Fiction & Nonfiction
Letters have been written and collected. Requests made and dreams are being dreamed. Excitement is building, it can’t come soon enough. Traditional songs are being played, an atmosphere like no other time of year. Too early? If you love Christmas, can it ever be too early?
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© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
When your children arrive, who knows what is to come. It’s scary but the greatest of adrenalin rushes. And then they grow, and change and evolve. Becoming their own people.
A non-stop, all action ride ensues. Sometimes you feel like you might fall off, but you have to hang on. It’s a fun ride, and it only happens once. So enjoy every moment, and take it all in.
And, as for the future, well who knows? What will these all action bundles of energy become? I hope for sensitive souls, but with a tough edge. No one’s pushover, but thinkers not fighters. People who understand others, both our differences and similarities.
Most of all, I hope for people who will make the world a better place, who might make a difference.
© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
There have been many fun days during this summer. Lots of interesting places, chances to both play and relax. But one day stands out, our trip to the Welsh seaside.
My family and I live in the Czech Republic which, if you don’t know, is a landlocked country. No sea or ocean. Lots of lakes, where many Czech people spend their summers, but it’s not quite the same.
My children love water and sand, so this day in Wales was a rare opportunity for them. And the weather gods were kind to us, for once. It was a beautiful, warm, sunny day. The weather, in Wales, is inconsistent. That’s the nicest way I can put it. So when the sun shines, you have to take advantage of it.
So, we decided on a visit to Barry Island. Located in South Wales, near the capital city of Cardiff, this is a famous summertime destination in Wales. It has lovely beaches, as well as a small fun park and everything that a British seaside town usually boasts. Penny arcades, fish and chips, ice cream and seagulls to try and steal your prized treats.
But, of course, the best thing about any family day out are the smiles on the children’s faces. The excitement you can feel from them, when they are doing something new or different to the normal. Swimming in the sea and building enormous sandcastles, with my wife’s help. Looking through rock pools, in search of aquatic life. Being a child at the beach, that was my childhood in Wales.
For my kids, it is an occasional treat, but life in the Czech Republic has many compensations for the missing beaches, so they don’t miss out on much. And we crammed a lot into our few hours on Barry Island. They had the time of their lives, got some sun and filled their bellies. And even had time for a bit of rugby practice.
© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
Growing, changing, morphing. Watching a person evolve. It is such a privilege to be a witness to such an event. Having such an influence, such a responsibility.
They have already changed so much, and surely that change will continue exponentially from here. Who will they become?
I used to worry about them not being babies any more. But now a, larger and larger, part of me can’t wait to see. I am imagining my son as a teenager and the relationship that we could have. And my daughter when she starts dating, and how scary that might be.
But, of course, every moment from now till then will show a change. Progress will be made, with the occasional trip and stumble along the way. They will bloom and blossom and, hopefully, look to the light and brighten the world.
© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
It’s hard being a parent, isn’t it? There are so many ways in which you can affect how your child grows and matures. Everything from your behaviour, to which activities you choose for them. It all contributes to the final product, your child.
But how do you protect them from the rest of the world? Of course, you can’t. All you can do is give them the tools to judge for themselves, what is right and what is wrong. Luckily my kids seem to be able to make these judgements already, even at only 5 and 7 years old.
My children often come home with stories from school, stories from other children. Stories about how they spend time with their families, and what they do. Or quite often, don’t do. But, recently, some of the stories have left my mouth hanging open. Of course, these stories come from the badly behaved children at school, and you are left thinking, no wonder.
I won’t quote every story, but it is the most recent one that has really made me think. My 5-year-old daughter came back from kindergarten and told us that a boy in her class had tried smoking. Yes, smoking, at 5! He must have stolen one of his parents’ cigarettes, he’d probably watched them smoking and learned how to do it. No, his father had let him try one. His father had put a filthy cigarette into his child’s mouth! Honestly I’m going to run out of exclamation marks writing this.
In the past, this was the classic tactic to stop your child smoking. Make them feel sick and they will hate it. But that was the past, and normally with children of teenage years. In this case it seems like it was just a funny thing to do, watch the child try to smoke, how amusing. My blood is boiling now, just thinking about it.
Luckily, my daughter told us this story while shaking her head. She knows this is stupid behaviour, and my son too. But I don’t want to spend my life telling them that their friends’ parents are stupid. So come on people, please grow up. You need to do it first, so then your children can.
© Neil Hayes and neilsworldofenglish
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