Hiking ...
Yep, we don't go hiking enough.
After the divorce several years ago, the boys and I were hiking maniacs. At least a couple of times per week we'd load up the two dogs and head out to any number of city, county or state parks in the area. And then we hiked ... and hike and hike. I can't believe the number of miles the boys were willing to put on in those days. But, in recent years, as the boys have grown older and more interested in their own friends and their own hobbies, we've hiked less and less. What a shame.
However, on Saturday, four of us dads took our first-year Cub Scout sons on a nature walk at a local university science center. While cool, it was a typical October day and nothing to complain about.
In late morning, we set out down the trail, to teach our sons a little bit about hiking and why the activity can be so fun. And it didn't take long for the kids to get into it. As soon as the trail tilted downhill toward the south and headed to the river the boys' excitement grew. And suprisingly they maintained a fervor for the next two hours. We found animal prints in the sandy beach along the river and on the trails in the woods. We stopped on the walking bridge that crossed the river and looked at the bird homes that were built into the cutbank a little ways downstream. And the kids scoured the ground for anything and everything that a 6-year-old boy would find cool. One of the true treasures, at least as far as Bug was concerned, was about a 12-inch femur bone that I found along the path near the river. It was a big, thick bone and must have come from a large animal. I guessed it came rom a cow, maybe a large deer. Bug was sure that it came from a dinosaur. ... We agreed to disagree, but regardless, he gripped that bone tight the rest of the morning, even on the car ride home. We finished the day doing leaf rubbings on the front porch of the science center, a good activity to bring down the boys' excitement levels a bit before we all headed home.
The boys weren't the only ones excited about their day. I, too, enjoyed myself immensely ... just getting outside and finding a place where the boys could run with reckless abandonment down the trails brought back a lot of fulfilling memories. It was a thrill to work with the kids to find deer and raccoon tracks along the banks of the river, and to assure them that, no, not even the bigger tracks came from bears.
And for just a brief moment, as we were all standing on the walking bridge that spanned the river, there was a lull in the boys' noise. As their sound faded, the urgent rush of the river, recently swollen by rain runoff, thundered in my ears, and just a little fainter was the sound of the tall grass swaying in the wind. I felt the cool, moist breeze hitting my cheeks and could smell the musty, wet leaves decomposing all around us. The bridge's metal handrailing was cool to the touch and the sky, although overcast, still contained a hint of a blue tint. ... And just for that brief moment, before the boys' joyful shrieks returned to cover-your-ears level, everything was perfect in the world. We were so far away from the everyday worries that drag us down, the impossible-to-keep schedules that run us into the ground and the chores that eat up minutes we should be spending doing something more important. The world seemed to stop and we were the only ones living in it. ... Wow, what a moment.
Yep, I know for certain we don't go hiking enough.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/19/2009 at 5:50 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Tags: columns, devlyn brooks, moms, parenting perspectives, scouts
Conferences ...
Every year around conference time, my thoughts turn to what potential surprises lie in wait for me when we go to visit the kids' teachers. Well, that's not true: Fact is, Garrett is a whiz at school, one of those kids that studying comes easy to and for which studying is a pleasure.
But then there's the other kid ... yeah, the Bug. It's not that he doesn't like school; it's just that he would much rather be at home playing with one of his friends or even playing by himself. He likes the social aspects of school and will readily tell me about recess and lunch when at the end of the day I ask him how school went. No, he doesn't do poorly in school; he'd just prefer to be doing something else ... er, anything else. And so it's the Bug's conferences that cause the trepidation.
Well, another fall has come and another set of conferences is done. As usual, Garrett's teacher had nothing but accolades for his work. And why shouldn't he, his first trimester in middle school and he's scoring a 4.0 gpa. ... That's right, As in everything from English to math to art. He's a joy to have in class; he's so thoughtful; he's so mature. ... I don't know how much it costs him every year, but whatever amount it is he pays his teachers, he's getting his money's worth.
And then ... actually, the Bug's conferences went well, too. He's on par with the rest of the kids when it comes to the language arts and excels in math, just like his brother. What he doesn't like about school, according to his teacher: running. Which should come as no surprise to anyone. But otherwise, when in school he works hard and shows a strong desire to please. He gets along well with other kids and loves the reading stations. ... Whew, survived another one.
In reward, last night, we all went out to eat at Red Lobster, which was Garrett's choice. Next up? McDonald's, which is Bug's choice. ... I guess, all in all, two meals is a small price to pay to reward their academic success. ... Now we await spring conferences.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/13/2009 at 8:29 PM | Comments (0) | Permalink
Tags: columns, devlyn brooks, education, moms, parenting perspectives
Kind acts ...
My glasses broke at work yesterday. No one's fault; they're just old. But they broke several hours before the day was done. And the problem is that tends to play hell with trying to finish work when you stare at a computer screen for nine to 10 hours per day.
