Like a lot of men, I spend a great deal of my time, energy, and effort on my family. They are my world and I am happy to do it. It just scares me how quickly the time passes.
When each of my kids was born, I was ecstatic. Each one had their own little quirks that made their personality special. I guess they were like little people that way.
Nikkolas, who is now 18, was always pretty calm and serious; some would call him an old soul. Alexandra is 12 and a creative spirit, a Daddy's girl, a bit of a Tom-Boy, and she has always marched to the beat of her own drummer.
All I can say about my 9-year-old, Jeremiah, is that he is mini-me. He's always quick with a joke or a pun, and was black belt in both sarcasm and irony by the age of 4. One-year-old Joshuah is a very happy baby who has loved the song "Paradise City" by Guns 'n' Roses since he was a newborn, although lately he's been a bit of a crabby pants. He's probably teething.
I've written several articles about my adventures in Menifee with the boys, but I haven't really written much about Aexandra. When she was younger, we would do all sorts of thing together, ranging from watching TV or reading a book to going to father-daughter dances and selling Girl Scout cookies. As she has gotten older, and especially now that she is in middle school, I have had to force myself to look for ways for us to bond.
Recently, we had the opportunity to got to a father-daughter day with her Girl Scout Troop at Mulligan Family Fun Center in Murrieta. It was definitely a good experience. We got to shoot each other with lasers, chase each other with go carts, and actually talk. Who knew my daughter is actually an interesting person with real opinions? She's still a daddy's girl, even if she doesn't fit on my lap anymore.
The moral of the story is not for all you dads to run out and take your kids to a laser tag (although that was pretty cool). The moral of the story is to take the opportunity to get to know your kids. A camping trip or a trip to the beach works as well as any arcade. Just make the most of your time together.
David Baker, our Man About Menifee, writes about his adventures in and around town every Friday in this space. You may leave comments here for him or email him at manaboutmenifee@gmail.com.
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