Monday 28 December 2015

Why You Deceptive Little...

So the wee lad had a play date today, and when it came time to go - and more importantly clean-up - this little exchange took place between T and his friend:

E: "I'm the best cleaner upper in the world."

T: "Oh wow, that's fantastic. Well I think everybody should be the best in the world at something and if that's what your best at E, I don't want to get in your way or do anything to stop that. So you go ahead"

** crickets **

Both parents, and the other little playmate all just looked at each other, like:

"Did that just happen?"

He possesses the ever elusive qualities of a 9-year old already. Lord help us all.

Dude was smooth though, I have to admit. If you put him on a used car lot, he'd already write bank, and he isn't even 5 yet.

You try say "No" to him and watch him wrap you in his spider web of child deception. Poetic brilliance.

Love that little boy. lol

Thursday 24 December 2015

Christmas Anticipation

"Daddy... we need to move the (fake) fire place. If we leave it there, how is Santa supposed to get out from the fireplace and not knock the Christmas tree over?"

"And you can't leave just one carrot Daddy, Rudolph isn't the ONLY reindeer. SHEESH DAD!!"

Thursday 12 November 2015

First Trouble

When I asked T how his day was today after school, he conveyed that he had got into trouble...

T: "I got my own table today Daddy. I have to stay there forever."

Me: "Probably not forever, but do you want to tell me what happened?"

T: "No."

Me: "Well CAN you tell me what happened? I'm not going to give you trouble, I just want to try and understand what happened."

T: "Ok, I guess. I'm not going to get in more trouble, right?"

Me: "Right."

T: "Ok. I was disruptive, and talked when I wasn't supposed to."

Me: "That doesn't sound too bad, are you sure there wasn't aything else?"

T: "No. Well... that did actually happen a few times. Like in the class... in the gym... in computer class... in centres..."

Me: "Is there a reason that you were talking?"

T: "Yeah, cuz N was talking to ME."

Me: "But you know that there are times you can talk to N and times that you can't."

T: "I know Daddy. I'm just bored. We keep learning stuff I already know."

And so it begins.

The eternal walk of trouble through boredom...

I know it well. I got in a bit of trouble at school.

But I lasted more than a couple of months before I reached the state.

What I learned from my experiences, and the piece of "wisdom" that I hoped to convey to Tommy, was this:

Me: "I understand. We've already done a lot of learning because you're very lucky, and very smart. But you have to let everybody else learn too. Do you understand?"

T: "No."

(lmao)

Me: "(fighting off the laugh) Well just because you have already learned something, doesn't mean everybody has. Let them learn - you'll have more to talk with them about. If you're bored, memorize everything the teacher says. I know you can remember things with incredible detail. Focus on the details."

T: "I like details."

Me: "I know you do little man. So when you already know something, learn it better. Learn it well enough that you could teach one of your friends if they didn't understand something. Wouldn't that be nice?"

T: "I could help be a teacher?"

*recognizing the enormous negative ramifications that could stem from this*

Me: "Well not really a teacher bud. But you can be a helper to your friends. You could help E (his little girlfriend, awww) if she ever didn't understand something. Like say she was having trouble counting..."

T: "So I could have a play date about counting?"

Perhaps it's wrong, but while this isn't what i was neccessarily driving at, it seemed like it was the reward at the end of the rainbow, so I went with it...

Me: "Sure you could bud. If you understood well enough because you had listened and memorized everything."

T: "I will listen. i will memorize everything."

And the scary thing is... he just might.

Monday 14 September 2015

Math Boy?

Dear World, 

It's become apparent (to me) that lil T is quite gifted with numbers. Obviously at such a ripe, young age - it's tough to gauge any type of relative intelligence, but over the weekend, T counted to 110 by ELEVENs. 

Now advanced skip counting isn't new to him, but what was unique about this was that nobody taught him... he didn't memorize it, he didn't see it in a video... he just recognized the "pattern" and locked it down. He doesn't know or understand it completely yet, but he just taught himself his '11 times tables' before he was 5 years old.

He can now count by 2s, 3s, 5s, 10s and 11s.

His brain interests me like nothing else on the planet earth. 

Keep learning kimosabe, that quest for knowledge is not only exemplary, but inspires even your dad.

Signed,
Proud Papa

Tuesday 8 September 2015

First Day?

First day of school for many in these parts... congrats and good luck parents. Tommy has been waiting for this day for months but with staggered JK, the poor kid doesn't start until Friday. Much to his chagrin I assure you.

So this morning, he was standing first on the porch, and then going to the end of the driveway, and was saying, nay yelling, "Happy First Day!!!" to every kid that walked by. 

A couple of the older kids looked at him sideways, but most just laughed and waived back. He hasn't even got there yet, and he's vying for school embassador. Funny kid.

Happy Back-to-School Friendos.

