Our lives always seem to revolve around the Super Kids even when they are not with us. Lois was on the computer today and I asked her what she was doing and she responded shopping for SG. She was looking for summer clothes and was taking notes. Later in the day we were out and about and Lois said she needed a new book since she just finished "The Looking Glass Wars" which she highly recommended to me ( It's a new twist on Alice in Wonderland ). We were driving by Barnes and Noble so we stopped in to take a look around. The first thing I thought of was to head to the children's section to look for a book for SB about the New York Yankees. We are taking a family vacation to New York this summer and will be attending a Yankee game. I found him a great book called "The Story of the New York Yankees" which is in his reading level. This is the last year the Yanks will be playing in the House that Ruth Built. We have already bought our tickets for the baseball game, tickets to WICKED the musical ( SG is really excited about Wicked) and have paid for our hotel in Times Square. We are so excited to take the Super Kids to New York and expose them to a new adventure.
We called the Super Kids tonight and only SG was home. As usual when she realised who was on the phone her voice lit up. She was excited to tell me she was about to eat some chocolate ice cream, her favorite flavor, they had bought earlier. She seemed to be in good spirits and we had a nice talk. I really wanted to talk to SB to tell him about the books we had bought and were sending to him. We also bought him a book about his favorite basketball team on Amazon and had it shipped to him. Unfortunately SB was at a friends for a sleep over. Lois and I can't have a lengthy conversation without somehow the Super Kids always coming up. Tonight, of course, we started talking about the kids and we started talking about some of their needs for summer and we talked about getting a bunk bed to help free up some space in their room. For those of you who don't know Lois, the first place she headed to was the Internet to shop for bunk beds and sure enough within an hour we found a great bunk bed (twin on top full on bottom) made out of Brazilian Pine in a honey finish. There was no sales tax and the shipping was free and you guessed it, it will be here in a week. We have decided not to tell the kids about their new bunk bed until they walk in there room this summer and just let it be a huge surprise. We told the kids we would buy them a bunk bed and the one thing I have made a priority with the kids is to always fulfill our promises. Krypto lies to the kids all the time from "I'm going to buy you a new bedroom suite", to "We're going to take a vacation to Disneyland", or "You can play football this year." Those are just a few of the promises made by Krypto and none of them kept. Because of this I truly can't not follow through with a promise. The kids need someone to show them that your word means something and to be able to trust someone. I want the kids to know that they can rely on us and depend on us. Period. No questions asked. The kids always ask questions about the plans we make and we constantly have to reassure them. The trip to New york isn't just a family vacation it's a fulfillment of a promise made to a 6 year old boy. We do something special for our kids 8th birthdays. SG chose to go to Sea World for her 8th birthday and you should have seen the size of the stuffed Shamu she brought home (seriously it wouldn't fit in the overhead bin on the plane). While we were on that trip I asked SB where he wanted to go for his 8th birthday and after tossing some ideas out there he said he wanted to go to see the Yankees play baseball where Babe Ruth played. We have been planning this trip for two years and I can't wait to see the joy and excitement in the kids faces. This trip will also fulfill a broken promise from Krypto. She told SG she would take her to see Wicked when it was on tour and coming to Smallville. You guessed it, Wicked came and went and SG never saw one single act. Now mind you we were the ones who introduced SG to Wicked and many other musicals. Their iPods are loaded with Wicked, Annie, Annie Get Your Gun, Newsies, Hairspray and High School Musical. These are the promises I take a quiet victory in fulfilling. I don't rub it in or gloat or point it out to the kids that there mom is a liar. I waited for three years for Krypto to take the kids to Disneyland. Three years! I got tired of waiting and hearing the excitement in the kids voices as they would tell me that their mom was going to take them to Disneyland. I desperately hoped Krypto would follow through but it never happened. Lois and I took the challenge upon ourselves and we took them to Disneyland and yep we took them again the year after that just for good measure. My ex mother-in-law actually had the nerve to try and make me feel guilty for taking the kids to Disneyland because Krypto didn't have the money. She couldn't save enough money in three years! These kids live in a world of uncertainty and are being taught by their mom that promises are meant to be broken and that it's okay to lie to cover up your mistakes. This is one of my challenges as a father to teach my children that there is another side and the peace that comes from being able to rely on one another and not worry about the last lie you told and how you are going to cover it up. Maybe this is why Lois and I are always thinking about the kids because we are always worried about them when they are with Krypto.
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3 comments:
Of course, you are always thinking about your kids. When you love someone they are always on your mind. And when you are smart enough to understand that broken promises are not forgotten and the importance of teaching your kids how to be honest people, you take care to follow through with what you say. Great Job, Dad. And great post!
Hi! I bet the kids are going to be so excited about their new bunkbeds. And I'm so jealous-tickets to see Wicked?? I'm begging hubby to take me to see it...loved the book.
i think it's impossible not to think about the children when they are away. especially when you deal with an ex whose main concern is not the children, but herself. we too deal with the ex who is more concerned about her supermodel wardrobe than she is about saving money to take her son on vacation. and do you know why? because she knows that she doesn't have to try because we are here to pick up where she leaves off. we'll take care of vacations, so why should she try? she'll just say "mommy can't afford it" and make the child feel sorry for her and she's off the hook. it's like that with everything, this is just skimming the surface...but you guys are doing what you know is right by the kids. keeping your promises. and those things they will always remember and the moments that you all shared together.
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