Dear Friends,
Happy New Year! At the Children’s Museum, we rang in 2020 with our annual morning and afternoon “Ball Drops.” This year, there were a few new aspects to this long-standing CMEE tradition. Instead of a disco ball, we lowered a 6-foot-wide beach ball, which seems appropriate since we’re just a few miles from the ocean. Another difference was that both of my sons were eager to help plan the celebration. On the drive to CMEE that morning, my five-year-old son, Bennett announced that he intended “pretend to be a grownup.” Grant, his three-year-old younger brother said: “I’m going to pretend to be a grownup, too.” Instead of participating like the other children and families, both boys wanted to be “workers” at the event.
I was really impressed with how hard they worked on the assignments that Liz Bard, CMEE’s Education Director gave them. They helped bring beach balls to the top of the ship, collected markers and cut up paper for kids to use to write their resolutions, and gave out confetti for families to throw in the air during the ball drop. I wish they were just as wonderful about following directions at home.
Since Grant still takes an afternoon nap, he and my wife left for home while Bennett stayed at the Museum. He was very excited to eat pizza and chat with the “other workers” during lunch prior to the afternoon Ball Drop. After the festivities were all finished, he cleaned and swept tirelessly and enthusiastically. I was so proud of him. On our ride home, he thanked me profusely for letting him help even though I kept telling him that I was one who needed to be grateful for his volunteer contributions.
My New Year’s resolution in 2020 is to remember and document small moments like these. Years from now, I want my children to know (even if they have to read it on the internet) how they brought so much joy, gratitude, and delight to their father’s life.
Sincerely,
Steve