A reminder of the joys of raising boys
- col-dave-mast
- July 19, 2024
- 439
My daughter-in-law Megan is really good at keeping my wife Ann and I posted on the everyday lives of herself, our eldest son Neil, and our two grandsons Calvin, 3, and Jackson, 1, with each about halfway to their next birthday.
She recently added two posts on an app called 23 Snaps that has been a vital lifeline in us being able to share in the joys of our growing grandsons, despite them now living in Western Ohio.
The first video came during an Independence Day fireworks show that saw Calvin perched atop his dad’s shoulders watching a cacophony of fireworks in what I can only assume is a grand finale.
Calvin is mesmerized, his hands planted firmly over his mouth in awe as the sights and sounds crescendo. His eyes are ablaze as he sits there, almost trembling, until he can no longer contain his unbridled enthusiasm.
He lets out a high-pitched shriek, thrusting his hands out in front of him, his fists clenched. He screams for a scant moment before his hands return to covering his mouth, but the sheer joy and emotion of the moment is as shining and crystal clear as any of those fireworks.
Seeing the two of them bathed in the orange glow of the fireworks is something I’ve played over and over, both physically on the 23 Snaps app and in my mind, such is the powerful emotion of Calvin’s excitement.
The second submission from Megan is much more serene.
It is a photo of Neil reading the children’s book “Colors” to his two sons.
It is a simple photo, with Calvin pointing to something in the book as Jackson sits and stares intently at something on the pages — of what I cannot decipher, but whatever it is, he is engrossed.
It was this photo that inspired me to write this column.
It is such a relaxed, precious slice in time of what it’s like to be a dad and provide something as seemingly simple as reading to your children.
It isn’t as though reading a children’s book is difficult. What is more trying is finding the time to settle in and dedicate oneself to making the effort to read to them.
I’ve always believed reading to your children is so fundamentally outstanding on so many levels that it should be done every night. Not only does it teach them valuable reading and speaking skills, expanding their vocabulary, but also it lets them know how much you love being around them, spending time with them, proving to them they are the single most important thing in your life.
It’s a simple task, but one that often gets overlooked.
I looked at that photo for a long time, partially because my son sitting with my grandchildren was absolutely adorable, but more so because it took me back about three decades ago when I snuggled up next to my own sons and read through Dr. Seuss, or Arthur, or characters that may be long forgotten.
It wasn’t the characters or the books that mattered, but rather the time we were able to spend face to face.
I loved the fascination that accompanied each book.
I can almost still feel the warmth of their bodies as they moved in closer to get a better view of Richard Scarry’s gifted stories, as we looked for Gold Bug.
I can so easily recall the glee of the boys as they located Gold Bug or maybe Waldo.
Those are moments I’ve locked away in my memory of a time long since passed, but one that when I think back to that time remains so distinctive in my mind.
You know there’s all of these sports moments like Little League championships and others like cavorting in the pure white sands of Siesta Beach in Florida, moments that include a ton of photos, but I don’t think any of those can compare to the simplicity and satisfaction of settling in for a good book at the end of an active day.
Those are golden memories for me, and I know for a fact both Neil and Megan cherish every second they get to spend with their children while curling up and getting lost in the joy of a good book.
Now that I’m a grandpa, I feel blessed when those moments come around for me to read to Cal and J-Dog because it’s meaningful to them, and it transports me right back to the days when I was a young father trying to teach my own sons the value of spending time together and sharing our love and togetherness in a family setting in such a simple yet purposeful way.