Everyday, when I bring Emma to school, I park the car and actually get out of the car and walk her to the door–many lazy and overweight parents out there!. I have been doing so through the winter too, good thing we have had such a mild one! While we walk, Emma always holds my hand. This also applies to when I pick her up after school.There are several other stay at home dads and stay at home moms that do the same. We have not given in, rebels as we are, to the school’s request that all kids take the bus.
I recently got to thinking, as I often do, about holding my daughter’s little hand. I like to ask Emma if she will hold my hand and hug me when she is older, like(this word seems to be big lingo now, even for her), even as a teenager? She says yes but I am sure that will change….Or, maybe not? Well, we all know that life goes on and we eventually grow old and die. Not to be negative but the other day I was thinking about her hand in mine, helping her to feel safe, loved and cared for and couldn’t help thinking about a day when our roles will, inevitably, be reversed.
Some day, I will probably need Emma’s hand to hold mine in order to comfort me and help be feel safe and loved. I can picture me as an old man–a very good looking one too–and Emma sitting by my bedside holding my hand and trying to comfort me and tell me that everything will be OK. My hand will be frail and wrinkly and hers will undoubtedly have nail polish and a wedding ring on. Hers will be the comforting and taking care of hand while mine will be the one that needs support. Oh, I really hope that this doesn’t happen until a very, very long time from now but, as we all know, time really flies and before you know it life is gone. I do, however, know this, when that day comes, I will think back to when I thought about this and wrote about it here.
I have let Emma use me as her model and dress-up toy over the years and recently she decided she wanted to do my hair. I gladly let her as she gets excited to be able to use me as her prop. I also need to have her stop bothering me! 🙂 She took her time and had her little brush and accessories and made some commentary and play-by-play as she went. She also put some very classy earrings on me. Boy, was she proud to show this stay at home dad her handy work in the mirror! Good Times!