Friday 4 September 2015

Last Weekend Before Back-to-School!


Dear fellow Dads,

This is the start of the last weekend before school starts. Do what you have to do to make sure your kids have what they need to be cool next week. Your son will need...

New Clothes - Wash them though. Get rid of that new clothes feel. Printed tee and jean shorts is all you need to make a neutrally cool splash. Or go with a cool theme like the Minions, or Star Wars, or Angry Birds etc.

Backpack - Lots of great themes to suit any child. Star Wars for Tommy. They're a style statement though. Don't send him with last year's backpack or underestimate it's cosmetic as well as functional purpose.

Lunch Pail - Find one that matches the backpack if they aren't together.

Thermos - Same as above.

New kicks, styling as you can find. Nike. Vans. Converse. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. If it were you, you'd want to look cool, so choose shoes wisely.

Oh yeah, then you have all the other stuff that you need for school, like pencils, paper, fancy stationary, and food containers. That stuff is probably important too, but nowhere near as cool or #thugdaddy blog worthy.


You don't have to spoil them to be considerate of their wants; but do something that puts a smile on their face.

That's the best thing they can have on their first day of school.




Sunday 30 August 2015

Daddy Reflexes

You hear people talk about "cat-like" reflexes all the time, but this awesome montage shows that Thug Daddy reflexes may be even more spectacular...



Thug Daddy medals to every dad in this video whose reflexes helped narrowly avoid the every day dangers of childhood.

Friday 28 August 2015

Rock Star Day

Today was Rock Star day at T's daycare.

Needless to say that a Thug Daddy like me needed to make sure that Tommy brought his "A" game. After all... he might actually be a Rock Star one day. lol

Mildly 80s inspired... mixed in with some badassery... and here's what we came up with...




Costume: Bandanas (red and black), cool printed tee, chains, skulls, and hair chalk. The rest is pure attitude.

When I picked him up at the end of the day, we had a typically cute Tommy conversation...

T: "Daddy, everybody was bugging me today."
Me: "Like teasing you?"
T: "No... just bugging me. Even people I never play with, wanted to play today."
Me: "Being a rock star is like that sometimes."
T: "I just wanted some space man."

He has all the makings... charisma... entertainer... loves to sing... I'd never try talk this kid out of being a rock Star one day. Or anything else for that matter.

Heck, this might be our get up for the first day of school in a couple of weeks.

Friday 21 August 2015

Fancy Tea Day

Spit-shined for Fancy Tea Day at daycare.

He cleans up pretty good!



That's ma boi!!!!

Monday 17 August 2015

Darth Tom

Costume Day at daycare.

Darth Tom wants you to join the Dark Side. We have cookies.




Vader mask... lightsaber... ladies witch outfit hacked into a cloak... black shorts... black shirt... all things that were already on hand. Easy queasy Japanesey! most importantly, he loved it.

Admit it... at some point you did the vader breath thing...

KSSSHHH KUUUHHH

KSSSHHH KUUUHHH

Saturday 15 August 2015

Team Green

Soccer.is.done. 

The kids and the coach... melancholy. 

Fantastic last game today - really closely contested. There was a young lad on the other team named Flynn who was EASILY the best kid we played all year - what a great little player - kept it a game or it would have been a slaughter. I actually saw something from the kids they don't usually have to display - stamina. End of game... we rolled over them finally. And convincingly.

What an incredible experience this year has been. So fulfilling to have 16 hungry eyes looking at you every week just waiting for you to teach them something. Only makes the "beautiful game" that much more beautiful. My thanks to everyone but especially to Jenn for her awesome soccer momming. Today she made all the kids water bottle goodie bags... so smart. Most of the kids forgot all about the medal they got. Kudos.

I thought I would create a graphic for the kids and their Facebook pages...




Roll on Team Green!!! The season may be over but the memories will last forever. Thank you all for an incredibly rewarding experience.


Friday 31 July 2015

Meet... Electricitor

Walking to daycare this morning, Tommy invented his own superhero without provocation. He calls him Electricitor. (wicked name buddy!) 

He is bald, made of metal, cannot die, cannot be hurt by fire, and he shoots electricity that he makes from the sun. He is like he is because he got struck by lightning. He has no tongue. He cannot fly, but he can use electricity to shock jump him anywhere he wants to go (like a Hulk jump).

Awesome sauce. :P #‎comicBookInspiration

I put together a rendition but I think Tommy wants something "meaner". He says he already can't wait until Electricitor turns into a bad guy "like all the other superheroes do now". lol


Kids are so creative. What has your son or daughter "made up" that made you go "Hmmmmm...."?

Saturday 25 July 2015

Soccer Pride and Prowess

So proud of tommy today. This morning at soccer, we encountered a real problem child on the other team. He was kicking kids and then pushed my smallest kid to the ground very forcefully. I spoke to his mom (also the other coach) and she did nothing. Enter Tommy. 

