A Step At A Time

   

     Last Christmas I gifted hubby with a book called The Dad's Pocket Bible by Stephen Giles. It wasn't because I found his parenting skills lacking though. I skimmed through the pages of this book in the store and found that it wasn't just one of those parenting books but was more of a "survival manual" for dads. For soon-to-be dads, it described how newborns would look and thus eliminate the shock factor. And for new dads, a guide from changing diapers to feeding babies. 

     This book covers not only the early stages but teenage years, which isn't that far off now for our kids. It may be a book intended for dads, but parenting is a tag-team. What the other parent can't do, the other takes on. And so, this is also a book for me. From the list of things that we should teach our kids, I've done my part to teach them how to ride their bikes, tie shoelaces, my daughter how to float on her back and our son to whistle. Hubby has covered some of the athletic missions. 

      We didn't really set out to teach them but rather, teaching moments just came when it was necessary or when they showed interest.

     That night too, which was Christmas Eve, hubby told the kids stories of himself as a child. The wonder and perhaps envy on our son's face on hearing how his dad climbed trees and up onto the roof too made me feel guilty. He has been missing out on some experiences that he should have as a boy. But there really weren't trees to climb where we used to live.

     When we arrived home I realized that our tree in the backyard was easy enough for him to practice climbing on. This time we had a mission to accomplish. Garbed in pajamas so as not to get scratched, sunblock slathered generously, we headed outdoors. 

 

 The tree was closely inspected, of course. And big thorns were discovered on it's trunk and branches.

 

Thorns are primarily for protection and I didn't see anything that could threaten the tree. It may be unkind, but I have my priorities. So off with the thorns. 

He is also a cautious child. He learned from the best teacher, his over-protective mom. He tested first if the branch could hold his weight. Initially, this was as high up as he would venture, tightly holding on to the branch.

 

With encouragements and assurances that we were there to catch him if he fell, he went farther up.

And finally, to the highest branch he could stand on. Almost close enough to reach the nest. Clinging like a koala but realizing it's not that difficult or scary after all.

   Job well done son and parents. I'm happy for moments such as these when he kids learn from us and with us.