Let Dad Be Dad.

I'm not sure if everyone's husband is like this, but my husband is just like another child...well, a more responsible child.  We live in (western) Washington state which means our house is surrounded by trees that are 100 ft. tall or more. Often in the summer, you can hear my husband and our older 2 kids playing outside, though when I step outside, I don't see them anywhere.  I hear them all calling me from the forest and I look up to see them in a huge pine tree of some sort....at least 30-40 feet up!  Ummm......honey?  I think that's high enough. Actually, that's about 40 feet higher than where I would like to see them, which is with both feet planted firmly on the ground.  He responds to my worried, questioning of his judgement, with an enthusiastic, "Don't worry babe!  I've taught them how to climb trees.  Always have 3 points of contact with the tree!" Uh, ok.

a camp out!

on the roof!

If you've had any contact with a boy in your life, you would have witnessed some crazy, wild, not well thought out action.  That's my husband.....raised in a family with 5 boys and 1 girl, he is quite adventurous to say the least.  That spirit of adventure has carried over into how he fathers our children.  From the time they could hold their head up, he was tossing them in the air.....the stronger they got, the higher he threw.  *He has never once dropped them or even come close.....though I feel the need to say DON'T TRY THIS AT HOME. :)  Every time he threw them, I held my breath.  Every time I see them high in a tree, I give my husband the "look", although I'm sure he can't see it from way up there. There comes a point when we as moms need to let dads be dads.  Dads are fun. Dads are adventurous.  These characteristics build a strong relationship between them and their children.  I'm not saying let your husband act irresponsible with your children, placing them in the face of danger.  I'm saying trust your husband and don't be a helicopter mom, always hovering.  Let them have fun.  Let him teach the kids how to climb a tree.  Let him teach them not to be afraid of heights and snakes and bugs and being lost in the woods.  Let him teach them how to climb a ladder properly and how to be safe on the roof where you can have picnics, I might add. :)  Let them play catch with a football in the house.  Let them set up a 10 man tent in the formal living room. When you allow your husband to be the dad your children need him to be, you're allowing your husband to teach them.  My husband has taught my kids how to be secure and to overcome certain fears.  There is a point when I just trust him and believe he knows what he is doing and fun fills our family.