Print
Jun 2nd, 2008
3135 Views
8 recs
19 Comments
W
ent to the park by my house over the weekend and had an eye opening moment. I was there watching, holding, running and generally playing around with my son. There were a few other families around as well.
Another man came by with his two children, maybe 4 and 5 or 5 and 6 - but no older, and sat down to read the paper while they played. The park has a rock wall (5' high) a few slides and walkways on this giant playset. Plenty for them to do. As they were playing his daughter 9the younger one) started climbing up a weird ladder where there are no rungs from one side to the other, only footholds on each side. She made it almost the whole way up before she lost her nerve and started calling for help from daddy.
His first reaction was to tell her 'figure it out' which I thought was hilarious, until she didn't move for a few minutes. The other parents started milling about until daddy showed up to help. Heres the thing, when he gets to her he doesn't pick her up, he stands there and tells her how to solve her problem. At first I thought that was pretty cool and cruel at the same time because you could tell she was crying...but eventually she was able to climb all the way up w/o his assistance...
that's all back story~
A little later both of his kids came over to the swing set where I was pushing my son and tickling him as he went past, and they just kinda stared at us... at first I didn't know what to make of it, but when I spoke to my wife about it, she agreed that they were looking at us because they were jealous.
Jealous of a dad playing with his kids. if you could've seen their faces...it was like they were hungry... I don't know. I can't fault the guy for trying to make his kids self sufficient, or wanting to enjoy the day at the park while his kids play...but to see their faces, you'd think that's not the way to go...
 Comment (19)
 Share Your Story
 Flag
|
| Comment on this Story | |
  | Posted Jun 2nd, 2008 at 10:05PM I almost want to cry when I see Dads like you spending time with their kids. Be proud of yourself every single day, because you're giving your kid something that is priceless, yet he'll always remember it and cherish it. +3 nods   |
 | Posted Jun 2nd, 2008 at 10:23PM i'm no model dad. but i know how to pal around @ the park :) |
 | Posted Jun 3rd, 2008 at 9:54PM I know exactly what you mean, I try to strike the same balance between encouraging them to problem solve whilst still loving them and being their Dad. When I take my boys to the park, a playgym or wherever I'm forever swatting other children off me! They see my playing with my boys, want the same, and are all over me! Gets a bit awkward sometimes. I feel sorry for them, but at the same time - I'm not their Dad. I'm here to play with my boys, not someone else's kids. Sometimes I feel a bit bad, but again - I'm Dad to these two little munchkins, no-one else. +3 nods |
| Posted Jun 3rd, 2008 at 10:28PM i'll tell ya storm, it definitely was awkward! |
 | Posted Jun 19th, 2008 at 10:43PM This is a great story. Sad too. Websters comment is great. Be proud:o) What the other guy did was great for his daughters development but he needs to get in there and rumble with them. My dad used to chase us around and help us along with things that were a little harder and when we rode our bikes through the park he would chase after us and make sure he was invloved. You sound like a great Dad! And i'll tell you now... its the little things like a push on the swing or throwing us into the pool that i remember most! +2 nods |
| Posted Jun 19th, 2008 at 11:12PM I agree, there's a need to teach your kids to be self reliant. Your dad did right giving you those memories to cherish. I hope that when he thinks of me later in life, some of this stuff is floating in his mind... |
| Posted Jun 19th, 2008 at 11:16PM My dads my hero. And when i talk about him people say to me.... you love and respect your dad very much don't you. I get really emotional. I am learning about 2 great dads on this site and your one of them. Your son will will be very proud of you when he's an adult... +2 nods |
 Feeling relaxed | Posted Sep 13th, 2008 at 12:51PM Every parent sees things in a different way. Sometimes we respect their technique and other times we wonder What is wrong with their way of thinking? I was a parent that would get on the swing next to them and swing along. When they were younger, I was always there with my hands at the ready to shoot out and catch them. Even if I am around a toddler at a party, I am always watching and at the ready. I see now that my youngest, 19, still expects me to watch over him and catch him before he falls. I wish I was a little more like that father at times. Not all the time because I love to play. But I see that my over protectiveness and his depression is causing him great difficulty as he enters the adult world. Now I need to encourage him to solve his own problems, but it is so very hard for a mother to let her baby fly on his own. I am trying and pray for him more then he would ever suspect. +3 nods |
 | Posted Feb 10th, 2009 at 4:39PM Wow. A very interesting story. I kept thinking you were going to conclude about how it's better in the long run to teach the kids to deal with stuff... but that last bit was touching. It's so hard to choose between the two sometimes, so hard to know exactly how to mix them. Thanks for sharing. :) +3 nods |
 | Posted Feb 12th, 2009 at 8:50PM Great story! I was a stay-at-home dad for 3 years before going back to work about a year ago. We would always visit the park and for the most part I feel like I err on the side that you do - making sure we have fun together. I don't see why parents can't do both though. I think there is a time to get your children to figure things out on there own and also a time to just let loose and have fun with them. Either way, I think the most important part is being involved. +2 nods |
Share Your Comment
...then continue the discussion in the story's forum or, send this story to a friend
|
Polls for I Love My Son
Here are some polls created by members of this group: There are no polls yet. Maybe you can create a poll yourself? |
Questions & Answers for I Love My Son
Here are a few Questions and Answers for I Love My Son
| Love My Son Open Questions |
| There are no open questions yet. Why not ask a question now? |
| Love My Son Resolved Questions |
| There are no resolved questions yet. Why not answer a question now? |
|
Forum & Chat Board for I Love My Son
Here are popular forum topics for I Love My Son See the Love My Son forum to chat about these topics and more! |
|
Music, Song, Artist, Book and Movie Recommendations
|
|
Show this Story's Author Some Love
There's lots of ways to show you appreciated this person's story from the experience group, I Love My Son. Send them a virtual gift, make a gesture, scribble on their whiteboard, or send them a private message. |
|
Translate this Story
Read this story in your own language
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
Be a part of the biggest social experience on the web. Where who you are is more important than who you know. Share what matters the most and find others who just "get it."
Join now and get started in seconds, or learn more about Experience Project
Do Your Part
Play Trivia and help rescue baby seals from cruelty.
Of course, we love to hear Your Story, whatever it happens to be. You can be yourself here!
|
|||||||||
