The Little Things Kids Do ©
By
Michael Casey
As I sit here tonight I’m happy and tired and yes in pain, that’s always part of me too. But it’s the happy part I want to rejoice about, the thing that lights up my very soul. A kiss on the cheek from my small daughter as she goes to bed. That kiss and a smile from her big sister is worth more than gold, and will probably be the memory as my eyes shut for the last time, and it’s God’s turn to put up with me for all Eternity. Tonight I’m watching a new K drama too, The Fiery Priest, which has all my favourite ingredients, Martial Arts, a Priest , I have read all the Don Camillo many times, and Padre Pio is somebody who I’ve annoyed often. So it’s looking good.
No doubt I’ll tell you more about my new Kdrama as I watch it, and did you know there were so many devout Korean Catholics. But it’s the things kids do I’ll try and talk about before I go to bed, though I wish I was in a warm country so my arthritis didn’t make my joints pain me so much. It’s the damp in UK that is bad for arthritis. Though this week it’s the 5th anniversary of my unplanned quadruple heart bypass so I’m happy to still be here. My big daughter said write 27 books, she did not realise I’d write so much and so fast, but like I said before I won’t rush as much. My girls have 1.5 million Words to read, but by saying 27 books, as in 27 dresses the film, my big daughter was really saying “don’t die” .
Children do things that make you happy and bring hope and fun to your life. I’ve been a hausfrau for 10 years now, I did do a bit of teaching for a year, but we just swopped roles and I became a hausfrau, which means I’ve spent more time with my kids that 99% of dads. And yes illness came along too, after decades of physical work. All I every wanted was a family, and it is better if there is somebody at home for the kids. You drink less beer, have less holidays, have a lower life style, because there is only one income.
However your kids are nurtured and are not “latch key kids” , I can remember my own dad saying how important it was for children, and yes I believe he was right. If you want it all, then somebody suffers, and that’s usually the kids, though I know this is not a popular opinion nowadays. I also have had plenty of time to Write.
So I’ve been a baby sitter and meal maker and gay dad, gay dad means a dad who knows about fashion, just in case any of my readers scattered I over 70 countries get confused by the expression. It’s been fun, and I actually talk to my own kids, have a relationship with them, my small daughter tells me that some kids don’t talk to their parents, I don’t know is it because it’s “uncool” or what. So I’ve been fortunate, and lucky too, because the way my Health turned out I could have been dead in the street 5 years ago.
So I’ve had time with my daughters to have a influence on them, to form them and direct them. And no I never treated them as kids, I just talked to them naturally. It amuses us when people say “and what do you want to be etc” as they talk down to them, and patronise them. Just so you know they are more intelligent than you, they should be patronising you. Intelligence is Speed of Thought, not age, nor volumes of learning, so please Grow Up Teachers, they are your equals. Though they are too polite to say it, but I am not. Most people think I am a Security Guard, what you wrote that? As if I’m a Moron, a stupid person, not the religious “cult”, if I thrown that back at you. And yes 1,535,000 words don’t write themselves, so I must just be “gifted”, another taint. 20 years of Radio Listening and reading 1000s of books, and 30+ years of writing, that makes me “gifted”, MIAOW>
But back to kids, they are a living memory of your life, and if you have 1000s of photos you can browse through the memories, such as playing badminton by the dustbins in the garden. Such as posing in a box marked “made in China”, which makes us smile, as they ARE half Chinese and Bilingual too. Though Korean is heard a lot in our house too, as I read the subtitles. You have summer photos, and snowmen photos, and building the doll’s house photos, all kinds of photos. Perfect to save and to use to embarrass them on their wedding days. Yes I realise because I had my kids when I was old, I may never seem any wedding day, so time is precious, silly photos are important too. And so I pray for more years, and yes I pray for that 2nd wife, a Korean girl. Because it’s me clinging on to hope in the dark of the night as Tinnitus keeps me awake. The clock has hit Midnight now as I talk to you, so I’ll finish and post this, just enjoy your kids as much as you can. Yes you’ll be broke as you spend your Pension on them, but what else would you waste your money on. Life is family and kids and then the Undertaker gets you, so die with a smile on your lips, as you curse your arthritic hips.
