Homeschooling From A Father’s Perspective – Winter With My Family
As most of you know who have been following my husband’s “Homeschooling From A Father’s Perspective” series, he is currently serving on his 5th long deployment in the Middle East. This article is dear to his heart as he will not be able to with us this winter as he is serving our country at war.
In December of 2010, I truly enjoyed playing outside in the snow with my family. At the time were residing in government housing in North Carolina. My family and I woke up to about four inches of snow on the ground. I was pumped because my cutie pie wife Carlie had ordered the entire family sleds; in preparation of us moving to Germany. This would be the first time the entire family would go outside to play and sled in the snow. Keep in mind that it rarely snows in North Carolina. Prince Charming and Little Caveman darted out of our garage as I gave them permission to go play in our backyard and the side of the house areas. Little Caveman quickly fell to his stomach and smiled as he indulged and gulped down some snowflakes. Honestly, I was stressed because I was hoping that there was no dog poop around under the snow. But praise God all was clear. HAHA! Prince Charming fell on his butt, while smiling and enjoying the scenery. As I walked out enjoying my boys having fun, Princess took a really good cheap shot and threw a snowball at my back. Then the snowball fight was underway with my daughter. Princess and I had fun for with our snowball fight. Then my wife came out taking pictures and smiling at all of us. Even our Standard Poodle, Samuel, got in on the action!
After a while we all decided to cross the street and take our sleds on a few steep banks. The snow was untouched and the entire K family was ready to make our mark in it. HA! The kids and I tried to sled down the steep banks but we kept falling off. We fell off easily because we were not pulling on the sled handle with the right angle. Carlie had to show all of us how to do it with style. She made sledding look easy. So once she showed us, it was non-stop action for about an hour. After we sled for an hour, the neighborhood kids started coming out and that was our queue to go back inside and prepare lunch for our children.
Fathers, it is imperative to spend quality time with our children. I learned so much about my kids in that small amount of time, than I ever did trying to bark out legalistic orders all day. My kids had the chance to see me have fun and allow that kid nature in me to come out in the right context. Men, we have to show our children that we are human and that we like to have fun with them. I was so proud of my kids and loved seeing my wife enjoy the snow. Take every opportunity to have fun and get to know your children in a different way each day. Make the best of every situation that you come across with your family watching your lead. In the end the joy of Lord came over me and I truly embraced the quality time that I had with my family. Men we have to come together with our wives and create fun-filled family activities, along with discipling our kids in the Bible daily. Take it from me, who has to go away in service to our great nation a year at a time – make the most of every opportunity! You are blessed to be able to be home with your children!