When BigDaddyFish was 5, someone he knew entered his photograph in a contest being held for some famous photographer, who wanted to make a coffee table book about people in America, and he won. BDF has an extremely expressive face, and I've no doubt that is what was so appealling about him. As part of his prize for winning, he and his family were flown to New York. They stayed at the Plaza. They went to the World Trade Center. They went to Central Park. They went all over the place. This had a tremendous effect on BDF. He remembers this trip so clearly to this day, in his late thirties. Fondly. He wanted to provide these kinds of memories for our children.
Since we know no photographers having contests like this, he makes the memories. When Trout was 6, he took her to New York. They flew up on a Friday, went to the Natural History Museum, Central Park, Times Square. They saw The Lion King on Broadway. They saw the Statue of Liberty. They spent the night at a high end hotel in Times Square. They ate pizza and ice cream and went shopping, and flew home Saturday.
BDF told me that the whole time they were there he kept thinking "I wish FishyGirl were here." So two weeks later he took me, since I'd never been.
This past weekend, it was Little Man's turn. Airfare has become quite expensive and Little Man isn't quite as enamored of flying as his sister, so they took the train up on Friday morning and did much of the same stuff. Natural History. Central Park, where they even took a boat out on a gorgeous afternoon. Top of the Rock. And they saw The Lion King.
BDF said Little Man didn't stop grinning the entire time. Little Man has started to suffer a bit of middlechilditis, and we've been having some trouble with him acting out, bad enough that next week we'll be meeting with the school about what we can do to help him. Here's hoping that this trip, this time alone with his dad, with have lasting effects far beyond the memories that they built.
What a neat idea. Regardless of whether it helps with your problems, I know he'll remember it as much as your husband did his trip
Posted by: ktjrdn | May 02, 2008 at 08:41 AM
What a neat thing for your kids and your husband. Those are memories that they'll cherish forever. Good job BDF!
Posted by: hokgardner | May 02, 2008 at 09:55 AM
I have 4 - so technically 2 middle children! Since day 1, I have always stressed to the middle ones - how LUCKY they are. They get to be the big sister when they want to - and they get to be the little sister when they want to.
What a cool place to be - you can on any given day choose what you want to be. Corny? Yes - but I always worried about middile-itis having watched it with my own sisters and have tried very hard to keep that dragon in its' cave.
NYC sounds like a blast hoping everyone had a great time.
Posted by: Mary | May 02, 2008 at 10:42 AM