In today's world of computer speeds, web surfing and instant everything's, thoughts like "tradition", "family", and "morals" seem to be given over to times long gone by to the wayside. Our modern day world places much more value on DVD players, gossip, and food than on the foundation of our society: our values. Even worse, our Scandinavian heritage was intentionally lost so we might assimilate better into the American culture.
"Fifty years from now, it will not matter what my checking account was, the sort of car I drove to work, or the kind of clothes I wore... But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child." Unknown Author
I wanted to influence my child's life in a positive way. I feel I need to give him a foundation to know the great value of his own roots as a human being, to understand his own worth and beginnings. The problem was, I wasn't sure how to do that when I first found out I was going to be a father.
Then one day, my wonderful wife was talking to her high school friend, Nicki. Nicki told her of a unique idea she was doing for her three children, Kyle, Wendy, and Jenny. She had been keeping a notebook about their childhood, documenting the many things they did as they were growing up and discovering life. She said it was a craft she happily enjoyed all the time.
She said it was all too fun to whip out the notebook and browse through some older pieces with her family. She told us stories about how people are often amazed at things quoted from just a few months ago. People have short memories for their words when it comes to amusing quotes where the context is often forgotten. It's not unusual to hear her husband say, "Did I really say that, Nicki? Are you sure?" She says the children enjoy some of their father's reactions to his off handed and soon forgotten remarks.
My wife and I discussed the idea of having a notebook for our son, and we both decided it would be a great project to do. We took the direction in that I would be the one to maintain the collection, so soon after went out and purchased a quality for him from Barnes & Noble.
Right from the beginning, I found keeping tabs in his notebook to be a wonderful experience. I decided to keep my entries short and to the point. I wrote them like I was writing a memo or note to my son: one he would read many years from now.
The amazing part of it all is how much I can write in the notebook from taking a few minutes by myself in a very special place: the bathroom. Multitasking is a wonderful thing, if done correctly. The concept of using the bathroom for study was given to me by an old Navy Senior Chief many years ago. She told me her success was based on the fact that it was her daily study time that helped her advance so far in life. It's amusing how I've taken that concept and transformed it into a means of making a family treasure, and I would love to see others take the opportunity too.
