The rewards of patience

Sometimes reading with my son is painfully slow. He has his favorite books and we read them over and over again. As much as I relish that time with him, I can lose sight of the blessing of it all. I mean what could he see that he hasn't seen before?

The older he gets the slower he turns the pages of these little books. Watching him you would think that he is going to fall right into the pages - and that's when it happens. Those eagle eyes find the most minute detail on the page.


It would have never occurred to me that the Harper Collins Publisher logo looks like the flames in the fireplace of the great green room in "Goodnight Moon". But he points to it and says "there's another fire". I chuckle with amazement and concur with his observation. Then I am again thankful for the patience to see something click in his powerful little brain.

Let's go somewhere daddy! Update 08/29/09

As a kid I vividly remember saying to my father every Saturday, after the lawn had been mowed of course, "Let's go somewhere daddy!" To which he would reply, "What do you want to do?" I had nothing, all I knew is that I wanted to be with my dad anywhere other than our house. I needed some adventure in my life!

While I haven't been faced with that proposition yet, I get some heat from time to time for not being creative with weekend activities. So no complaints here about a hard week at work or not having access to information. This short list of things to do in and around Los Angeles will bring smiles to a little face and win you some points with mama. With your help the list will grow in geography and depth over time. Please join in and help leave this list better than you found it by adding little adventures from your home town!


El Segundo 5 Minute Express: This is a great old school drive through set-up. Think "Car Wash" the movie but totally automated. Once you pay, simple drive, put your car in neutral, and enjoy the sights. The brushes, soap, and waxes are multi-colored. There are flashing lights and 200 mph blow dryer at the end.

LAX: There are two observation places to watch planes take off and land. The best is next to the In n' Out on Sepulveda and Lincoln in Westchester. There is a small patch of grass across the street. When the planes come in they are so close you could read news print if it were on the belly of the plane. Be warned this side is loud and may scare little kids.

For take-offs head to W. Imperial Highway. There is a high point on the street with an observation area looking down over the south runways. This place is complete with benches and one of those binocular gadgets that looks like a face. There are plenty of plane enthusiast with their telephoto cameras so you can't miss it.

If you spend lots of time on the West side then hit the Santa Monica airport as well. You can read more about it in a previous post. Primo Papa: Cheap Thrills

Trains: One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to ride the miniature steam train in Tilden Park in Berkeley, CA. Great fun and only a dollar or so per ride. It was such a thrill to take my kid on his first train ride there this past holiday season. He had a blast as well. You can't beat the views, traveling through tunnels, and weaving between mossy redwood trees is exciting. The whistle of the train with plumes of white steam coming out is unforgettable at any age.

http://www.redwoodvalleyrailway.com

While I haven't been, there are also mini trains in Griffith Park. If you have taken a ride let us know what you and the kids thought.

http://www.gprah.com


The Nethercutt Museum: Here is a great collection of vintage and classic cars in pristine condition. If you live in the San Fernando Valley or are up for the trip, this place is a must see. You need to allow for a couple of hours to visit this place, so small kids will be over it in a matter of minutes. I can't wait to introduce cars as an art form! I have a while yet, so Hot Wheels will have to do for now.

http://nethercuttcollection.org

If the Valley is a bit far out give the Peterson Automotive Museum a try. You will get your money's worth if your kids can hang for a few hours and like cars. This is another can't wait for me.

http://www.petersen.org

Update 8/28/09

I just learned of the Makerfaire in San Mateo, CA. This is an expo for tinkering creative types. It looks like a great place to learn about the next gadget to come out of a local garage. Any science/engineering minded kid should have a blast. Look out for Maker Faire 2010.

http://www.makerfaire.com/

At this point I am about tapped out. Like directions, I refuse to ask a woman's help on this one, so dads chip in your suggestions. You will be saving another dad when he is faced with the inquiring statement "Daddy, let's go somewhere!"

Papa's value alert!

Last night my wife and I went over a few options for a family outing this Saturday morning. We decided on going to a farm about an hour away from our home. Their pitch is come and see how a farm works, taste some fresh produce, and pick some seasonal fruit to take home.

So far so good right? As I hurried out of bed to set off on this adventure, (with kids it's an adventure from the moment you wake them up) my value meter began to sound off. It's that feeling you get before you spend time and money on something when you aren't sure it's going to be worth it. It feels the same as buyer's remorse except you can still do something about it.

I have been notorious for having an acute sense of what is a good value. This is something I don't necessarily want to pass on to my kid or have my family miss out on fun because of it. I hope I am not over reacting here, so I am asking the blogosphere.

The event: $26 for two adults and a 2 yr. old to drive 2 hours round trip, walk a small farm, taste a few seasonal fruits, pick a watermelon, and make it back home for lunch and nap time.

Good value or not so much?

The hug Nazi

It looks like I have a hug Nazi on my hands. My son has become strangely reminiscent of Seinfeld's Soup Nazi with his famous line "No soup for you".

At bed time we do a last call for hugs and everyone serves up a final round. The three of us even do a group hug just before his head hits the pillow. This has been a great ritual in our family. It has gotten so good that many times he now calls out "group hug" and says great stuff like "I love you guys" as he tries to get his arms around both our necks.

Recently on a night like any other, it was that time again. When I went in for my hug I was stopped dead in my tracks with a scowl and "No hugs for daddy!". That was a killer. Doesn't he understand that those hugs are the best part of my day? Like all the New Yorkers on Seinfeld, I would stand in line for those hugs and never get tired of them. Then just to throw some salt on the wound, he finished me off with "Hugs for mama" and a mischievous laugh.

So now we have a new game: he barks "No hugs for daddy!", I pretend to cry, from which he derives a big laugh as he runs to mama to say "I made daddy cry." He knows I can't get enough and he relishes the power!

What's your thing?

What thing did you have with your dad when you were a kid?

One of the keys to good memories with your kids is having a tangible item you share just with them. Right now I have airplanes with my son. We collect them, learn their names, and fly them through the house and yard. I am storing up fun times in his little head that I hope he never forgets. The material things we build and share with our loved ones are vital ingredients in the glue that binds us together.

The idea of building memories with you kids while building things came to me when I was watching one of the special features at the end of the movie Grand Torino. The movie is about the relationships an aging man has with his sons, neighbors and his '72 Grand Torino. One of the bonus features on the DVD highlights the relationship men in particular have with their cars. A guy gets rather nostalgic about the Mustang he built with his dad as a teen. As he reflected on that time in his life he got choked up. Just like keys unlock that car, the car unlocked emotions tied to the bond he and his father share. I started asking myself; what thing do I share with my son? Did I have a thing with my dad?

Make sure you have a thing with your kids. You may need it down the road. It's nice to know you have a common bond around a thing that time, distance, or circumstances can't break. Bring your kids into a part of your world or dive into theirs. Tie flies for fishing, build model cars, work on puzzles, play or listen to music. Those artifacts of love will store lessons and adventures you share that last a life time.