It Actually Works!
May 12, 2010 by Frank Hooks · 2 Comments
I liken parenting to running a marathon. There is nothing short, fast speedy, quick about being a mom or a dad. Parenting is a long journey. In a marathon, you may feel great at mile three, crappy at mile nine and great again at mile thirteen. In a marathon, you may feel dehydrated, tired, pull a muscle and maybe collapse.
As a parent, all the business distracts you from the passage of time. You live in a world of carpools, homework, science projects, essays, church activities, sports, piano lessons, tap dancing or whatever it maybe. Time takes on the dimensions of do this and don’t do that. Did you say please? Did you say thank you? Look the person in eye and say hello. Sit up straight. Eat your vegetables. Stop crying. No biting. Time is moving at a much faster rate than you realize when you’re parenting. All the business of parenting makes the years go by fast and pretty soon you look in the mirror and say what the hell happened to me? You just hope and pray that everything you have tried to teach them will sink in and they will grow up to be good people.
Every Sunday morning, Karen and I go swim for an hour and a half. We then race home, change clothes, eat something real quick and then race to church with the kids. On Mother’s Day, before Karen and I left for the pool, I told the kids if they didn’t have anything for their mother, they had a good hour or so to make a card, eat some cereal and be ready for church. We had a dinner party the night before and still had the banquet tables out and the kitchen was full of dishes.
Lo and behold, when we got home, there was a present and cards on the table. The banquet tables were packed up and put away. Decorations were put up on the walls. The dishes were all cleaned. Our bed was made and my son had bacon, eggs and toast all ready for everyone. All three of them worked together in harmony to honor their mom who does so much for them. We were surprised and tickled pink. This was the best mother’s day they could have given their mom. I am so impressed that I don’t expect anything for father’s day.
Feeling pretty good around mile fifteen right about now.
I'm a 41 year old happily married father of three great kids. We live and love in Southern California. My blog is an outlet for me to pontificate on all things great about being a dad.
Hi Frank!!
I love your blog and read it through every time… This one really hits home for me. Having a 17 1/2 year old son (our only child) who is a few weeks away from ending his junior year in high school, the part about “All the business of parenting makes the years go by fast and pretty soon you look in the mirror and say what the hell happened to me? ” really resonates. My husband and I are tactfully avoiding the subject of ‘who and what are WE going to be when Ozzie leaves?’ John won’t even broach the subject (I keep bringing it up!!). Instead he says, “we’ll deal with it as it comes…”
When you came home from your swim on Sunday, I am sure you both looked each other in the eyes and had one of those ‘I think we did a good job with these guys’ looks…. For my husband and I there are few nicer feelings than giving each other that look :)…. It sure comes in handy to remember times like that, especially when our offspring are making us doubt our parenting!! (I don’t know if you have kids old enough to drive yet; my favorite is getting into my car - when I am in a hurry of course - and there is absolutely NO gas….!!! (said offspring gets an ample gas allowance…..but that would mean putting gas in MY car ha ha)….
Thanks again for taking the time to write your blog, I’ll look forward to the next one!!
Take Care,
Alison
That’s the best kind of present!