My Dad is Superman

[ependydad...Doug 176]

Ok, so the "Favorite Things Your Kids Have Said" thread sent me looking for old stories that I wrote to my family about my daughter. Fortunately I have used GMail for a long time and have actually saved them off in a special "Daughter Stories" folder. Here's one where we tried our first backyard camping before I would commit to taking DD tent camping.

 

I sent this to my Dad back in 2007 (she was about 4 at the time).

 

---

 

Dude -

 

I never realised how smart I was as a kid -- I viewed you as some kind of superman that could do, build, accomplish anything.  I was (and still am) right.

 

I knew we went camping - and, looking back, I don't remember many details.  I just know that we'd get there, I'd play, I'd eat and I'd have a place to sleep.  The details... well, they just took care of themselves.  In the last 8 or 9 years or so, I've learned that camping takes a fair amount of work - to keep it running.

 

But, all of my camping has been in groups of adults and things just get done.

 

Then, in my infinite wisdom, I think - "hey, I have Wednesday (July 4) off - Daughter and I should camp out in the backyard."  I should put "camp out" in quotes, as my goal was for us to simply sleep in the tent.  No food, no fire, nothing.... except for putting up that tent.

 

I've done this a million times, I think:

   - lay it out

   - slide the poles through

   - stick one end in

   - shove the other into the pocket

   - repeat on otherside

   - throw rain fly overtop

   - presto, chango, done.

 

Thats where things got interesting.... I knew my 3 year old would want to help.  In fact, I was counting on it - those poles don't just stay in the pockets themselves.

 

Except....

 

"Don't walk on the tent."

 

"Sweetie, get back here - you're supposed to be helping."

 

"Don't pull on that."

 

"No, don't push that either."

 

"Here, just hold this."

 

"Hey, get back here..."

 

"Wait, slow down..."

 

"Yes, put your foot there."

 

"No, the dirt won't help you."

 

"Yes, you can do it."

 

"Really, you can."

 

"Oh crap, the other end popped out."

 

"Hang on."

 

"Sweetie, come back, please..."

 

"Ok, hold here."

 

"Yes, the worm is still in the grass."

 

"Will you hold it?"

 

"Ok, so you're telling me you want to know where it is, see it, possibly threaten to poke it, but will yelp when I pick it up to show you?"

 

"Wait, come back - we're putting the tent up."

 

"No, you can't hammer without my help."

 

"Yes, this really is a tent."

 

"No, it's not supposed to be flat - that's why we're erecting it."

 

"'Erecting' means - 'putting it up'."

 

"Oh damn, the pole popped out again."

 

"Come on, come back!"

 

(continues grunting, child is on the playset, I have 4-inch holes in my yard somehow)

 

she says: "Wow, dad - a tent!  Can I get in it?"

 

By this point, I'm pooped.  I still have to put the rain fly on, lay down the rules (no shoes in the tent, don't lay on the sides of it, don't trip over the guide strings, etc., etc.), get the bed, inflate the bed, make the bed, inflate HER bed, make her bed.

 

I finally broke down and asked (well somewhere between demanding and begging) wife to help.  She took care of inflating beds and collecting stuff.

 

Ultimately, in the tent we had:

  - 2 beds

  - 7 pillows

  - 3 blankets 

  - 6 bags that stuff came out of

  - 6 shoes

  - 2 flashlights

  - 3 people  

  - 1 extension cord

  - 1 cpap machine

  - 3 baby dolls

  - 1 stuffed fish (which, mind you - we lost somehow)

 

We attempted to sleep for 2 hours and ultimately gave up.

 

Lesson learned?  Dad was a freakin' superhero.  Where do I get these special powers?

 

Me.

 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Fabulous. Thanks for sharing.

[BradyBzLyn...Mo 2,023]

That's great!!

[the_Meirkat 5]

OH, that is marvelous!  And such a good reminder of the "magic" of camping.  :)  My parents camped, in a homemade pop-up, with my brother and I beginning when I was about six weeks old.  All I can think, looking back, is "crazy people."  My own daughter is eleven and I still think maybe she is too young, considering all the fussing/directing/rescuing I have to do each trip.  I have no doubt our upcoming trip with the little cousins will be Interesting, and possibly similar to your experience.  :)

 

Thanks for sharing!

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

Love it!

 

I've always loved my parents...but admiration, that came after I was married and then became a parent.  For those of us blessed with a good family, when you grow up you realize just how amazing your parents are and just how blessed you were.  

 

Funny how the trips seemed "more simple" as I child.  I never realized why my mother would get frustrated and kick us out of the camper; now (that I have to do all of the work), I get it