Father Success: Humor and Monsters

One of the oddest and most fun aspects of parenting is the ability to indoctrinate your children with your interests. I have passed a major hurdle in parenting this week, because my sone is now interested in Mystery Science Theater 3000 and Gamera.

Some highlights include Viri informing us that Gamera is made of turtle meat, his interest in Gamera because he helps little boys (at least one boy, according to the movie. One boy per movie.) and his insistence that the "shark monster" (Guiron) can be nice, and the movie makers got it wrong.

It often gets overlooked in discussions of parenting, but kids are really fun. All the big stuff is there too: they are a lot of work, they are challenging, they can be expensive, they teach you about love and truth. Yes, all true. But they are also funny, and the process of learning is hilarious to watch.

Taviri once pointed at something and said, "Ha ha ha. This." You can't write jokes that good.

My work week is getting into full swing, and I notice all of the frustration that sets in when I deal with the logistics of running a daycare. But the kids are amazing, and I am thankful that I found out how much I enjoy working with them. Five years ago I would have thought you were insane if you had told me that my calling was to deal with toddlers. Now I think this is the job I was made to do.

I have always intellectually appreciated the fact that we discover ourselves as we grow. To actually reflect on it is strange. I'm such a different person in many ways than I was last year. In many ways, the child is still there. I'm happy I had the presence of mind, or dumb luck, to listen when this opportunity presented itself. Now I know something about myself that I needed to understand to enjoy my work.