I get the feeling my sons already know this
My two sons are now 7 and 5. Despite frequently giving me ulcers with their antics, they are generally very well-behaved and good-natured boys.
Granted, the elder one’s moodiness can put a girl to shame, while the younger one’s mischievousness is impossible to tame. But those traits, among many others, are exactly what makes them so much fun to watch and interact with.
That is, of course, until they start interacting with each other!
Tip #1: Don’t run in the heat!
I had an enormously enjoyable two-week break with the family over the Christmas/New Year period. Enjoyable because, from morning to night, the main thing on my mind was what we should eat, where we should go to eat it and how much of it should we eat. Indeed, our daily itinerary revolved around these deliberations on eating.
Then there was the drinking, ranging from the soft kind that requires multiple pit stops en route to a recreational destination, to the alcoholic kind that pretty much rules out venturing to any destination.
Wrong bin! Not even recyclable!
Where did the time go?
It is a question that I often ask myself as the calendar flips over to a New Year. And it is a rather ironic question, given that I spend most of the 365 days of the preceding year trying to hurry time along.
As a father, I sometimes foolishly wish time could fly. Fly so that my two boys would reach an age that requires less of my time, and frees up more of it to pursue a bucket list of interests.
As a runner, I continually wish time could accelerate. Accelerate during the interval between race A and race B, so that I can race and see the progress I’m making in this little hobby.
And, as a working man, I constantly wish time could expedite. Expedite in order for weekends to come around faster, seasons to go pass quicker and holidays to arrive earlier.
My elder son, L, is very conscientious – an attribute that belies his tender 7-year age.
Umm, is this going to be in the test?
He is the kind of boy who always does his absolute best in any pursuit, not just for the benefit of his own competitive streak, but also to please those in authority. L revels in the accolades that frequently come his way, be it from his school teachers, swimming instructor, Tae Kwon Do master or from his own parents and extended family.
While all this is great, the flipside to this attitude can be quite tumultuous. L’s mood can turn sour very quickly at the first hint of any criticism or perceived shortfall. Continue reading
No, please, no – not the squat again!
Last Friday morning, I was walking around aimlessly in the gym – walking because all the treadmills were occupied, and aimlessly because all the free weights were being used. The place was absolutely jam-packed with people, all suddenly striving to look their best as Sydney enters the beach season.
After a couple of more laps around the zoo, forlornly hoping for an empty military press machine or even just a simple bench to do some weights on, I gave up and headed for the stretch area. On the way there, however, I walked past a throng of people waiting outside one of the aerobic exercise classrooms. Continue reading
JOGGING DAD 