It’s fun to do!

As promised, this week’s Dadvice is a more upbeat topic. Something that many adults forget as the pressures of life squeeze them. Something that is often dismissed as immature, or counterproductive when it is, in fact, extremely important to your overall well-being. The topic of the week is – FUN!

I’m doing important work.

Having seen me working from home, your desire to understand, explore and be included has led you to telling us that you want to “do work.” You’ve been excited to see the computer and keyboard, and you’ll even use a scientific calculator as a medium for “doing important work.” I applaud and am proud of your initiative, my dearest daughter. I know you have no deep understanding right now about working, and what is involved with having a job or a career. For now, this is another way of you engaging with me or playing on your own in a way that helps your mind grow.

In the future, we will have a more serious conversation about working, and potentially choosing a career. I hope that I remember what I write here during that discussion, because there are a few things I need you to know.

I’m just a bit sad.

As your father, me saying that you have fantastic emotional intelligence is probably not really taken seriously by many people who hear it. Lots of people hear me singing your praises and, because I’m your father, likely dismiss it as a proud father overstating his only child’s capabilities and qualities. I don’t care though, because I know that the things I say are fundamental truths about you.

I don’t know all the words.

At the moment, this statement from you is a simple reference to whatever song we’re trying to sing together. Your mum and I always let you know that it’s ok if you don’t know all the words – you can sing the parts you do know and that is perfectly fine. If you really want to, you can learn all the words later. From me to you, this is something that can be applied in many areas of life. Not knowing all the words doesn’t mean you can’t still sing.

Music is a wonderous thing. As you grow, it will find its way into your life, and it will help you in a multitude of ways. Loud, angry music. Gentle, soothing music. Loud, soothing music. Everything in between. You will likely turn to music to help express yourself, and you will have your own unique relationship with songs, artists and genres. It’s one of many facets that will make up the cosmically unique individual that you are.

I got you, buddy.

This will be a post series from me to you, my miraculous daughter. Maybe also to my younger and current self, as well as anyone else who might take something useful from it. A lot of what I post in this series will be repetition of advice that is already out there; hopefully it will just serve as a reminder to you from time-to-time as you make your own way through the adventures of your life. Oh, and there will be some swearing on occasion.

Naturally, these are conversations I intend to have with you in the coming future. However, it has been brought to my attention that I am now entering an age group that isn’t physically as young as we’d like to be, and, well, things happen. So these posts will serve as a library of sorts – a collection of things I want you to know in case I don’t get the chance to tell you myself and, of course, for any readers out there that I might never actually get to sit down and talk with.