Inspirational Parenting » Daughters

To Summer at Eighteen

Steve Meineke — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:41:50 +0000

November 1994

Dear Summer,

Eighteen years ago I stood looking at you—fresh-born—through the big glass window in the hospital nursery, watching the nurses try to count your tiny toes. Minutes old, you were bright-red-screaming-at-the-top-of-your-lungs unbounded life, squirming and kicking in every direction—quite a challenge to those toe-counting nurses. How I wanted to reach through the window, to [...]

First Day Of School

author unknown — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:50:58 +0000

She started school this morning, And she seemed so very small. As I walked there beside her In the Kindergarten hall.

And as she took her place beside the others in the class, I realized how all too soon Those first few years can pass.

Remembering, I saw her as She first learned how to walk. The words that we alone made out When she began [...]

Empty Yesterdays

Jeff — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:27:05 +0000

My daughter loves to watch musicals. It is one of our favorite things to do as a family. Even as young as 5, she was captivated by every musical she watched (expect for Footloose for some reason). The other night, we got blankies and piled on our bed to watch The Music Man. I was [...]

My Child, My Teacher

Taz — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:04:53 +0000

There are moments in books and movies when a small gesture reveals a profound insight about a character. They might decide to go barefoot, or refuse to board a bus, or turn their face upward to taste the rain. After consuming enough literature and films, we learn that these moments matter and that the author [...]

I Have Found Myself, I Am A Dad!

Jeff — Thu, 21 May 2009 04:22:22 +0000

I am standing in a hot, smelly gymnasium. I can feel the sweat trickling down my back. My right arm is aching from holding up the video camera. My back hurts from hunching over so that I don’t block someone else’s view. And yet here I am with a big smile on my face… as [...]

Proud Father of a Tomboy

Jeff — Mon, 04 May 2009 20:53:24 +0000

I work from home and consequently get to spend a lot of time with my daughter. I am not sure if I can take total credit for her Tomboyishness but I hope that this at least suggests that I have a good relationship with her. My wife and I were out of town this last weekend so [...]

Parenting Lessons From A Suffering Child: Part 2

Jeff — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:03:25 +0000

I felt like we had become spiders living in a web of wires and tubes. They clung to her feet and chest. They protruded from her nose, back, arms, and other uncomfortable places. It was difficult to move her or to even change her diaper. It was nearly impossible to pick her up. She was [...]

Splitting a doll

Jeff — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 19:28:10 +0000

When our daughter was 5 years old, we started giving her a little allowance for cleaning up her room to get her used to the idea of money. As soon as she ever got any money she would immediately want to go buy a stuffed animal (this is still true at age 8). One time she [...]

My Daughter is a Riot!

Jeff — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 04:51:47 +0000

Just a quick funny story that happened today. I was wrestling around with my daughter this afternoon. After a few minutes, we were just laying on the floor next to each other taking a break from the ultimate fighting/tickling tournament in which we were engaged when I asked her if she realized I had created [...]

The Highlight Of My Week… Grocery Shopping?

Jeff — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 02:44:58 +0000

The other day I took my daughter grocery shopping with me. At first I thought it was going to be a “hurry up and finish” experience but it ended up being the highlight of my week. We just talked the whole time. She didn’t ask me to buy her everything in sight. She didn’t complain and [...]