Thought of the Day 05.07.08

The other night, I took Spencer out with me to watch the Cardinals/Cubs game at a local sandwich shop. I ordered him a hamburger and a water. At one point, he took a drink, put the Styrofoam cup on the table, and said to me, “Here, Daddy, would you like some?” I thought it was so sweet that he was offering it to me like that, especially since sharing isn’t really his strong suit.

So I went to take a drink and discovered nothing but ice in the cup. I looked at him, and he started laughing and said, “I joked you, Daddy. Was that funny?” And I had to admit that it was. But it was also scary that, having just turned four, he had the foresight to plan ahead and execute this practical joke on me. Some might view this as a problem, but I took it as both a sign of intelligence and also an indicator of our bond.

Even though the joke was at my expense, he wanted to share the experience of it with me. Rather than being divisive, it actually brought us together in a special way precisely because it showed that our relationship is secure enough to allow room for joking around.