The Yes Dad

Part of my ongoing quest to be a better father includes saying “yes” more.

Nothing particularly unusual about that you might think. It’s not a difficult word to say, starts with a cheeky y-sound, moves to a questioning eh-phonic and ends with a rather fun “ess”.

The problem is that with my lot, saying “yes” invariably involves more effort and work on my part which for one such as myself who is perma-tired can feel a bit much sometimes, but…….I’m a parent. This is what I signed on for, so suck it up, soldier.

On seeing a rainy day, the D-of-old would have hunkered down for at least a month in a weather proof bunker waiting for it all to blow over before taking the children outside again. However, doing that where I live in England’s great North West would effectively render me housebound, so nowadays a waterproof jacket is slung about the children and they are keenly encouraged to go and find as many puddles as they can to splash about in, which is what we did this morning on our way back from buying some new trainers.

The youngest in particular took to this directive and left no puddle unsplashed, even some slightly suspicious smaller muddy puddles. Christ, I hope it was mud…..

It’s so strange how often we fail to practice what we preach. In my work life, I am a firm believer in positivity and that saying “yes” keeps the door to opportunity wedged firmly open. I could just do with bringing that into my parenting approach more, because in addition to the merriment had from the abandon of splashing about in puddles, by saying “yes” fun games have been played, beautiful paintings have been created and some terrifying clay modelling creations have been sculpted into being today. 

Looking forward to finding out what I can say “yes” to tomorrow….

*****

As a post-script to today’s blip, I was thinking back to nearish the start of the lockdown where I already knew that I was going to utilise blipfoto to help me journal/process/manage/“write the shit out of” the process of getting through the whole flippin’ mess of Covid and that’s exactly what I’ve done and will continue to do. However, I’ve been freeloading, so in an act of appreciation of the excellent work done by blipfoto and its lovely bunch of members (an act LONG overdue), I’ve finally signed up as a proper member and started paying back in.