We are driving down a bumpy dirt road (which, by the way, is not super comfy when you're huge and pregnant) with our three kiddos and the hubby thinks it's hilarious to frighten our unsuspecting children by pretending to see a bear. They give him the exact reaction he wanted confirmed by his satisfied smirk and I asked, "Why do you do that? Do you like to hear them cry and whine?" His answer: "Because that's what Dads do." And you know what? He's right.
It brought back a flood of memories of my own Dad doing just those kind of things. I shared a room with my two sisters, right next to my parents' bedroom. Hours after we had gone to bed, all the lights out, a figure resembling my Dad creeps into our room holding a flashlight shining upwards under his chin. He was making a scary noise that can best be described as, "muuuuwwwwaaaaa". We screamed in terror and he laughed and laughed as he kept inching toward our beds. I knew it was him and yet I was still frightened. This little scare tactic never got old to him and we never got over our fear, even though experience should have taught us better. What is it about dads that make them get such a kick out of torturing their kids in this way? Or maybe it's just my Dad and my husband who do this?? I doubt it.
The thing is, these are my fondest memories of my Dad growing up. The times when he was scaring us, or getting on the floor wrestling with us, or balancing us on one hand while lying on his back, giving us piggy-back rides, or horse rides - this is what I remember most. I think fathers have this keen ability to become childlike and relate to their kids on their own level. It really is a gift. I love to see my Dad continue these traditions with my little ones and it really makes me appreciate how goofy and silly my husband is with the kids.
Because I know they will remember and cherish those goofy moments, just as I have.
Happy Father's Day to all you crazy, torturous, scream-inducing Dads!
It brought back a flood of memories of my own Dad doing just those kind of things. I shared a room with my two sisters, right next to my parents' bedroom. Hours after we had gone to bed, all the lights out, a figure resembling my Dad creeps into our room holding a flashlight shining upwards under his chin. He was making a scary noise that can best be described as, "muuuuwwwwaaaaa". We screamed in terror and he laughed and laughed as he kept inching toward our beds. I knew it was him and yet I was still frightened. This little scare tactic never got old to him and we never got over our fear, even though experience should have taught us better. What is it about dads that make them get such a kick out of torturing their kids in this way? Or maybe it's just my Dad and my husband who do this?? I doubt it.
The thing is, these are my fondest memories of my Dad growing up. The times when he was scaring us, or getting on the floor wrestling with us, or balancing us on one hand while lying on his back, giving us piggy-back rides, or horse rides - this is what I remember most. I think fathers have this keen ability to become childlike and relate to their kids on their own level. It really is a gift. I love to see my Dad continue these traditions with my little ones and it really makes me appreciate how goofy and silly my husband is with the kids.
Because I know they will remember and cherish those goofy moments, just as I have.
Happy Father's Day to all you crazy, torturous, scream-inducing Dads!
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