Who was the second wife of Henry VIII? I’m amazed at some of the things we men commit to memory. Like key stats for the Atlanta Braves or Chicago Bulls. Or all the specifications for next year’s Corvette. Or the titles and co-stars of every John Wayne movie.
How many meaningless song lyrics do you remember from twenty years ago? Probably you’re also storing knowledge that has some worldly value. For example, the views of your state representative, the prime interest rate, the cost of housing in your neighborhood, hints for surfing the web, and so on.
Some of us could easily do an hour-long lecture on some of these topics. But how many of us dads can answer even simple questions about our children, who are as important to us as anyone or anything in our lives?
Well, dad, today I have some questions about your child. Some may be easy, some are not. But this isn’t just trivia; these questions provide a good marker for how aware you are of your child and his world. And a healthy awareness will help you in so many other areas of your fathering.
So, dad, who is your child’s all-time hero? What is your child’s most prized possession? Who’s their best friend? Here’s a good one: What causes your child to lose sleep? What were your child’s greatest achievements and disappointments in the last year? What is your child’s favorite meal? What would your child like to do when she grows up? (Dad, that’s not what you want, but what she wants.) If your child had $20 to spend, what would he buy? What does your child most like to do with you? What’s the most important thing you need to discuss with your child in the next six months?
Even for most aware fathers, these questions should serve as a wake-up call. Maybe you need to sit down with your child and find out more about what makes him tick. It could lead to a great discussion about who he is and hopes to become.
