Cutting Loose: How to Be a Fun Dad

The other night I was out watering the square foot garden while my kids were running around the yard, riding power wheels and bicycles. It had been an extremely hot day, and even though the sun was setting, the humidity was still around. As my son made a pass on his bicycle, I turned and sprayed him a bit with the watering hose. Imagine the look on his face - I’m usually the one yelling, “Don’t mess with the hose,” or “Don’t get your new shoes muddy!”

The innocent spray soon turned into a full-on assault with me spraying with water, and them trying to avoid it (well, only some of the time - what kid doesn’t like to get wet in the summertime?). I could tell by their reactions that they were a little surprised Dad had cut loose and was actually letting them get wet, and muddy, and ruin those new shoes. For the moment, at least, I didn’t care.

The event was a great reminder that occasionally it’s fun to relax the rules a bit and show your kids you still know how to have fun. Every now and then I’ll get out on their trampoline and bounce around a little, and I love to join them in a little backyard soccer game. I’ve found that when dad relaxes a bit and shows a fun side it has a way of calming kids’ nerves, which is a timely lesson considering it is summer break and they are cooped up in the house much of the day. Mom appreciated the break as well!

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photo by magnusfranklin