Like all parents, I do my best to impart the occasional words of wisdom to my boys. They’re things I like to think of as life lessons.
Our crew standing tall after it all
Based on the eye rolls and blank stares back, I get the sense my words are transcribed in their minds to “oh great, here goes the Old Man. Time to power down in 3, 2, 1.”
Soooo…I go on anyways.
Like a recent one where I talked about McDonald’s founder, Ray Kroc, and what he meant when he said “When you’re green, you grow. When you’re ripe, you rot.”
For the record, that “life lesson’s” response got crickets and then Bo’s retort, “Well, I’m not broccoli”.
Yet another, I come back to from time to time is about sticking up for yourself. I’m not talking about seeking conflict, but there may be times when it’s unavoidable. Like say, if you get bullied.
The Red Headed Tornado
Well, the latest outing of the Dads’ Bucket List crew was indirectly aimed at giving them potential tools when standing up to a bully. That’s right, we took our budding Mike Tysons into the gym for some training in the sweet science – Boxing!
Upon arrival, each of us extended our hands to get ’em wrapped. While this was happening, there was time for banter and doling out of nicknames for our young pugilists.
We had Charlie “Knuckles”, “Bam Bam” Blake, and “TNT” Tyler. But hands down 6-year-old Lily’s “Red Headed Tornado” won the day.
From there it was fitting on gloves, learning how to protect our melons and mastering our footwork like Sugar Ray. That was the science part of the lesson.
Learning the Sweet Science
The sweet part happened when we were taught how to punch. We got the jabs and the crosses down and started working combinations on the bags that left everybody breathless.
We closed it out by stepping into the ring where dads put on focus mitts so our kids could work their crisp new combos. Even when they missed, our coaches encouraged them to keep firing away. By the end, although exhausted there were smiles and high fives all around.
Afterwards we retreated to a park so we could get hydrated with our favorite cold beverages and rehash the experience. Those moments to catch up while the kids are playing are some of my favorite parts of these outings.
“My dad says I’m broccoli”
It’s when we get to kick around sports topics, hear what’s going on in everyone’s lives and have some laughs. Like when one dad said, “Bo tells me you want him to grow up to be broccoli”.
So, I have to admit, I may have missed a little on that lesson.
But guess what? I’m gonna keep on firing away with them anyways.
Go. See. Be. Do.
Dads' Bucket List 