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Hey Dad,

Tonight we're going to sleep around the Christmas tree as a family. Truthfully, it sounds exhausting. The thought has crossed my mind to let a few of the older kids sleep under the tree by themselves, while my wife and I sleep in our nice, comfortable bed. But I've pretty much buried that idea, especially after the other night.

It was a bitterly cold evening, and there were four inches of snow on the ground. The kids had played outside several times during the day. They'd bundle up, romp in the snow for 30 minutes, and then come in and dump all their snow gear in a pile … only to ask an hour later, "Can we go outside and play in the snow?"

That was all well and good, but as we ate dinner, it all took a dreadful turn for the worse. It was dark outside, and I could tell the kids were going to ask to go back out in the snow—again.

"What's the harm?" I thought to myself. "If they want to freeze their keesters off, so be it."

Then the conversation turned and included my keester.

Without looking up, Ben (11) said, "You know what my favorite part of playing in the snow is?"

A chill ran down my spine, and then he answered exactly what I feared.

"I love it when Dad and Mom come out and play too."

The next thing I heard was my own voice say, "I'll go out and play in the snow with you." Fifteen minutes later, I was outside freezing my keester off right beside my children. They were having a great time throwing snowballs at me and loved it when I shoved them down in the snow and tromped around the yard with them.

OK, here's the lesson of the frozen keester. Your children like you. They like it when you stop doing what you're doing and play in the snow with them. They love it when you leave your lawn chair and get in the pool with them. They love it when you stop doing whatever you're doing and involve yourself in their fun … because it's just more fun when dad (and/or mom) is involved. I'm sure it's some kind of biblical truth.

Dad, you'll get plenty of opportunities in the next week to be involved with your children. They'll ask you to make cookies, play games, go shopping, wrap presents, and sleep under the Christmas tree.

Do it just because they like you and because …

…You 'da dad! [Todd]

©© Copyright 2004 Todd Wilson. Used by permission.

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