Add that too an unusally high-stress day at work, plus trying to make two school conferences scheduled at two different schools across town and only 40 minutes apart, and by the time I arrived home at 8 p.m., I had a mind-numbing headache. ... I mean one of those I-can't-stand-the-lights kinda headaches. I was in rough shape. Thankfully, Bug went with his mom last night and that only Garrett, my nephew and Crazy G at home. So the noise level was dialed down a bit. But even then I managed to only eat dinner and shuffle my way to bed. I wanted to turn out the lights and watch football until I fell asleep. Garrett said he understood.
Only a few minutes later, Garrett joined me to keep me company. He told me that he was bored, but I knew better because he's fine entertaining himself. Rarely does he need me around for company. I knew, in reality, he came to join me to keep me company and make sure that I was OK. ... It's not often that I get headache, especially one that severe.
Well, after about 10 minutes of me asking him what the graphics on the screen said about the football game or what the score was because I couldn't make any of it out, I thought he tired of me and that his generosity had worn out. He excused himself to go to his room. .. Alas, only a few minutes later, he returned.
"Here," he said, holding out my glasses to me. He evidently had found them on the entertainment center and set about fixing them as best as he could with tape. ... Grateful, I took them and slid them on my face. ... Not exactly the right fit, but it was enough to aid in watching the game and to assist in minimizing the headache. I was touched. ... Garrett has a big heart and it never ceases to amaze me how much he cares about others. I hope he never tires of his acts of compassion; they make him a good person ... maybe even the kindest, truest person I know.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/13/2009 at 8:01 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Tags: children, columns, devlyn brooks, moms, parenting perspectives
I'm going to be rich!
Somewhere out there I could here my phone ringing ... ringing ... ringing ... but my mind was loath to give up those last vestiges of sleepy time. On the nights which the boys are at their mom's house, I gain an entire hour of extra sleep the next morning, and I so dearly love those mornings.
But this morning, while I blissfully snored away with the dog on one side and the fat cat on the other, I was startled by the blaring of my phone. I sleepily reached for it and drug it to within two inches of my face so that I could read who was calling: "Garretts cell calling ... Garretts cell calling ... Garretts cell calling ... "
Yeah, better answer it ...
"Hello," I mumbled.
"Dad!" I could hear Garrett say on the other end ... and then: "whisper, whisper, whisper ..."
"Huh?" I grunted.
"whisper, whisper, whisper ..."
"What, bud?" I said. "Why are you whispering?"
"Dad ... do you have a high degree of mathematical intelligence?"
"OK, what's the question?" I asked, assuming that this was in regard to a math problem his mom couldn't help him solve from the night before.
"No, this isn't homework, Dad," Garrett said. "They said on the news that children born to parents with high levels of mathematical intelligence are more likely to be millionaires and billionaires. And mom said that you have a high level of mathematical intelligence!"
"Really?" I said fighting through the sleepiness. "Bud, what time is it?"
"I don't know, but I'm going to be rich!" he said with more enthusiasm than anyone should have at whatever time in the morning it was.
"Alrighty then ... I'm happy for you. To thank me you can use it to take care me when I'm old," I said, managing to finally focus my eyes enough to zoom in on the clock ... 5:46 a.m. ... ug-g-g-h-h. "But next time can you wait until at least 6 to call with the good news?"
"Sure thing, dad. Have a good day. I love you." ... click.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/09/2009 at 1:02 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Tags: children, columns, devlyn brooks, moms, parenting perspectives
It's OK ... God hates the Yankees too
"D-a-a-d-d! You're not supposed to be playing with your phone in church," the Bug whispered (and more loudly than I would have hoped) to me during Wednesday night church. "That's what you've told Bubba and me."
"Sh-h-h-h! Bug," I said, taking a quick look around to make sure no one heard him. "I'm not playing on my phone."
"Then what are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm just checking the score of the Twins game," I said.
"D-a-a-d-d!"
"Sh-h-h-h!" I said again, this time imagining the stares we might be drawing. "No really, it's OK because God is a baseball fan."
"Dad, that's not true," Bug said matter of factly.
"Sure it is," I said. "And he hates the Yankees too."
"Dad, God doesn't hate anybody," Bug said.
"OK, you're right," I conceded, "but he likes the Twins a whole lot more."
"That's not true, either," Bug said.
"Sure it is," I said. "God likes an underdog."
"Dad ... I'm going to tell Grandma that you were playing with your phone in church."
"Oh fine ... I'll put the phone away," I said, defeated. "But, you know, God doesn't like a tattletale either."
"Yeah, well he doesn't like dads who play with their phones in church either," he retorted.
"Touche, buddy, touche."
