Summertime Activities 

I was a stay-at-home dad for my daughter during summers. Among our many activities: when she was still in her stroller, and later when she rode in her red wagon, she and I took shoeless walks around the block. Unencumbered toes were useful in dealing with a stroller’s brake and errant wheels, especially when we detoured to the convenience store for chocolate and I parked the contraption outside.

How nice one morning as we walked down the street, when someone called out, “The world would be a better place if dads spent more time with their daughters!”

She enjoyed a variety of summer camps over the years—few overnight, mostly fun classes in the morning or the morning and afternoon. Occasions when I decided not to put shoes on led to a few humorous situations. A science camp ended with a presentation, which I hadn’t realized when I went to pick her up, so I tucked my feet beneath the chair as I sat with other parents for the grand finale.

“Bare feet! What a great idea!” said a fellow parent as we watched outside a park building, where our children were finishing up a summer class on drawing and painting. A light rain was falling, and we all wore rain jackets and some held umbrellas, but I was the only shoeless person in the group. How pleasant to be able to feel the wet walkway beneath!

A very happy occasion was the time she did a camp at the Humane Society. At the end of the second day, I sat with other parents in the waiting room. Emily emerged and said she wanted me to see this adorable cat named Odd Ball, a young female tabby. I dutifully padded with her into the pet area and experienced for the first of many times the texture of strewn kitty litter beneath unprotected feet. Within a few days we adopted Odd Ball, and she was our fourth family member for over twelve years.