Tolerant of others, strict with yourself
Every week I coach 2nd grade soccer I swear it is my last. They aren’t listening to my elevated ideas on how to win the ball, pass, and spread out. I’m not a great coach but man I want to be. The good news Is that is something I can control. I can come to pratice more prepared, I can make practice more engaging, I can redirect these guys when they get off track or hit me in the head with a ball. The idea is that I need to expect a lot more from myself and a lot less from them. This is one of the stoic mottos to live by. Don’t worry about what someone else is doing or not doing pour all your energy into what you are doing, learning, and get better at each day. I am also from now on only yelling postivie things from the sidelines. Positive or nothing for now, they are only second graders after all and their coach has a lot of work to do.
Cook This: Cookie Monster Cookies
This cookie thing has gotten out of control. But if you make cookieS with your kids two things are going to happen.
It will be a mess. They will miss a bowl the size of a cauldren with some if not all the ingredient but most likely the eggs and flour because they are hardest to clean up.
Your kids will do some fractions, taste raw eggs, and keep pushing on because there is a cookie at the end of the rainbow.
You are not allowed to get upset or frustrated, understand what you are getting into and go do it. They will love it and so will you. Reme dad this is the long play.
Also buy some natural food coloring here, the blue color is critical.
Dad Fun - Know your capitals
Rarely if ever does knowing the capitals of all 50 states come into play or conversation. That’s ok dad, one of your main job is to share useless information by the ton. Also that one time that you can pull something like Mountpelier or Cheyanne out of your hat you will be a hero (a marginal one) but a hero non the less.
Dad Magic: Trash crafting
We went to a childrens museum in Chicago the other day and they had a room full of literal trash that was very well organized. It was the called the “Tinker Room” Kids could make whatever they wanted, use the hot glue gun, scissors, and build their vision of whatever came to mind. What is keeping us from doing this at home? I‘m not advocating to have trash all over your house but to keep toilet paper rolls to make robots and pieces of cardboard to build a pirate ship. Dad you obviously have to join in and set an example of craftsmenship but once they see what you are up to they will want to join in. It’s cheap and just requires a box or two to keep it organized.
This newsletter is not professional in nature but intended to be real things to try. They won’t all work but this is a process and I’d love for you to join me on the way. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you next week.
Send this to a dad that needs to get his Sh&# together.
Send me a note or your best dad joke @ [email protected]
R