"Dad...You Want To Play A Game?"

Tonight, as I was about to write another blog post (and not really sure what I was going to write about--it happens sometimes...), my youngest son came in and asked if I wanted to join him in playing a game.

I could have said no--I've said no in the past. But I said yes.

Parents, as they get older, reminisce about remembering watching their kids grow up. We remember when the kids learned to ride a bike, learned to catch a baseball, or throw a Frisbee. We remember them climbing into our bed when they are scared at night or not feeling well. We recall loving to hear them laugh at our corny jokes or watch them experience a Disney movie for the first time. We remember all the good times and wish they would never stop.

Of course, do we remember thinking about work the next day when we're out on the street running behind our child hoping they'll not crash as they learn to ride a bike for the first time? Do we inwardly complain when a child climbs into bed thinking we won't get enough sleep? Do we think about how much it costs to get the whole family into the theater to watch a movie, a movie that you could just buy in a few months for the same price?

I think we conveniently forget those times.

I could have said "no" to my son tonight, but I didn't. And as my kids grow up, will they remember tonight's game? Maybe not, but I'd like to think they will. Personally, I hope I never forget.