To catch a bull by its horns

There is a story about a child stuck on a tree.  The child is scared to come down and nobody was ready to climb the tree to get him out.  A man appeared on the scene and told the child to jump and that he would catch it.  The child jumped, and the man caught the child.  Bystanders immediately asked the child if it had not been afraid to jump, the child replied, "No, the man was my father.  I knew he would catch me."

Nothing this dramatic happened to us yet.  And I hope it won't.  I am just trying to make a point how trusting a child is towards its parents.  And how much responsibility the father has to earn this trust.  A father is supposed to make the child feel safe.  The child should feel big and strong and confident to face the world, knowing its father is there to protect her (and to take care of bullies!).  The child should feel courageous enough to face the unknown boldly, instead of fearing it.  So, as a father, I am to facilitate all this!

Thankfully, I can take my time to do all this.  Many of these things can still wait.  I guess my priority right now is to make her feel safe when she is with me.  And I am not going the Michael Jackson way to hold my baby over the balcony railing to convince her that I won't drop her!  I figured I should get her to ride on my shoulders...if she knows she is safe there, that would be one step to the right direction.  

I thought it would be a gradual process; put her on my shoulder once....then more often...until she finds it safe and comfortable.  Note to self: never underestimate kids!  The moment this child of mine sat on my shoulders, she grapped two fistfulls of whatever little hair I have and started laughing!  For my wife, it is like watching someone riding a horse; baby holding on to my hair, shouting "yipee" in her own language, encouraging the horse to keep moving by pushing my hear forward...it's fun!  So, I guess it is implied that she is feeling safe.  

BTW: this has proven to me a very effective way of calming the kid.  Whenever mood swings strike her or she cries, I just need to put her on my shoulders and the situation is taken care of...at least until my wife comes and actually solves the issue!!!  

I realise that this might be a very silly topic to write a blog on...but that's the fun I am experiencing right now: nothing seems trivial when I am with my kid.  Every day and every experience with her is something I enjoy and would love to treasure.  And I hope, sometime down the lane, this blog will help me reminiscent about the little things in our lives that gave us so much joy and happiness.