Category — Parenting

Most days I have a sidekick at the office. Usually it’s my dog, who snoozes away the workday contentedly. But occasionally, it’s my chatty six-year-old, whose school seems to have an inordinate number of “professional development” and “report card writing” days. She stays busy (and quiet) with a box of art supplies I keep stashed on a shelf that she labeled with her name and “artist & editor” beneath it. Because I occasionally bring home manuscripts for kids’ books and read them to her, she considers herself our children’s book editor. She even asks me to pass on her comments about manuscripts to our publisher because she is sure he will want to know what she thinks. So when John Skewes, author of the delightful Larry Gets Lost series, agreed to illustrate a Washington state–themed kids’ doodle book, I was excited to “test drive” the roughs with my daughter who, when she’s not reading a book, is doodling in one.

Washington Doodles sparks the interest and imaginations of kids who live in our beautiful state or are just visiting it, with doodles about things they might see here (whales, Mt. Rainier, salmon jumping!), do (ski, hike, climb, swim!), or places they might go (the Olympic Sculpture Park, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market!). What I love about Washington Doodles is that kids aren’t just coloring inside the lines. They’re creating their own pictures, telling their own stories, and having fun learning along the way. As my daughter said, “you can really spread your imagination around.” As a parent, and as someone who helped this book come together, I couldn’t hope for more.

Doodles by Noa

When I was a little girl, I thought there was nothing more elegant than a pair of French-braid pigtails. I was unbelievably jealous of any girl sporting a pair. By the age of 11, I’d had enough; it was time to take action. I was determined to teach myself how to French-braid my hair even if it killed me.

Needless to say, my first solo attempt did not go so well. I didn’t seem to have enough fingers, and felt my determination begin to slip. That was when my dad, bless his heart, came to my rescue. As I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, passing different strands of hair to my dad, I knew this was a first for both of us. Soon enough, our collective four hands were an awkward maze of fingers and hair, with my tresses sticking out in every direction (and anyone who knows me knows I have arguably the thickest head of hair on the face of the planet). The end of our adventure resulted in, while not perfection, a fully functional pair of French-braided pigtails. PHEW! Since that fateful day in front of the mirror, I have become a French-braid aficionado, perfecting the art of weaving my hair, but like so many things (changing a busted headlight, going to college, investing for the future, etc.), I could never have done it without the support and patience of my dad.

Behold my mad skills

I know it mustn’t have been a cakewalk for my dad. After all, it must have been much easier to connect with my brother—they had baseball, erector sets, and fishing trips to bond over. How’s a girl with no patience and a tutu to compete with fishing trips? It would have been so easy to let a difference of gender build a bridge between us, but thanks to many out-loud readings of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, dollhouse-building sessions, and impromptu Disney-song recitals, we found a way to bond that exists to this day.

For all those new dads out there, don’t be intimidated by the thought of having a girl. There is now a resource to introduce you to the mysterious world of little girls. Tea Parties for Dads: A Crash Course in Daughters for New Fathers cracks open the world of the little lady in your life, exposing the secret of what is so fascinating about all things pink, playing dress-up, mermaids, and yes, even hair styles. Tea Parties for Dads even includes helpful activity recommendations to make you the apple of your princess’s eye. Here is one of my favorites:

Making a strong connection with my father at a young age laid a foundation for a close relationship as an adult, and while I may no longer be a little girl, I know I am still his Punkin, and he is still my Papa Bear. Thank you for always making the effort, Dad.

Happy Father’s Day.