Derek has decided he wants to be a firefighter when he gets older.
Keep in mind he’s 4 and he can’t decide what color pajamas he wants to wear to bed. So that may change.
But the good thing is I have used this to our advantage. Derek wants to grow and big to become a firefighter, and I told him the only way that will happen is if he eats his dinner and gets plenty of sleep.
This is all true, of course. Exercise, sleep, a good diet – all essentials to a long and healthy life, especially if you want to spend the prime of said life running into burning house.
But if Derek is not eating, or if he’s getting too wound up before bed, I remind that firemen don’t act like that. And he shapes right up.
If you think I’m exploiting my child’s dreams to get him to eat and sleep, well, you’re right. Welcome to parenthood. This is tough sledding, man, and anytime you see an edge, you grab on and hold until your fingernails push up through your knuckles.
And besides, there is nothing wrong with getting a 4-year-old into good health habits. Who knows? Derek may just stick to be a firefighter.
As long as it keeps him fed and rested – and Christina and I fed and rested, too – that’s fine by me.