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/08/2009 at 2:13 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Tags: baseball, children, columns, devlyn brooks, faith, moms, parenting perspectives, sports, twins
Sleepy time
I imagine there are a number of blury-eyed families across Minnesota this week, just the same as we are in the Brooks household.
I'm sure that Monday night's much ballyhooed Vikings game and the Twins' dramatic 12-inning win last night gave many other parents the excuse to forego the regular bedtimes just to give the kids a chance to form a memory, a chance to experience something they may never see again. Or at least I hope it did.
It's no secret that sports have played an important part of my past and that sports server to bind our family together ... from Crazy G. on down. And so the boys got to stay up to see the endings of both Favre's legendary performance against his former team and to see the Twins' final regular season home game in the Metrodome, an improbable season-ending tiebreaker with division rival Detroit. I knew starting the week that the boys would get to watch both games, despite the small effect it may have on them the next day during school. I knew because I have very vivid memories of watching the 1987 Twins season unfold, games that I watched with my mom during my school years. And this week's sports schedule here in Minnesota was one a Hollywood writer couldn't have even scripted; there was no question the kids were going to get to take in those games.
I still have my Homer Hanky and can remember those chilly fall evenings, longing to be at the Dome so that I could see my heroes Kirby Puckett, Dan Gladden and Kent Hrbek in person. Of course a trip for playoff baseball wasn't in the cards for us back then, and so I learned to be content enjoying the game on our couch at home, a tub of popcorn in our laps and a dream that our little group of won't-quit ballplayers could overcome the odds. Heading into the week I hoped that by giving the kids the chance to watch Favre lead the Vikings to victory and our "Little Engine That Could" Twinkies close out the Dome in style that I could give my own kids some similar memories. ... I think we can say: Mission accomplished.
My sporting memories as a youngster were special, but I think last night may have eclipsed them. Gathered around our livingroom television, Crazy G., the boys, my nephew and I shared the highs and lows of the Twins' 12-inning instant classic. Capping it all was a jubilant celebration when Carlos Gomez did his belly slide across homeplate to extend the Twins' season and give the Dome a fitting finale. The boys and I were jumping around the house, high-fivin' each other and giving great, big bear hugs. And then there was Crazy G. in the middle of it all, cheering just as loud and smiling just as big as any of us. It took a good 45 minutes for us all to settle down after the win and it must have been 10 p.m. when the boys finally drifted off to La-La Land. I hope the boys look back and treasure the moment as much as I already do. ... And to the boys' teachers: If they're draggin' a little today, I hope you understand.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/07/2009 at 1:01 PM | Comments (2) | Permalink
Tags: children, columns, devlyn brooks, moms, parenting perspectives, sports
Crazy G on a mission
I seriously doubt that there's anything more powerful than a grandmother on a mission.
This morning I recieved an enthusiastic phone call from my mother: "I've got four popcorn orders!" she shouted into the phone. She had just come from her twice-per-week exercise session with the ladies at her church and while there she made the rounds. Evidently four of her co-excercisers have ponied up to buy popcorn for Bug's Cub Scout fundraiser.
Today marked the beginning of sales for area Cub Scouts and the importance of the sales can't be discounted ... to the pack or to the individual Scouts. Money from the popcorn sales go to fund the pack's activities and the kids know the more they sell the bigger reward they get. Ergo, if it's important to one of her grandchildren, it's important to Crazy G.
We received the order forms Tuesday night and she's been rarin' to go. This is nothing new, of course; she showed as much enthusiasm for helping Garrett out with his Scout fundraisers. But this year Crazy G. is part of the household and she feels even more vested in Bug's fundraising success. And I'm sure that it'll work. In previous years, she showed no fear about going with Garrett to sell door-to-door in our hometown. And I imagine this year she'll want to take a shift with the Bug going door to door in our neighborhood, which I guess is now her neighborhood.
I am not in a position where I have to sell things, but I'm convinced that using little, old ladies with their grandsons dressed to the nines in their Cub Scout uniform has to be successful. I mean, really, if Crazy G. and the Bug came to your door could you turn them down? ... Hmm, I think I'm on to something ... (NOTE TO SELF: Talk to area business schools ...)
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 10/01/2009 at 12:54 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Tags: columns, devlyn brooks, moms, parenting perspectives, scouts
Share day one-upping
I'd like to say thank you to the mom of the girl in Bug's class who last week sent candy with her daughter to share day. No, really, thank you (much sarcasm implied). ... While I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and guess that you did it unwittingly, you've still upped the stakes for the rest of us on our kids' share day to a level that will soon become unfathomably unreachable.
Last week the kids in Bug's first-grade class were required on their share day to bring an item that began with the the same letter as the first letter of their name. Predictably, Carter brought a sack of Matchbox and Hotwheel cars. But another little girl - whose name also begins with "C" - brought candy. In fact, she brought two pieces of candy for every child in class. And that did it ... that was the first volley in this share day gamesmanship.
