BY JIMMY DUNNE
As a young dad, I was forever hunting for that magic manual with all the answers on “how to raise a kid.”
Never found that book. My parents never found it either.
As a dad, sometimes you look back at things you wish you could take another swing at. Here’s one on my list. I learned it from watching all the fabulous dogs we’ve been so lucky to have in our lives.
You know how when you walk in the door, and your dogs run up and jump all over you? Just go absolutely looney tunes? Their tails wagging and spinning around like helicopters? And they try so hard to say something like, “Aaaaarrrrhhhrr. Ouuurrrrhhhhrrr.”
Trying their best to say, “I just love you and missed you so, so, so very much that I can’t see straight.” I think they’re on to something.
Moms and Dads, Grandmas and Grandpas, here’s an idea.
When you see your kids or your grandkids…
Do that. Every time.
Whether they’re two months—or thirty-two. Give it to ’em with everything you’ve got.
Wag your tail at ‘em, and spin around in circles, and smother ’em in kisses. Every noise, every hug, every everything that tells ’em they’re the bee’s knees.
Let ’em know they bring you so much crazy joy.
That whatever wonderful is, that’s what they are. And, in return, I think we all get a door prize. A little glimpse of that kid in all of us again.
Gotta go.
I think my grandkid just walked in our front door.
“Auurrrrrrhhh. Ouwwwoohhh!”
(Editor’s note: Jimmy Dunne is a modern-day Renaissance Man; a hit songwriter with songs on 28 million hit records, songs, scores and themes in over a thousand television episodes and many hit films; a screen writer and producer of hit television series; award-winning book author; an entrepreneur and Pacific Palisades “Citizen of the Year.” Subscribe to his substack and reach out to him at [email protected])