Sunday, June 16, 2013

Here is something I wrote last year that was published in the Chicago Tribune  on Father's Day.  For all the wonderful fathers out there:


A Father’s Smile

            Hundreds of books have been written about the proper way to raise children.  There’s the need for consistent discipline, attendance at every soccer game, quantities of organic vegetables and the eradication of all sweets. It’s hard to be a parent and meet all the criteria.  Parenthood is a minefield of missed chances and blind hope.  On top of that we experiment with each and every child.    

            Last Sunday I attended my granddaughters’ piano recital.  Five year old Emilia played a careful performance of Jumping Frogs while nine year old Olivia executed a rousing rendition of When the Saints Go Marching In.  At the completion of their performances, the girls looked back at their Dad whose eyes glowed with pride and delight, whose smile was warm with love and admiration.   They fairly beamed in response.

             It struck me that one glorious, loving smile could do much to assure the future success and happiness of a child…certainly more than completing that tedious algebra assignment or finishing that last bite of yucky spinach.