Don wrote this for one of his classes and I just found it on the computer. I am so touched, i cried a little. He is such a great dad!
Writing about bed
I heard the woman at the Sears store say, “don’t give your kids too much attention or you will spoil them”. I found myself thinking back to the snowstorm a few days before. My four-year-old daughter and I watched the snow driven by blustery winds. It was such a beautiful sight, especially from her third floor window that oversees our neighborhood- dangerous if not for our cloistering- probably made it more beautiful. Midnight came. She remained bright eyed. I do not understand why she never gets tired. I just find it amazing. In her whole life, she fell asleep once on the floor in front of the television. Every other night was like the night of the storm- a three hour ordeal of baths, stories, jokes, cuddling, cups of milk, hugs and crying. Sigh. We have tried everything. However, the entire ordeal is often remedied by simply lying down next to her. Other things work sometimes but that works most of the time. Due to my fatigue, a rigorous holiday schedule and the sinus infection that had invaded my head a few days earlier, that night, and much to her surprise, I announced, “I will be staying here and laying down with you tonight”. She was quite surprised and pleased. “No talking”, I said. “Just quiet and sleep”. She confirms, “we’ll talk tomarlor”. I agreed. Several minutes past. The wind howled outside. Nearly asleep after worrying that I am to easy on her, I feel a soft kiss on the tip of my nose, a gentle caress on the side of my face and a little familiar voice saying, “I love you so much”. No- you can’t give your kids too much attention.