Finding connections with your children is an important part of being a parent. For example, my oldest has become a huge movie buff. As a young man, I had dreams of being a screenwriter, and so our mutual love of film is something we share. With each of my four kids, I have worked to find mutual interests. As they grow, finding and developing these mutual interests is a way to stay connected and close.
Of course, finding common interests is easier as your children age and become more like human beings, and less like feral animals. On the surface, a forty-four year old dad and two-year gremlin don’t have too much in common. I’m too old and tired to really get all that interested in any of the new kids’ tv shows. Thirty-year old Brendon invested heavily into “Mickey Mouse Clubhouse,” “Aquanauts,” and “Handy Manny.” Mid-forties Brendon does not have the mental or emotional space to build that connected to“Blippi.” (Particularly, as I am releasing that there are multiple Blippies.)
This is not to say that I share nothing in common with my toddler age son. In fact, we share a number of important mutual interests. Here are three things I have in common with my two-year-old.
Lights
I am not ashamed to admit that I like lights. Not just in general I appreciate the importance of electric lights in a modern society type of way. No, I enjoy looking at lights. Las Vegas is one of my favorite places to go, not so much for the gambling, restaurants, or nightlife. Mostly, it is because of all the twinkling lights. My two year old and I seem to share the same affinity for lights, whether they be Christmas lights or neon signs. And, we have about the same level of understanding of how electricity works. This lack of knowledge allows us to just stare at them in awe and wonder.
Lightning McQueen
I mentioned in the introduction that I do not have the mental space to invest in the newest icons in toddler culture. Thankfully, my little guy is a huge fan of established athlete and Disney/Pixar legend, Lightning McQueen. Having watched the career of Lightning in real time, re-watching his great races is something my son and I can bond over. It’s the equivalent of my son becoming a fan of Tom Brady. (One big difference is that Lightning never went to Tampa Bay.) Sports are often a bridge across generational divides, and I am all too happy to connect over the seven-time Piston Cup Champion, Lightning McQueen.
Waking Up Early
I am an early riser, and so is my two-year-old. During the work week, I generally wake up around 4:00 am, and often the little guy is stirring at the same time. As he is currently unemployed, he sometimes takes my spot in the bed when I leave for work. On weekends, I try to sleep in a little bit more. Usually, I can get to sleep until 6:00-6:30 am. Then he and I are awake, and attacking the day. This generally involves loudly watching tv, throwing temper tantrums when not allowed to eat cookies, and making a mess in the kitchen. Sometimes, the toddler even contributes to the chaos. I think this racket not only benefits us, but really endears us to my exhausted wife and our teenage children.
As he grows, I am confident that will have more and more mutual interests with my youngest son. I do see a potentially game changing shared interest emerging on the horizon. Namely, annoying my three older children. That is a hobby I can really get behind.
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