Parenting in Focus: What a father taught us by the water

By Cynthia Martin

I wasn’t the only one watching the man with his little 16-month-old boy. Half a dozen of us paused to take it in. The father spoke enthusiastically as they crossed in front of us, pointing out the boats at the dock and the birds circling overhead.

He lifted his son high and talked about things we couldn’t quite hear, but the toddler listened intently. He set the boy down, smiling as the child toddled off to test his independence, and then followed right behind. Later, he sat down with the boy and pulled out a small stack of books, reading and chatting through each one. The child loved every moment.

Everyone nearby smiled — not just at the boy’s delight, but at the father’s devotion. What we witnessed was simple, everyday parenting done beautifully.

Children are always