Sunday at 3:00

Leave a comment April 2, 2013 drworobec

We had a wonderful Easter weekend- it was full of Spring sunshine, Easter egg hunts, and family gatherings. But the best part was Sunday at 3:00.

We live in a neighborhood full of young families- there are more strollers than cars, more baby bottles than beer bottles, and more schools than stores. It is a great place to raise our children, and that’s been reaffirmed many times since we bought our house nearly two years ago. What I didn’t count on though, was the seemingly simple moments that make the largest impact and create the biggest impressions on my children.

As we pulled both kids in the wagon around the neighborhood on Saturday morning, we noticed hand-made signs taped to the lightposts, announcing a ‘Free Bike Wash’, to take place on Sunday afternoon. The childish penmanship was neat and carefully written, and promised to ‘make your bike shine’. My 4-year-old son’s face lit up immediately.

Him: “You mean they’ll wash my bike?”

Me: “Yes. The address is listed on the sign. We can ride over tomorrow afternoon.”

Him: “How do they know how to wash bikes? Who will be washing the bikes? What will they use to wash the bikes?”

His curiosity and wonder was all-encompassing. Imagine: a neighborhood event, just for kids, organized by other kids. For him, it seemed too good to be true.

We walked over to the address listed on the signs, and talked to the 9-year-old boy who lives across the street from us. My shy little guy proudly announced that he would be bringing his bike to the Bike Wash at 3:00 tomorrow. As we went inside, our doorbell rang. It was the bike-washers bringing an appointment reminder note for Drew. Sunday 3:00. We hung the reminder on our fridge door. Then we hosted Easter dinner. We went to church. We did all sorts of wonderful family things while Sunday at 3:00 hung in the distance.

And when Sunday at 3:00 finally rolled around, as slowly as time passes in a 4-year-old’s world, it was raining. The Bike Wash went ahead anyways, and an impressionable little boy made new friends, felt a sense of community, learned the value of helping others, and had fun. All on Sunday at 3:00.

I Hope You Always

10 Comments February 26, 2013 drworobec

February 26th, 2013

To my dear Casey,

We are now four days away from your first birthday. How did this happen so quickly? One year ago, you were already four days past your due date, and I was grumpy and uncomfortable, impatiently waiting to meet you. You are a testament to the fact that time speeds up exponentially when you have children. You symbolize the best year of my life; the year that our family became complete.

You are growing quickly, my love, and I am cherishing each moment. These are my hopes for you:

I hope you always find excitement in simple things. Today, it’s playing in the basement, being outside, and eating ham. But when tomorrow comes, it will be watching sunsets, hearing your shoes crunch Fall leaves, and the smell of fresh coffee. Enjoy the small things.

I hope you always have an easy smile and a quick laugh. Show your happiness on the outside so that it may rub off on others.

I hope you always explore your environment. You are independent and curious and inquisitive. Spread your wings and fly.

I hope you always look to your big brother for guidance and companionship. Take care of each other.

I hope you always have people to hug and kiss before you go to bed. And before you go for a nap. And before you leave the house. Appreciate those people, take care of those people, remember how lucky you are to have those people and how lucky they are to have you.

But most of all, my sweet girl, I hope you always know how much we love you.

~Mommy

From this…

…to this!
What a difference a year makes!

Yes, I Paint my Son’s Fingernails

8 Comments February 12, 2013 drworobec

I had an eye-opening moment yesterday morning.

While his baby sister had her morning nap, my 4-year-old son asked me to paint his fingernails. I thought nothing of it, and grabbed my bag of assorted nail polish and told him to choose some colours. I have painted his fingernails a few times before, usually when I’m painting my own and he wants to be included. But that’s not where the eye-opener happened. It happened later, when we left the house, and his fingernails were on display in front of the public eye.

He was judged. I could see it. I could see it in the raised eyebrows, the questions, and the appeasing smiles and nods. I hope he didn’t see it too. But, then again, I know he didn’t see it. He didn’t see it because he’s too young to understand it. Children are born without negative judgement or criticism, and are filled instead with complete acceptance, pure innocence, and absolute naivety.

It makes me wonder: why is it such a big deal that a 4-year-old boy has painted fingernails? Why is it even questioned? Any parent can tell you that children model behaviours seen at home, including mundane things like fingernail painting. He wanted his fingernails painted because he thought it would be fun. Simple as that. And if he wants to play with dolls and wear pink clothes, then I will let him, because it’s fun. Just like I will let my daughter cut her hair short and play with trucks and wear blue clothes. If she wants to. If it’s fun.

But what about teasing? I wouldn’t want him to be teased by other kids, would I? Well, who would he be teased by? By those who have not yet learned acceptance? You teach them acceptance by accepting them. It starts at home. It starts with me painting his fingernails. It continues with me asking him if anyone at his Nursery School mentioned his fingernails. It ends with me explaining that different people like different things and it’s okay to be unique.

Celebrate differences, don’t judge them.