Snoozing In With Dad.
As young children, whenever we were woken up to prepare for school, my siblings and I would say we wanted to say good morning to our father first. As we stormed his bedroom and greeted him, he would open his arms wide to hug us, then we’d pile on him, with some of us on either side of his arms, all covered with his comforter. This usually gave us, maybe an extra five minutes of snoozing and the coziness was too personal to describe. Then, it seemed like we were the only beneficiaries of the delight, soaking it all in without noticing our father’s satisfaction. I get nostalgic now, just remembering those times. I even still remember the poke, on my face, of his emerging beard after a fresh shave.
Now, let me flip the script to the present. I am now the father of three lovely children. Whenever I am at home in the morning, I share the joy of our children cramming into our bed for a morning warm embrace just like I and my siblings used to do with our father. Now, I’m in a position to experience my father’s joy. Now, I understand that the joy of bonding in our father’s bosom was mutual. Right now, it is even too personal to describe even from a father’s perspective.
So, this morning I decided to take a trip into our children’s minds, thanks to our open communication. I asked them how they felt from cuddling up with me in the mornings. These were their responses:
Oche: “I feel safe.”
Agbenu: “It feels comfy.”
Ofu: “I am your baby.”
Me: “That’s nice to know. We felt the same way with our father too, when we were kids.”
Hmmm! Honestly, I don’t know if asking them the question was meant to help me bask in the good feeling or just to spark a conversation as we usually do from the ordinary. However, their answers helped to validate and encourage my roles as their father:
- To ensure their safety
- To provide a relaxing environment that is free of stress and fear
- To enhance open and honest conversations, and so on.
I feel encouraged by the fact that something as ordinary as my children’s snoozing in with me can be a tangible gauge of their safety and comfort with me.
- 6/4/2016
2 thoughts on “Snoozing In With Dad.”
As I walk across campus, a light autumn rain *taps-taps-taps* the top of my umbrella. Iām listening to this story in my ear buds and cannot help but allow the soft smile to emerge on my face. The nostalgic feeling of this memory is too good to deny! Life comes full circle! A warm cozy cuddle begets a warm cozy cuddle š Thanks for reminding me to slow down and enjoy it!
Thanks Fran! That’s the inspiration in effect there. Yes, let’s slow down and enjoy these moments because they won’t always be there but the sweet memories and inspiration will outlive us.