We've had the blessing of having great men in our family. The hubby, whom the boys are so close to. They look up to their Papa, and look forward to having him home at the end of each day. He is the one who wrestles with them, who throws them up in the air, the one who is strong, yet gentle with them.
Then they have their Ah Kong, who loves bringing them out for walks in the park, who takes them to kick balls around. He teaches them how to hammer nails into wood, and how to hoola hoop.
And they have their Kong kong. The one who reads books to them, brings them to hunt for snails and excavators. He's the one who plays I-spy on bus rides to piano classes, and plays with them almost everyday.
As Dr. James Dobson puts it:
"A father holds awesome power in the lives of his children, for good or ill. Families have understood that fact for centuries. It has been said, "No man stands so tall as when he stoops to help a boy." Another wise observer said, "Tie a boy to the right man and he almost never goes wrong." They are both right. When asked who their heroes are, the majority of boys who are fortunate enough to have a father will say, "It's my dad." On the other hand, when a father is uninvolved - when he doesn't love or care for his kids - it creates an ache, a longing, that will linger for decades. Again, without minimizing how much girls need their fathers, which we also acknowledge, boys are constructed emotionally to be dependent on dads in ways that were not understood until recently."
- Dr. James Dobson, in "Bringing Up Boys"
I am so thankful that the boys not only have their Papa, but their grandfathers as father-figures to look up to.
What are you thankful for today?
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