One of the most joyful parts of being a father is watching your child learn the various things you’ve taken for granted over the years. From the simple act of rolling over to more complex tasks of walking and throwing a ball, this highlight is rewarding as you relive your childhood by watching how you probably learned the same tasks through great trial. It has been a great joy to see our son watch the wind blow through the leaves on a tree or carefully study the whirl of the final part of water from the bathtub. So many childhood memories have returned as I’ve experienced them anew through our son.
Imagine my joy as he began to use a spoon. This past Thanksgiving our son was given a breakable plate, a tea spoon, and heaping pile of mashed potatoes. There was a bit of turkey, some small piece of stuffing, but mostly potatoes (he doesn’t really like meat for some reason). Our small family sat with plates of wonderful food at the same table with happiness in our hearts. My wife and I were able to look on as our son tried and failed and tried again to make the spoon do what he wanted it to: bring potatoes to his mouth. Sometimes he was successful. He was, more than anything, proud. He could see that his parents were proud of him and that he was succeeding in a task he set out for himself.
Now we can hardly keep silverware away from him. He wants to use the adult sized tools for his own practice. Yesterday I found a fork beneath the Christmas tree. Our son was practicing on any paper or toys he was able to find on the floor. Practicing. Practicing. Practicing. Sometimes we forget that to learn it takes practice. Children have this ability and we’d do well to relearn it.