Author Topic: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?  (Read 3837 times)

CheapScholar

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 564
  • Location: The Midwest
The older I get, the more I admire MMM for retiring before raising his son.  I’m not retired, but I’m lucky to have a job that doesn’t tether me to my office too much.  I can leave early most days and pick up my son by 4pm and get home to make him a snack and unwind.  I don’t know how parents pick up kids at 5:30 or later and then manage to eat, do homework, etc.

All that said, I’m curious what prople on this forum would say are the most magical moments they’ve had with their kids.  If you don’t have kids, feel free to post a moment you had with your own parent.  Extra points for activities/moments that are mustachian, but costly stuff welcome as well.

Sibley

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 7428
  • Location: Northwest Indiana
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2018, 07:50:14 PM »
Honestly, the one that I've gone on to try to recreate was the Nutcracker. And that wasn't even my parents! My aunt used to take me to see the Nutcracker ballet every year. This was in one of the old, gold leaf encrusted theaters. We'd get all dressed up (formal evening wear for her, fancy dress for me), and she'd take me to the theater. I'd look around and see all the women in their formal gowns, and the men in their tuxes/suits, and I really thought I was in heaven. After the ballet, we'd get pizza for dinner, then she would take me home and dad would usually have to carry me in because I was so tired I fell asleep in the car.

I will periodically go to the Nutcracker, and I go ALL OUT. Formal gown, hair, makeup. I have had the pleasure and satisfaction of seeing multiple children's eyes pop, and I hope that I'm helping to recreate that magic for some other child.

Cost wise, this isn't too bad. Particularly since it's still magical for me, just in a different way. Particularly if you rewear the formal clothing, which I do, then usually the most expensive part is the ticket(s). At most, I do it once a year, more realistically every couple years.

Gremlin

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 581
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2018, 07:55:28 PM »
I've gone from a huge, enduring high-end business role to one where I get to choose my hours and structure my life around my family.  I can't begin to tell you how much my answer to this question has changed in the process.

I used to work hard to create those "one-off" special moments with my kids.  I'd plan for hours after they'd gone to bed (usually having arrived home myself well after they were asleep).  I'd convince myself that I was on a path to being a "great Dad".  But inevitably these "special moments" became less special over time.  They were almost like a drug.  Each one gave a short term high but then needed to be topped next time round to get the same feeling of satisfaction.

Now I'm lucky enough that I get to give the one thing to my kids that I feel truly makes a difference.  I'm present for them.  When they want me or need me.  Every time.

Whilst we still occasionally do the odd "one-off" experience, the most magical moments are when my daughter asks me if I can help her with her homework.  Or my son wants to kick the soccer ball in the backyard.  Or my daughter's class needs a parent volunteer for a school excursion.  Or my son wants to talk about his day as he walks in the door after school.  Or my daughter wants to learn how to roast a leg of pork.  Or my son wants to go for a run together.  And I'm there for them.  When they want me or need me.  Every time.

I was reminded again of one of my favourite quotes about raising kids just the other day - "the days are long, but the years are short".  In the blink of an eye, my kids have gone from newborns to teenagers.  There's a day coming far too soon when they will no longer need me.  But it's being there for them every time that makes me sure that they'll still want me.  And that's why those every day moments are the most magical to me.

PhilB

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5705
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #3 on: September 18, 2018, 04:22:42 AM »
I've been lucky enough to manage my career so that I've increasingly worked from home and therefore got to share loads of time and magic moments with my kids - unlike my own father who I hardly knew because of the long hours he had to work.  I am unbelievably grateful for that.
If I had to pick one magic moment, it would be Christmas when my eldest was about 6.  His favourite cuddly toy was a Labrador called Doggy. We put him to bed about 7pm on Christmas Eve, then an hour or two later I went up to check on him - and discovered he had written a new list for Santa and stuck it to his door.  Thankfully almost everything on the list (chocolate, lots of books) we already had, but the killer item was the last one - a bone for Doggy.  After finishing the rest of our jobs I got out my sewing kit, which fortunately contained a sheet of white felt, cut up some old bits of fabric for stuffing and made Doggy a bone.  The excitement on his face (my son, not Doggy) the next morning is a memory I will always treasure.

