Another lesson learned

So my son is a fast learner at times, especially when he determines he is interested in something. Yesterday was a good example.

This year for school he has ‘tie’ shoes, as opposed to the Velcro closures on last years’ shoes. He has actually only had a few pairs of tie shoes so far, and he never really learned how to tie them himself. That all changed . . . . . in one day . . . . . at school.

Clark came home last night from school and as we were outside playing soccer before dinner I pointed out that his shoe was untied. He looked at me with a sheepish grin and told me to watch him. He proceeded to bend down and with a fair amount of concentrated effort, tied his own shoe. He stood up and said ‘Didn’t I do a good job, daddy?’

I wholeheartedly congratulated him on a job well done, and then asked when he learned to do that. ‘Today at school’ was his reply. When probed as to who taught him, his reply was ‘My maam’ (teacher). Just like that. One day, he learns how to tie his tie shoes. And he does it well too.

We went inside so he could show off his new skill to his mommy as well, who was equally enthusiastic about his new skill. He stood, hands on his hips, basking in the glow of his parents approval.

Moments like that make me so glad for the chance to be a daddy. I must admit that part of me was sad that it was not one of us who taught him, but realize in the grand scheme of things, that is ok.

Lesson learned

The other day my son learned a lesson, apparently better than I expected he would.

As we sat waiting at his bus stop in the morning for the bus to arrive, we went through our normal routine. Pray about his day ahead, and talk about what he needs to focus on for his behavior, etc. I saw the bus coming in the rear view mirror and told him “Wait until the bus stops before you open the door.”

He did not. And I watched as the concern that motivated my statement to him became a reality. He opened the door, all the way, right in to the side of the still moving bus as it drove next to our car. Thankfully, either the driver saw what was happening and stopped just in time, or a major coincidence in timing, but the bus stopped right at the point of jamming the door against its own wheel well. It was jammed in hard enough that the only option was for me to start the car and move forward, releasing the pressure on the door. I am so glad that my son’s fingers were not in between the door and the bus. As I pulled forward, it appeared that the door was not bent or the hinges sprung, for which I am also thankful.

I rolled down the window and ‘made it clear’ to the boy that he had not listened, and the exact reason for my statement had happened. He was visibly sorry for his mistake. As he got on the bus with his head hung a little low, I felt like a schmuck for scolding him right before sending him off for the day.

The next morning as we sat at the bus stop and went through our routine, I saw the bus coming, and again said to him “Wait until the bus stops before you open the door.” This time, the bus pulled along side and stopped and two other kids got on it. After a few more seconds a small, tender voice came from the back seat, ‘Daddy . . . . . . is the bus stopped now?”

So he at least learned a lesson through it. As I pondered his response the second day, I am not sure if he learned the lesson I wanted him to, i.e. that opening a door beside a moving vehicle is dangerous, or if he learned to be overly cautious so as not to make daddy mad. Perhaps we both learned a lesson through this experience.

I got nothing

It has been a very dry spell as far as the blog goes lately. Not just lately, but for months now it seems. I am not sure why that is exactly, because it is not for want of things happening in my life. I just have not felt like much of it was ‘worth’ posting stuff about.

Perhaps that is a result of my wit (as well as my sarcasm) being out of adjustment, likely due to the heavy travel schedule of the first half of the year and the ensuing tiredness and perpetual state of trying to catch up on things. Perhaps it is just me being old.

In an effort to get things rolling, let me recap the last few months.

Came back from the US in mid-January, only to leave three days later for a different part of the country for the better part of a month, then home for a few weeks to get various things done, then off to the US for 3 weeks for meetings in several cities, then back home for less than 2 weeks before going to the UK and France for 2 weeks (a week of work and a week of vacation, which was great), then home for less than 2 weeks before returning to the UK for another 3 days of unexpected meetings, followed by a very short trip to another part of the country for a weekend, and finally home this last Sunday night late.

As I read that, my head hurts a little, thinking about all that happened, and all that needs to happen in follow up to all those trips and meetings.

So, there you have it. I got nothing. Nothing but a pile of things to do. But thankfully I am home for the foreseeable future, and should have time to make it through a good part of my list.

More later.