Regular Routines Build Relationships

My dad loved to eat. If there was something he didn’t like, I’m not aware of it.

My mom was a great cook. She enjoyed cooking and making our home a pleasant, beautiful place. I have no memories of her ever making my dad, brother, or I feel bad because she had to cook another meal. I’m grateful she enjoyed being a wife and mom.

My dad’s favorite home-cooked meal was spaghetti. What he did with it is one of my favorite memories of him.

Relationships Benefit from Regular Routines

My dad often helped my mom serve the food. When she cooked spaghetti, he helped by pouring the noodles into a bowl. He brought them over to the kitchen table and then put only one noodle on my plate.

I had my routine down. I whined. I complained. I made sure my dad knew I was hungry and aware of what he had done.

My dad looked at me with a confused look on his face, asking, “What’s wrong?” I pointed to the one noodle on my plate with a questioning look. He reacted as if nothing was wrong. Then we laughed. Our routine ended when he served me more noodles.

Every time my mom made spaghetti this was our routine. Every time.

Repetition of positive encounters builds memories and joy.

Little things between dads and their kids aren’t little at all.

My dad has already been gone 20 years and it’s been many more years than that since he put a spaghetti noodle on my plate. Yet I remember this like it was yesterday.

Relate to your kids in consistent, personal ways. Create a rhythm of relating. You’ll bless them now and their memories will bless them later.