Aelias

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 427
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #4 on: September 18, 2018, 05:10:00 AM »
I think the best thing about raising kids is helping them find the things that will help fill them up and give them meaning throughout their lives.  For my older son, one of those things is going to be music. He's been singing and banging on things and playing with instruments since he was a toddler. I remember going with him to a local Greek festival where they had a live band playing.  It was the first time he ever saw music being performed. And while the older kids were dancing around crazy, he just sat down by the stage and stared up at them in wonder.  I watched him for a while, and then went up and sat next to him.  Still staring up at the musicians, he said, "I want to be in a band some day."  And I said, "I know."

Those little moments where they reveal themselves to you, those are the most magical.

Hula Hoop

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1762
  • Location: Italy
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #5 on: September 18, 2018, 06:00:24 AM »
My younger daughter was partially deaf but when she was 3 she had surgery that restored her hearing.  Her first words to me when she woke up from the anesthetic were "you so loud, mommy"  I cracked up but it was just wonderful to see how happy she was to be able to hear well for the first time.  Her personality completely changed and she became the happy go lucky kid that she is today.

FallenTimber

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 110
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #6 on: September 18, 2018, 09:00:08 AM »
This is a great thread. Our son is only 9 months old so I’m filled with excitement for the years to come. My wife and I are  fortunate enough to work remotely and run our own businesses, so we only have to spend a few days each month away from our son to work. The most magical moment for me was a few months back, while he was being held by mama, and turned around, saw me, and reached his arms out for me to hold him (even though his mama is his favorite). Certainly a tiny moment by this threads standards, but the realization that he was going to need his dad, too, was pretty magical.

Hula Hoop

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1762
  • Location: Italy
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #7 on: September 18, 2018, 09:17:33 AM »
FallenTimber - that sounds really magical.  I think sometimes for those of us with older kids, we forget about the magical younger kid moments.

I have one for my older daughter from when she was tiny (she's 10 now).  I remember the first time that she was coordinated enough to reach for me while I was BFing her when she was a couple of months old.  It was the first time that she managed to move a limb on purpose rather than just randomly flailing around and I was thrilled that she used her new-found skill to reach out and touch me.

formerlydivorcedmom

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 701
  • Location: Texas
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #8 on: September 18, 2018, 12:28:59 PM »
When my now-husband and I were engaged, his 4-year-old came to me, put his hands on his hips, and said "My mommy says YOU ARE NOT MY MOMMY!"  I smiled and said "Your mommy is so right!  She will always be your mommy.  I am going to be your STEPmommy, and that means I get to love you and be here for you and help your daddy take care of you."  Then I changed the subject.

A few days later, we went to dinner with some of my extended family.  I overheard my stepdaughter telling my stepmother "<FDM> says that she is MY stepmommy and that means she gets to love me and be here for me and help my daddy take care of me."  Her little face was just beaming.   From that moment, that kid was mine.

For my bioson, I have two -
1) One day during my divorce that everything just overwhelmed me, and I was sitting under my desk crying.  My 15-month-old crawled under the desk, climbed in my lap, wrapped his arms around me, and started rubbing my back the way I rubbed his when he cried.  It was so exactly what I needed, and so much more special coming from a baby.
2) When he was 5, we went to DisneyLand.  When we entered Cars Land, his eyes were so big.  We had watched Cars so many times we could all recite it. We waited in line to "meet" Mater, and they told us to hang on just a sec.  Lightning McQueen drove up, and my son ran over and threw himself on the hood, with his arms spread wide to give the car a hug.  In his 9 years, I have never seen him that excited about anything.  It was literally his dream come true.

When my oldest was 2, we went to the park at least once a week and played on the "little kid" playground.  Some "big kids" were climbing the little rock wall at the other end of the "big kid" playground.  My daughter just stood there and watched them with wide eyes for about 10 minutes.  I turned to talk to another mom (since my kid hadn't moved in a while), and when I turned back, my baby was halfway up the rock wall.  I went to grab her off and she yelled "NO" and clung tighter.  She got all the way up, then let go and fell into my arms.  I was so proud of her and so scared all at the same time. Even now, 10 years later, she's the same way - quietly observe until she's figured out what people are doing, then do it, all the while counting on me to be there in case something goes wrong.

