PTO offers
• Directory form
• Language survey
• Code of conduct
• Major emergency release form
• Emergency phone tree

Fortunately, my daughter had fewer forms because she was pre-enrolled at a preschool, but still there were plenty.

While the paper work didn’t take long to complete, reading the associated material sure did. It felt like I had to dedicate the entire weekend to just the forms. Oh, and laundry. Lots of laundry from our trip.

Saying Goodbye to the Beach

As parents have discovered, many children don’t remember much of their childhoods. You might take your kids out to one amazing event after the other, and all would be forgotten by the sixth.

Ironically, specific bad events are much more readily remembered by children. I suppose that is a necessary survival mechanism.

But when it comes to the good events in a young child’s life, they sort of absorb early experiences in a way that helps build an overall internal goodness as well as self-confidence.

I am hopeful that trips such as the one to San Clemente Beach are remembered, at least in the back of their minds in a way that makes my two kids feel good about their childhoods.

Side Trip to Legoland

A month later, I’m still trying to catch up on my vacation posts. It’s been a hectic month here in Arizona.

On our fifth day camping at San Clemente State Beach, my kids were finally getting a bit tired of roughing it. Sooooo, I did what any cool dad would do and used my cranky-be-gone fairy dust. In other words, I took the kids to Legoland.

How could I lose? Both kids love Legos, rides and overpriced ice cream. The kids especially liked getting their driver’s licenses by driving the toy cars. The Thomas Train Lego creation didn’t hurt either.

At the end of the day, I bought each kid a Lego present. Seth picked a pit stop thingy and Lael wanted pink ones.

Here’s the thing: Seth built his 400+ piece set in a couple hours (after we returned to Arizona.) Oy, I can’t afford the next level up!

Camping Is More Fun With Kids, Not Less

For years I had been promising that I would take Seth camping. For a variety of reasons, I was not able to keep my promise until a few weeks ago when we camped out along San Clemente State Beach in California.

Some parents, but especially dads, expressed surprise and concern that I could handle both kids away from mom so long. To be honest, taking the kids camping seemed such a natural thing to do, I never questioned the idea.

Even before leaving, just about all aspects of camping fascinated and excited the kids:

1. Both kids love it when I set up the tent in the house or back yard. They climb in and out dozens of time and invent new games.
2. What kid doesn’t like flashlights?
3. There is something about climbing into a sleeping bag, even in the living room, that charges a kid’s juices.
4. The kids were fascinated by my ancient, portable camp stove.

Made It ... Here I Go Again

After 10 more hours of driving on Sunday, I arrived in Scottsdale by mid-afternoon. I gave my family lots of hugs, had a bite to eat and then we started emptying the truck. Seth joined in but Gramma watched Lael.

Within an hour, some friends, who really sped up the process, arrived. It took a couple hours to get everything into the house.

Today I’m off again with the truck to Southern California to get the junk we have there. I will probably stay overnight at a friend's, then head right back home to celebrate Lael’s third birthday a day late.

My mom bought her a huge Barbie doll house. Not sure I’m a big fan of Barbie, and it remains to be seen if Lael will like dolls more than balls.

We're in Arizona Now

We're all in Arizona now. Hey, did everyone know it's STILL hot here? Huh!

After a day of recovering from the move and drive, we're now in the process of  house hunting. Got a LOT to do, so no rest for the busy.

I'll try to keep posting as much as possible.

Monster and Prey

Why the prey think clustering closer together, rather than running away, as the lumbering beast rattles and wheezes closer and closer is anyone’s guess. By the time the giant predator is upon them, though, it is too late. Acrid black smoke immobilizes the docile, sheep-like creatures. Almost greedily, they inhale the toxins.

An outside observer might watch for a giant maw to open at the front of the boxy creature, but no, the mouth is small, almost petite, unexpectedly vertical. Like moths to a flame, the prey practically push over each other to enter the beast’s belly.

The mouth closes. Inside, the prey are mercilessly shaken up and down, left and right as the monster bounces over holes and berms while searching, ever craving, more victims. The monster repeatedly jolts to a stop, hoping to avoid battle with similar beasts.

Perhaps it’s the odd smell that keeps the prey silent. No baying or bleating or even murmuring. Perhaps it’s the monster’s ability to suck psychic power from forlorn victims. The feeding seems to take hours.

But just as the suffering becomes unbearable, hope unexpectedly arrives; the monster vomits a couple of victims. Every few minutes, more and more victims escape into the muggy, fume-filled morning air.

The monster is smart, though. Instinctively, it knows the victims will recover, regain strength and return in the afternoon for another feeding.

What a Moving Weekend

Did you go to the park? Did you grill? Did you meet with friends for the Memorial Day Weekend?

I did something a bit different. On Saturday, I drove alone from Chicago to Connecticut. On Sunday, I drove back. Then on Monday, my family resumed packing.

Why would I do such a nutty thing as drive 1,800 miles with gas prices higher than ever? To get our stuff out of storage. You see, my little family is was spread across three coasts: the Atlantic, the Pacific and Lake Michigan.

My mission in Connecticut was to retrieve boxes we inherited after my mother-in-law passed away in August. I would have loved to take the whole family, but this was more a military mission than vacation. With the kids, it would have taken a week.

Trial Run at Being Stay-at-Home Dad

What a crazy week. Last Thursday, we drove out to Connecticut with the kids. After a two-day stay, we were driving back. Yup, we traveled four days for a two-visit, redefining the word “Passover.”

But flying wasn’t really an option. It’s easy to do the math when you compare $1,000 in airline tickets and $250 on rental cars versus $300 in gas and $150 in hotels.

My kids are turning into fantastic travelers, by the way. Plus, we were fortunate that we could literally watch trees leaf out during our drive.

After working for two days back in Illinois, my wife flew out to Arizona to visit with my mom and for some other business. So here I am, one day into being a stay-at-home dad. I’ve done this a couple times before, but if feels different for some reason this time.

I’m a much better parent, it seems, when the taint of work is not intruding on my thought processes and mood. It is very refreshing to approach a day with the kids  not feeling exhausted physically and mentally. I like it.

Passover Time Off

Sorry about the lack of posts. I drove the family to Connecticut and back over the last week. I hope to return to a more normal posting schedule soon.