peskypippi.comBecause I have a lot to say…

I know a Dad who:

1. Mixes paint colors and demonstrates brush techniques with his daughter, while she sits wide-eyed with awe and follows his lead–turning blank canvases into works of art.
2. Watches old war movies with his son, late into the night.
3. Loves his children.
4. Plants apple trees and hardy perennials and Douglas Firs, transforming the yard into an oasis. He buys the spindly Charlie-Brown-trees at the nursery and nurtures them until they are full and tall and lush.
5. Kisses his children to sleep and makes up a new kiss each week: angel (soft as a whisper), bird (pecks your neck), and puppy (nibbles your ear)–causing the children to giggle and wonder what will next week’s kiss bring?
6. Demonstrates the work ethic and provides for his family. Every day.
7. Removes splinters with his special X-Acto knife, squeezes blisters on soccer toes, and pulls baby teeth, that are hanging-by-a-thread, with a washcloth. He is not squeamish.
8. Talks Star Wars trivia with his son. For hours.
9. Gives prep talks and pep talks before soccer, football, and baseball games, reinforcing the importance of playing your best.
10. Buries pets who were dearly loved.
11. Compliments and supports his children’s projects with genuinity: Lego creations of hovercrafts-with-shooting-missiles; portraits of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in watercolor; B+ math tests; diagrams depicting the life cycle of water; drawings of super heroes with stick bodies.
12. Cooks with heat, introducing his children to spice and zest.
13. Puts his family first. Always.
14. Lays down ground rules for his children about how to act–and about how not to act–in the family, in school, in society.
15. Listens.
16. Queues up the children’s DVDs first in the Netflix queue, so they arrive the day they are released.
17. Treats his dogs with compassion, love-and-tough-love, and mutual respect.
18. Turns any weekday into a family party night, with Indiana Jones and popcorn.
19. Teaches his children the importance of being kind to each other, others, animals–and most importantly, their mother.

This Dad I know is the father of our three children.