The Time they went as only a Father & a Son to an Outing

Have you ever heard of the book, 5 Love Languages? It's wonderful and has proved helpful in our marriage and in our child-rearing. It's an easy read and so insightful in that it suggests that we each feel love differently and in the same way that a woman who speaks only English in a marriage would have a hard time communicating with her husband who speaks only Spanish, love is much the same way. There are 5 different languages of love. My particular language is "quality time" - when Mr E spends time with me (watching a show, taking a walk, going on errands with me) then I feel loved. Mr E, however speaks a different language than I do; his love language is "words of affirmation" - he needs to hear, "You are a good provider," "That pizza you made tonight was your best one yet," "You're such a fun father," etc. There are other languages too: "acts of service" - emptying the dishwasher, massaging feet, running to the store to buy the milk on his way home from work, etc. / "physical touch" - a hug, a secret pat on the bum, a kiss, etc. /and "receiving gifts" - a boquet of wildflowers from the roadside, a note, a potter for the plant (& it's not about materialism as much as the thought put into the gift). Here's a link for more info http://www.5lovelanguages.com/learn-the-languages/the-five-love-languages/

Anyway, our son's love language (we think) is "quality time" - he loves loves loves when one of us (Mr E or myself) sits one on one with him to do something: build with legos, watch a favorite show, take him by himself to Scouts and chat along the way, etc. And it has to be his thing, not ours, i.e., taking a walk isn't his thing, but kicking the soccer ball around is. (That's another thing about love languages: you have to love the other person in their language, not yours, for them to feel loved. Mr E telling me I look good doesn't carry the weight that playing my favorite game, Scrabble, does.) Anyway, a Father & Son Campout was on the church calendar for May. CK and Mr E were talking about and planning their get-away together for weeks. Then it was announced that everyone was invited - moms, daughters, the whole family. The light dimmed a little in CK's eyes ... everyone would be there; it wouldn't be his one-on-one time with Dad. Within a few days, Mick noticed and suggested quietly to me that we decide we girls just don't want to go. That good girl! Love her!

So it was back on! And the talking and the planning and The Father/Son Outing was all about Dad's and CK's overnight camping trip. And the "overnight" part was key; no easy campin'/comin' home before the night had turned to day. And they had a blast! They hiked and ate and ran the battery low watching a movie in the back of the van and fought over mattress space and covers and laughed about it all (there and again at home) ... and then came back two very, very, very happy boys!