So on their share day this week, the kids were supposed to bring two things that rhymed ... you know, a cat and a hat or a bear and chair. (Side note: Garrett suggested Bug could bring a daisy and something crazy, the latter being their grandmother. But please, let it be known, that after stifling a laugh I admonished him for saying it.) The Bug happened to be at his mother's house last night and after several hours of difficult discussions, they finally settled on Carter bringing candy and ... well, they graciously waited until dad called to say goodnight for me to fill in the blank for the second item. ... Needless to say, finding something reasonable to bring to class that rhymes with candy is a challenge. But this was about 9 p.m. last night and I wasn't about to drag this conversation out any further with a child that should have already been asleep.
The next logical question, of course, was what kind of candy I needed to go find. But thankfully the Bug had already outsmarted all of us: After school he had went to the grocery store with Crazy G. and he talked her into buying him a bag of that pick-a-mix Brach's candy. Turns out, she didn't know it at the time, but she was an unknowing accomplice to the Bug's devious plan to bring candy to school for his share day. The devious 6-year-old had played all of us all day long. That was the candy that just happened to make its way to school today.
So the Bug headed off to school today with his bag of treats to share and, coincidentally, I sent a pop bottle top with him as the rhyming component of the assignment. The candy he picked out was those little hard candies that taste like certain pop flavors ... such as root beer, orange, Dr. Pepper, etc. So I figured that he could bring a bottle "top" with his "pop" candy. ... I know, I know: It was a stretch, and I'm sure Bug's teacher probably raised an eyebrow, but heck, I'm pretty sure that the ryhming lesson was learned. ... Now I just have to hope that the little girl doesn't top Bug again this week, or otherwise this share day one-upping could get ugly in a hurry.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 9/29/2009 at 5:39 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Tags: columns, devlyn brooks, k12 education, moms, parenting perspectives
Bob's cabin
On Saturday night as I wiggled into the big, overstuffed bed, I kicked the blankets around a bit to warm them up and sank back into the pile of fluffy pillows that give you the feeling that you were sinking into a bank of clouds.
Just to the left and over my shoulder I could faintly hear the rythmic thud of the aluminum fishing boat washing up against the wooden dock as the waves came ashore. And coming through the same window was a cool breeze that carried the unmistakable smell of a north-central Minnesota lake in autumn.
On my right, the Bug was snuggled as securely as he could be into my armpit and the dampness in his hair smelled of the lake, which he had been playing in only some hours before. And above me, in the cabin's loft, I could hear Garrett's almost-imperceptible re-setlling noises as he turned over and over trying to capture just a little bit more light to continue reading his newest can't-put-down novel, "The Lightning Thief."
Completing the setting: The small radio alarm clock next to me played the soothing tones of classical music, of which the public radio staion overnight DJ knew more about than I could ever hope to learn.
After a day full of late-summer fishing, horseplay in the brisk lake, site-seeing walks, delicioulsy decadent food from the grill and a ton of laughs shared with my a few of my dearest friends, I could not have asked for a day to end more perfectly. As I slowly drifted in and out of that glorious place between sleep and consciousness I wondered if I had ever been so content and if I would be ever again. ... If there's a place in this world I'd rather be more so than at Bob's cabin ... I have yet to find it.
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 9/28/2009 at 1:24 PM | Comments (1) | Permalink
Tags: children, columns, devlyn brooks, moms, outdoors, parenting perspectives
You'll understand when you get older
"Dad ... why do you still buy mom a birthday present every year?" Garrett asked.
"I don't," I said.
"Well, OK ... why do you give me and Bug money every year to buy mom birthday presents?"
"Because she's your mother," I said.
"Yeah, but you guys aren't even together," Garrett persisted. "You haven't been together in years."
"I know, but your mother deserves a birthday present from you and I'm not going to let you guys pay for it with your own money," I said.
"But, why?"
"Because it makes you happy," I answered.
"But does it make you happy?" he asked.
"That's irrelevant, bud. I do it because you guys deserve to be able to give your mom a present and not have to ask her for the money to do so. ... I do it because it makes you happy.
"But you don't have a lot of extra money."
"That's not the point either, buddy," I said. "It's just something that a dad should do, OK? You'll understand when you get older."
"If you say so," he said with a shrug of his shoulders."But thank you anyway."
"You're welcome kiddo," I said.
"Dad ..."
"Yeah, bud?"
"And thanks for doing things that dads just gotta do, OK?"
Posted by: Devlyn Brooks on 9/25/2009 at 1:55 PM | Comments (3) | Permalink
Tags: columns, devlyn brooks, moms, parenting perspectives
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