Didn't say anything... wasn't uber aggressive... just started bossing the kid around the park like he was his own personal you know what. Kid got even more frustrated and more physical and STILL Tommy didn't resort to uber aggression, he just stepped up his finesse, and his footie game. There may have been a straight elbow to the other kid's mouth that I didn't see, but for the most part it just looked like Tommy willed the other kid off the pitch. Not only did Tommy instantly strip him of the ball every time he touched it, T scored FIVE more today, including a natural hat trick in less than 3 minutes, and basically set a tone that could not be equaled by any other player on the field. #‎solid 

And we destroyed yet another team - the only team that had given us a game earlier in the year. Today, it was about 11 or 12 to 2. I'm proud of all my team for playing with control and not getting ratty, but I'm proudest of my son for recognizing that he's a big kid... this is his team... and if you push them around... you are gonna get a visit from the T man. And he's bringing quiet pain. 






Wednesday 15 July 2015

Concrete Proof that I Am A Thug Daddy

Why yes, I did write his name in the wet concrete. What of it? Embrace your inner child.



Trouble shmouble.

#thugdaddynation

Saturday 11 July 2015

Team Green Rolling!

Our U4 soccer team has reached such prowess that we are destroying teams each week. It's ugly out there. The opposing parents and coaches... not enjoying it as much as us!!! Woot! 

I would say in the last 4 weeks, we have outscored the opposition approximately 60-5. Every game is about 15-1 or thereabouts. Nobody ACTUALLY keeps count but obviously you keep a running total in your head, or of who on the team has scored a least.

And if I put my foot on the throttle, it'd be 25, not 15. We just seem to be improving a little quicker than the other teams. Really, really jacked about how well the kids have taken to it and have come ready to play each week. Tall order from a 4y old, so I assume they're enjoying themselves as much as Coach is.



Tommy about to score one for Team Green!

Thursday 12 February 2015

Tommy is Four Today!

Four years ago today, my world shifted on its axis... and started spinning correctly for the first time in my life.

You complete me in a way I never dreamed possible son, I love you and wish you the happiest of days on your birthday.





Happy Birthday Kimosabe!

Sunday 8 February 2015

School Is In!!


This week marked a very important milestone for Tommy - he registered for school!

Tommy is a February birthday, and was not eligible for Junior Kindergarten this past September, so he will be going this upcoming fall. While it seems ridiculous to me that he will not be in a standard Kindergarten class until September 2016, I'm glad that he will soon be starting this next chapter of his life. Tommy is a learning sponge, and a social animal - the only thing that school will not offer Tommy, is much of a challenge. With so much to gain though, that will be an easy bump in the road.

His entrance into "the system" marks a very important time. In his first four years on this planet, his parents' sacrifices have been... many. Believing in the sanctity and importance of his early learning years, we took it upon ourselves to give more of our time than most parents choose, or can afford to do.

There is presumably a slightly unique mindset to a parent who does not experience the blessings of a child until after he is 40 years old. Is it a moderate amount of wisdom? A tangible sense of appreciation? A modicum of mild sensibility?

Whatever it is, I made the decision early on in parenthood that I was not going to miss any of the important early moments. I wasn't going to spend my life working more, so that I could provide for my son better. I felt the best thing that I had to "provide" or to offer, was me. And my time. And my love.

So while I could wax poetic all day long about all of the wonderful experiences and joy that it has brought me in the last four years, I will just say that it has been an incredibly thrilling, and fulfilling ride. Not a bed of roses by any means, the struggles have been many, and arduous. It's not a path that all can take; but, it's one that I am personally extremely thankful to have chosen for myself.

We have built an incredible bond - an amazing meld of guidance AND friendship. We have spent so much time with each other that we know the subtlest of nuances in each other. It helps Tommy every day. It helps me every moment of every day. It is a powerful parenting tool to know your child on an atomic level.

We share a love of learning. We share a love of gamesmanship. We share a love of silly-ness. We share a love of a lot of things, but most importantly of all, we share. A lot. I am so thankful every day not only of the love and joy that he brings me, but of the fact that I am constantly cognizant of it. I think it's part of a zen existence to enjoy where you are at all times. Tommy has taught me to do just that.

So it is with a very strange juxtaposition of excitement and disappointment that I turned over those registration papers this week. A beautiful beginning for Tommy, marks a very sad ending for his mom and dad. Tommy's everything. Gone will be the days of owning every moment of his time, and every drop of his energy. And his love.

But when the disappointment washed over me in a day or two, and the selfish pangs waned... I was left with an incredible feeling of fulfillment. Of making that "sacrifice". Of deciding to dedicate all of myself to him for as long as life would permit. Nobody can ever take away the incredible good that has been done. The incredible base and foundation that we have built, as a father and son.

My little man is ready to take on the world, with me at his side.

Job well done.