Now that my kids are all older, I think what all of us will remember most are the evenings playing board games or cuddled on the couch watching a movie.

nessness

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1026
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #9 on: September 18, 2018, 03:05:03 PM »
When my girls were about 5 months and 2 1/2, the baby started fussing, and the older one went over and put her arm around her and started singing, "it's okay to feel sad sometimes" (a song from Daniel Tiger). The baby stopped fussing and smiled at her. They have a really special relationship and that was the first real glimpse I got of it.

FireHiker

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1141
  • Location: So Cal
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #10 on: September 18, 2018, 03:22:13 PM »
I think mine is probably our non-mustachian decision last week to get a puppy. All three of my kids (6, 8, 17) are absolutely in love with her. My 8 year old, who is very reserved and not real showy with his emotions, gave me a spontaneous hug last night saying "[puppy's name] was the best surprise ever". The look on his face with a sleeping puppy on his lap in the car on the way home, and the genuine smiles on my 17 year old, have been absolutely magical.

Cgbg

  • Stubble
  • **
  • Posts: 142
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2018, 01:15:00 PM »
The moment that my husband and I both remember is when we were on a vacation in a small central Oregon town. We’d stopped in to the local coffee place to get coffee and hot cocoa. It’s a pretty large coffee shop- two stories tall with most of the room open to the 2nd floor ceiling. There were a few tables upstairs along a narrow upper area, but basically the first floor was just full of small tables and comfy chairs. The boys must’ve been about 6 and 7.

There was a piano in the corner near the comfy chairs. My oldest sat down and started playing Linus and Lucy from memory flawlessly - he’d been taking lessons for about two years by then and was actually pretty good for his age. The whole coffee shop just stopped- people in line stopped chatting, one of the workers turned off the background music and people just...stopped. He got a nice round of applause at the end. It was strangely magical- knowing that he could entertain people and not in a bad way (you know, as they were growing up they were pretty rambunctious and keeping them in line in public wasn’t always easy or smooth.)

For my second kid, the magical parenting moment was when he called me when he was at the top of El Capitan in Yosemite. I knew he was climbing in Yosemite but I had no idea he was attempting that particular rock. It had taken him and his buddy (both 18 yo) 3 days to reach the top (sleeping on rock ledges for 2 nights.)

He called me. He could barely talk - I actually thought he was hurt, he was so emotional. But his first call was to me.

Trifle

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5902
  • Age: 57
  • Location: Outside, NC, US
    • In The Garden
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2018, 05:29:55 AM »
I just have to say that this thread is NSFW -- because it makes me cry.  And I don't want my coworkers wondering what's wrong.  :) 


letsdoit

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 405
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #13 on: September 26, 2018, 09:08:29 AM »
every morning i take him to park in a baby carrier .  when i strap him in our faces squish together and sometimes he'll grab my face and kiss it

mm1970

  • Senior Mustachian
  • ********
  • Posts: 10880
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #14 on: September 26, 2018, 01:20:37 PM »
I can't actually think of any specific magical moments right now.

But pretty much any time they have fallen asleep in my arms, or smiled at me during dinner or on a walk, or hugged me before school, or...?

FireLane

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 1328
  • Age: 41
  • Location: NYC
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #15 on: September 30, 2018, 05:24:08 PM »
My 2-year-old son loves books. Some of my favorite parenting moments so far are on lazy weekend mornings where he picks a book off the shelf, brings it over and says, "Daddy, read to me."

We'll sit together on the couch, snuggle under a blanket and read until he's had his fill. Sometimes we'll go through four or five books.

hdatontodo

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 393
  • Location: Balto Co, MD
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #16 on: September 30, 2018, 06:18:57 PM »
When my son was 3 and we were at the beach, he came up to me, hungry, at 3am, and said "banana?"

He was so happy to have that snack.



Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk


MaybeBabyMustache

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5351
    • My Wild Ride to FI
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #17 on: October 01, 2018, 09:43:31 AM »
A few that jump out. And, my kids are older, but there were lots of awesome squishy baby moments. These feel richer, as the kids awareness is so much stronger (they have their own memories of these times):

-The first time my kids ever successfully skied a run, and the excitement they had, knowing they "could ski"
-The first time they went to Hawaii, and swam in a warm ocean
-Flying kites on the beach on the Oregon coast on a crazy warm day
-Both of my kids play club soccer, and one season my older son had zero wins (maybe 10 games). His coach left the club, & another coach took over. They ended up winning 6 games in a row, and beating the top seed in their division, winning state cup. Both of my kids played in the finals, and seeing my older son going from really beaten down to seeing the payoff of: hard work, luck, and a lot of attitude changes & a belief you can actually accomplish something. It was an amazing moment for both kids
-Dropping them off at summer camp for the first time, and marveling at their independence. It was a moment of "oh, wow, they are actually growing up"

FamilyGuy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 329
  • Location: NC
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #18 on: October 05, 2018, 03:51:34 AM »
My daughter used to scribble lines and shapes when paper and pen are given.
One day few months ago we saw her draw a toy with face and body by herself. Like with eyes, ears, lips and straight lines for legs and then feet like chicken feet. We were amazed not knowing where she learnt it from. She is not in preschool yet. She turned 3 last week.

elliha

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 453
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #19 on: October 05, 2018, 05:32:14 AM »
I think it is more the many not so extremely special moments that make it worth having kids. When your kids like your food, when they want a hug, when they want to sit on your lap etc. It is the sum of all those moments that make me love parenting.

Here is one special thing though: My daughter is a very special person, very strong and independent and a bit quirky. When she was 3 she started longing to have a sibling and when she was about 3.5 we got to tell her that she was getting a baby brother. She was very happy about it but when he came of course like most kids she was very jealous. She demanded as much of my attention as possible but also grew a lot from having to learn how to share her parents and especially her mom. It was not easy and most of the first months she wore a plastic crown and told people she was a princess whenever they gave her any attention. Slowly her baby brother just as I told her started to want to be on the floor and want her to play with him and he laughed so hard when she was being goofy and they started bonding well as brother and sister. One day when they were alone in the room I heard her say with a really low dark voice to him: "You are the best baby brother ever" and I could see in her face and from the tone of her voice that despite no longer being the "queen" of the family she really meant every word.

With my son I cannot find a particular moment but he is so much fun every day. A couple of days ago he told me for no reason: "I am a boy and mom is a fish". Sure, I don't identify as a woman really but I still identify as human...

Louisville

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 545
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #20 on: October 05, 2018, 05:47:58 AM »
Son, upon getting his first full-time, non-service industry job at age 27: "Look how much I can put in savings!"

Daughter, texting me from England, where she went on a solo trip for a week at age 28: "Didn't take long to get used to driving on the other side. Love you."

The mission of child rearing is to produce funtional, happy adults. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
Magic? Maybe. Awesome? Fuck yeah.

MaybeBabyMustache

  • Walrus Stache
  • *******
  • Posts: 5351
    • My Wild Ride to FI
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #21 on: October 05, 2018, 07:34:27 AM »
Son, upon getting his first full-time, non-service industry job at age 27: "Look how much I can put in savings!"

Daughter, texting me from England, where she went on a solo trip for a week at age 28: "Didn't take long to get used to driving on the other side. Love you."

The mission of child rearing is to produce funtional, happy adults. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.
Magic? Maybe. Awesome? Fuck yeah.

@Louisville - love this perspective from "the other side" of parenting. :)

FamilyGuy

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 329
  • Location: NC
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #22 on: October 05, 2018, 08:27:57 AM »
I think it is more the many not so extremely special moments that make it worth having kids. When your kids like your food, when they want a hug, when they want to sit on your lap etc. It is the sum of all those moments that make me love parenting.

