Proud Daddy

There are many moment in life when you are forced to talk a step back and just watch in awe as your children grow up into the people you always hoped they would. And when your children grow into the people you always hoped AND surround themselves with friends who reciprocate the love and care shown to them, I’m not sure what else you can hope for that can have a bigger impact on their or your life.

I have started this blip in this manner because the two girls in my picture made me the proudest I think I’ve ever been of children. On the left, my daughter Isabelle, 8. On the right, one of her best friend’s Izzy, 9.

During the upcoming half term, their teacher is heading to Sierra Leonne to visit their twin school in the twin town of Hastings. IN advance of the trip, she asked the pupils in her class to come up with a sponsored event that could help raise money to buy Mosquito nets to take with her. Of the 30(isn) children in the class, Isabelle and Izzy were the only two to do anything. Their choice, a sponsored swim.

These are girls who are fortunate to have been swimming for most of their lives and, as a result, have both got to be increasingly strong and confident swimmers but, for little bodies, 400m could be a daunting prospect. In fact, for Isabelle at least, this would be the furthest she had swum. This was highlighted by her swimming instructor making the offer that if she completed it, he would allow her to attain her 400m badge.

As it turns out 400m was a breeze for both of them and all the parents and the few school supporters who came to watch as well as Isabelle and Izzy, all agreed they at least could have gone to 600m.

But, for me, it wasn’t about the distance. It wasn’t even about the money the raised which, at the latest count, was more that £150, it was about the desire to do it.

Of 30+ children in a class, two stepped up and said, you know what, we’ll make the difference. They prepared, they got themselves together, they got sponsors, they got in the pool and they just swam not for themselves but because they knew at the end they will have accomplished something for children in another country they may likely never meet. And one of them was mine.

And I challenge you to think about that; what that means to a parent or to the children they helped, and not get slightly watery-eyed and warm-hearted.