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Hey Dad,

We got a trampoline last week. We'd been promising the kids for at least a year and finally made good on that promise. Kids never forget the promises we make—ever.

The sun was shining as we piled into the van for the 15 minute trip to Wal–Mart, and we looked like the Brady Bunch on some kind of TV adventure. All smiles and sunshine.

I was worried about not having a big enough van to get the trampoline home, but fortunately trampoline makers have figured out how to pack a 14–foot, 215–pound trampoline with sides into two boxes, leaving plenty of room in the back of our van.

Once home, I learned a lot about trampolines, my kids, and myself. First, putting a trampoline together is not a 20–minute project. In fact, you should never attempt to put a trampoline together unless you're well rested, your kids are in another state, and you wife is taking a nap.

I was exhausted that day. It also didn't help that I don't have an engineering degree, that the kids were pulling parts out of the box at incredible speed, and that my wife thinks I'm dumb.

Halfway through the project, I was ready to send them all packing and to stuff the trampoline back into the box in which it came. Four hours later, it was done, and we ate dinner.

After setting down some rules for trampoline use, we watched the kids bound, laugh, and call out, "Watch this!" Sitting next to my wife in the evening shade, I couldn't help but feel like it had turned out to be a good day. Hard, but good.

Most good days are like that. Usually I see the potential hardness and say, "No, thank you"; but when I do, I miss out. And so do you.

So when the kids ask to build a treehouse, a blanket fort, have a tea party, or rebuild a transmission, think through all the pros and cons, take a good nap, and then do it! Of course, it will be hard; but it will be good.

You 'da dad!

Reprinted from June, 2003. © Copyright 2003 Todd Wilson. Used by permission.

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