Here is one special thing though: My daughter is a very special person, very strong and independent and a bit quirky. When she was 3 she started longing to have a sibling and when she was about 3.5 we got to tell her that she was getting a baby brother. She was very happy about it but when he came of course like most kids she was very jealous. She demanded as much of my attention as possible but also grew a lot from having to learn how to share her parents and especially her mom. It was not easy and most of the first months she wore a plastic crown and told people she was a princess whenever they gave her any attention. Slowly her baby brother just as I told her started to want to be on the floor and want her to play with him and he laughed so hard when she was being goofy and they started bonding well as brother and sister. One day when they were alone in the room I heard her say with a really low dark voice to him: "You are the best baby brother ever" and I could see in her face and from the tone of her voice that despite no longer being the "queen" of the family she really meant every word.

With my son I cannot find a particular moment but he is so much fun every day. A couple of days ago he told me for no reason: "I am a boy and mom is a fish". Sure, I don't identify as a woman really but I still identify as human...

very nice

Laura33

  • Magnum Stache
  • ******
  • Posts: 3479
  • Location: Mid-Atlantic
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #23 on: October 05, 2018, 11:51:48 AM »
Funny, mine are all about my amazement when I realize DD is much more competent than I thought she was.  She was a very demanding, difficult baby and toddler -- very bright + very ADHD, so I always had to work hard to stay even a half-step ahead of her.  School was frequently miserable, as you'd guess, particularly around homework time, and we also struggled finding the right medication.  Then in 10th grade, we were heading to the ADHD doc for a check-in, and I told her that she could talk to the doc about changing her meds, and she said "oh, I stopped taking it two months ago."  I was floored, not just that she had made the decision with no adult input, but because she had managed straight-As since she went off the meds.  It didn't stay that perfect :-), but it was a very clear sign that she was mature enough to take charge of her health and her school, and I needed to back off and trust her to manage herself.

Honestly, every time I look at her now, I just cannot believe how grown up she is.  Last night she asked me if she could go out with friends to study for a test today and what her curfew was.  I was surprised she'd even asked and told her that she should just get home in time to get enough sleep.  And then I was surprised that it didn't even occur to me to give her a curfew on a school night, because she is so self-managing now.  Right after she left, DH turned to me and said, "high school is a year too long.  She should be in college now."  And seriously, my heart flip-flops every single time I see something like that, because I know in great detail what a hard, long road it was for her to get there. 

letsdoit

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 405
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #24 on: October 06, 2018, 07:21:12 AM »
look as if you've never seen it before and as if you may never see it again

CindyBS

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 461
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #25 on: October 06, 2018, 08:14:48 AM »
With my able-bodied, healthy son - we were sitting on the beach of one of the Great Lakes watching a storm coming in.  It was completely dark except for the flashes of lightning in the distance over the lake.  We talked about the meaning of life for over an hour.  He was 10. 

With my other son who has high functioning autism and cancer - there are so many I can't count.  Waking up in the morning and the relief that he lived through the night after a particularly scary infection that landed him in the ICU.  Watching him walk into a bone marrow transplant room with his head held high with courage and optimism knowing he was in for weeks and months of cruel suffering to save his life.   Every fucking day he pushes through pain and suffering to live a somewhat normal life.  I am continually overwhelmed by his grace, perseverance, and courage the face of enormous adversity.   I don't know if I could handle it the way he does, and I doubt many adults could.  I am in awe.   

Serendip

  • Handlebar Stache
  • *****
  • Posts: 2210
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #26 on: October 07, 2018, 09:28:26 PM »
@CindyBS , gah.  beautiful reflections..I wish the best for both your boys!

Here's a gorgeous song about the relationship between parent & child  (Sean Rowe: I'll Follow Your Trail)..and it makes me tear up, especially with everyone's stories..
ha, my sister has a 14 month old baby boy and to watch her become a mother has been one the best things ever.. I don't have children myself so it's a very special relationship to watch..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd7VqA0ZA-U
« Last Edit: October 07, 2018, 09:33:18 PM by Serendip »

letsdoit

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 405
Re: What’s the most magical moment you’ve ever had with your child?
« Reply #27 on: October 08, 2018, 07:29:24 AM »
holy shit

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!