Passing down

By Anne-Marie

Recently, my son Nathan started micro t-ball, his first time playing an organized sport. The same week, my husband Paul came home from a visit with his orthopedic surgeon and announced, "That's it. I'm done. No more softball, basketball or skiing. Just golf, fishing and hunting." I found it ironic that just as his son was starting out in organized sports, Paul was leaving them.

Paul lettered in four sports in high school (football, baseball, basketball and golf), and played in organized sports ever since he was old enough to do so. It's been hard for him to realize that he is physically unable to participate anymore. Still he finds solace in playing sports with Nathan. His love for the various games, the physical exertion, and being outdoors has always been something he's wanted to pass down to his children. And it's something I've supported as an avid non-athlete and professional football fan.

It's been harder to pass down my great love, reading, as my children are still small. We have bookcases full of children's books, mostly from our childhood collections. We read to them, but it's hard to get them to sit still for long. Nathan didn't develop the patience to look through a book by himself until very recently. He would rather go outside and hit a golf ball. Lucie, at 15 months, is the child who likes books. Often I find her playing with her board books, something Nathan never did at her age. Since both kids enjoy story time at school and the library, I'm hopeful that they'll develop a reading habit as they get older.

I see this passing down as something I've learned from my parents. My mother shared with me her love of cooking, something her mother passed down to her. Unlike many women who never learned to cook because their mothers didn't want to share the kitchen and the limelight, my mother always encouraged my efforts. Cooking was never a competition and she enabled me to find my own niche, baking and cake decorating.

Following my mother's example, Paul and I are passing down our favorite activities to Nathan and Lucie. What pastimes are you passing down to your children?

Comments

[Robin]

Rich and I both love to read and Lillianna is addicted to reading. She prefers that over just about anything although she is pretty well rounded. I have taught her to bake and make chocolates. I have recently learned to scrap book and Lillianna made her own yesterday as I was making one for my mom's birthday.
Rich is a great artist and musician and he has taught Lillianna to play guitar.
Mom has taught her to knit.
My sister has taught her to shop!!!
I think she is prepared for anything now!

[AGK]

I am passing down my love of reading, writing and photography. And Barbies. And, ummm...scary stuff ;)

[VJ]

My love of journaling. Since I keep my own journal, and one for Tony, Tony dictates his own to me. We don't do it every night, but when there is something significant happening, he will want to "write." Sometimes it's just a few lines, other times he will dictate enough to fill a page or more.

He loves to listen to what I write about him.

In addition to journaling, there's swimming, bike riding, t-ball, and just getting into basketball.

Angelo reads to Tony every night at bed time. That's father/son time in our house.

[Goldberry]

Reading is a huge past-time in our family. Both my husband and I love to read, as does my 18 mo. old daughter. She can read for hours. I know they are board books, but they are so much fun.

I remember as a kid my Mom and I used to listen to Disney Classic music. We would just sing and dance, nothing else. We do that now with my daughter. My hubby thinks its silly, and it is. We are both silly when we sing and dance.

Parks. After my parents separated, my Dad used to take us to the park and then the beach every other Sunday. It was SO much fun. My daughter loves the parks. We tried the beach once and she wasn't too sure. We will try later.

That's all I can really think of.

[Amy]

Lacrosse, reading, writing, orienteering, snacking, lots of things! And just the other day my older daughter said to me, "Mom, when can I start my own blog?"