This past weekend was the opening of baseball season for us. This year we’ve got 3 boys playing on 3 separate teams so my life is basically over for the next 8 weeks. 
After half a decade of following his brothers to the ballpark, our youngest, Brewer, has finally made it to the big time. Here’s a quick video of his first hit this year which culminates in a dramatic slide into first base (which was, ironically, not as dramatic as his older brother who chose to slide headfirst into homeplate on a forced walk from 3rd).
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Let Your Kids Be Kids
A Moment In Time
I’m not clueless.
I know time is flying by.
I know I’m going to blink and they’ll be off dating, studying for college finals and climbing the career ladder.
So when they invite me into their world, their world of imagination, adventure and excitement, I don’t walk, I run into it. These pictures may just seem like a dreary day in the woods swinging on tree vines but look a little closer.
We were dodging arrows.
We were swinging over boiling lava and man eating crocodiles.
We rescued a few princesses.
Fought a few bad guys.
It was a good day.
They don’t know it yet, but they’ll never forget that day. As time moves on and the pressures of life build, their mind will effortlessly drift to that place, to that moment, for a brief but life giving escape.
Kids. They’re a gift. Cherish every moment.
Making Strides
I don’t know if you’ve seen this latest add from Target, but I LOVE it. It features the adorable little kid named Ryan who has Down syndrome.
Time Magazine reports…
Target cast Ryan in its latest children’s clothing ad, and Nordstrom featured him in a campaign several months ago. Notably, Target did not publicize his inclusion; there were no self-congratulatory press releases or pats on the back, signaling that Ryan’s presence in the catalog was nothing out of the ordinary.
The move was praised on the blog Noah’s Dad, which is penned by a father of a special-needs child. He deemed the ad an inspiration to counter false stereotypes and look at people with fresh eyes, and lauded Target for not making a big deal out of Ryan’s casting.
Down syndrome stems from a genetic abnormality in which an extra copy of the 21st chromosome is produced. The condition affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and can be marked by cognitive delays, intellectual disabilities and increased risk of other medical conditions. Many of those afflicted with Down complete school and hold jobs, often with the help and support of family and friends.
Some of my favorite people to interact with in our lobby on Sunday mornings are children and adults with Down Syndrome. So glad they’re a part of our Cross Point family. And equally glad that pop culture is seemingly “recognizing” and “including” them in such advertisements.
Our “Thing”
Developing a intimate relationship with each one of my boys is something I work really hard at. I’m increasingly learning that each one of them is so unique. I’ve noticed that with each one of them there seems to be an environment where they are more apt to be open to significant conversations. I call this place our “thing.” It’s the activity or environment that makes your child feel loved, invested in and connected to you.
With Gage, my middle son, right now it’s all about legos. If I’m playing legos with him he’ll talk to me for hours. With Jett, my oldest son, it’s all about hunting. We went hunting together for the first time last week. We created some unforgettable moments in the deer stand and he got his first deer!
Brewer is just five, but right now if I’ll let him play with my iPad he’ll sit in my lap for hours showing me how amazing his video game skills are.
The “thing” with each of them will change over time. What must not change is my pursuit.
What’s your “thing” with your kids these days? Do you remember what it was with your parents growing up?
A Chilling Reality
Last night I read an absolutely heartbreaking article. The article released online yesterday by Time Magazine said…
Almost 40% of kids attempting suicide make their first try in middle or even elementary school, according to research that suggests that kids who think they want to kill themselves are considering it long before previously assumed.
About 1 in 9 children have attempted suicide before their high school graduation, but learning that they’re making plans as early as elementary school is especially chilling.
In a study published in the November issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers at the University of Washington surveyed 883 young adults ages 18 or 19 about previous suicide attempts and learned that 78 — close to 9% — had tried to commit suicide.
Suicide attempt rates rose steeply at age 12 — around sixth grade — and peaked two to three years later. The 39 teens who said they had tried to commit suicide multiple times reported first attempting when they were as young as 9, which is the average age of a third-grader. Teens who said they had tried just once were more likely to have attempted suicide later, in high school.
Being the father of three young boys I hardly have words to respond to this article.
I’m not going to attempt to explain why this is happening. Is it possible that kids have felt this way this early throughout history and we’re just now discover it? Sure. Is it possible we live in world where our kids are growing up faster than ever and they simply can’t handle the pressure being put on them? Sure.
What I do know is this:
1) As a parent I need to take my kids and their emotions serious regardless of their age. I need to take time to stay emotionally and spiritually connected to them. I need to take time to have one-on-one conversations where I ask them how they’re doing, how they’re feeling.
2) We need to be praying for our kids. I think we often have no idea how much is going on in those little minds. Their fears, concerns, worries, brokenness and stress are all very real.
Memories
There are a lot of things I screw up as a dad but the one things I want to get right is creating unforgettable memories.
The boys were on fall break the first few days of this week so we took a long weekend and headed out to the wild outdoors for a few days of camping. Camping included, but was not limited to…
-Competitive games of Rummikub.
-Skeet shooting (Gage hit his first one)
-Hiking
-Catching some of the biggest fish minnows you’ve ever seen.
-The worst homemade pizza over a fire we’ve ever tasted.
I don’t know about you but when I think back to my favorite childhood memories they were defined by experiences I had, rather than by things I acquired.
I know my boys will never look back on their time in our house and think, “Wow, my Dad was the perfect Dad.” But I do hope they look back and know that their parents tried really hard to create meaningful experiences for them that will be forever locked into their memories as a reminder of just how much I love them.
When you think back to your childhood what’s a memory that comes to your mind?
Explaining Christianity to Kids
We’ve been in a series at Cross Point on Heaven entitled “Glimpse”. This series has stretched me in a way I haven’t been stretched in a while. It’s been fun because we’ve had so many discussions at home with the kids about heaven. My 10 year old is especially interested. Just a few of his recent questions were….
- Is there football in heaven?
- Do we know anyone in our family that hasn’t gone to heaven?
- Is dog heaven separate from our heaven?
- Will I know you and mom in heaven?
I love kids because they’ll ask whatever’s on their mind unlike most adults who have somehow come to the conclusion that there are just certain things you can’t ask.
My friend Miranda sent me this hilarious (and also quite sad) video the other day. It reminded me of just how complex sharing our faith can be at times with our children. And by the way…if you’ve got kids I would love to hear what questions they’re asking these days.
