We are teaching The Boy and The Girl to swim at the local city pool. So he's kickin' and splashin' and 'talking to the fish' (blowing bubbles underwater).It's fun for the summer.
But here is the thing: I tend to think that they have little genetic hope of being good swimmers. Both their mother and I are aquatically-challenged. (Laurel, by the way, says I should speak for myself.) However, it would be fair to say: Winrams, we ain't! (Let the reader understand).
So here is what I want from you: Hope.
Is there anything that you are good at, that you most assuredly did not genetically gain from your parents? (Or maybe some gift your parents had, that you never got?)
Tell me these things are not set in DNA Stone.
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20 comments:
Being good with money!
*I think that because my mom was so poor at handling her money when we were growing up that I somehow grew a knack for it.
Maybe it was because I didn't want to be in the same boat as her!
(I was just browsing by the way and passed across your blog)
Justin.. I need to see a new pic of the girl! I'm sure she's changed since I saw her last. Oh.. and if you like editing wikipedia, you need to see the video "White and Nerdy" on YouTube, sung by our favorite, Weird Al. Trust me, it will make you giggle. Hugs to the wifey! - Marlene
I'm exceptionally funny.
Both of my parents are quite dull.
Definitely not set in stone. Neither my wife nor I have ever been remotely athletic, yet two of our three kids played on top teams at school (soccer and rugby).
I am the kid who in year 2 failed the audition for the primary school choir (seriously), yet two of my kids are beautiful singers.
God is extraordinarily gracious to us parents. Though the kids may look like us, they will have talents that amaze. For over 20 years, we've been seeing our kids do something and find ourselves saying "Where did that come from?" And it still happens.
Glad you're enjoying the swimming lessons.
Neither of my folks were athletic at all...Somehow, I managed to become a pretty decent baseball player in high school. I also played competitive soccer all through my youth and have recently taken up golf...
although if you watch me play the latter you would not be convinced at any athleticism.
there is always hope. The biggest thing is if one of them gets a spark for something and really enjoys it. Then there is no telling how good they will become.
thanks for the monty python witch scene! i recall my 1st year EU bible study group, after which you, Nathan Bottomley and Mark Edmonds would perform hilarious Monty Python sketches and have us all in hysterics!
in answer to your question ... hmmmm ... sorry to say (in terms of hope for the boy's aqua-future) I can't think of anything...
Neither of my parents are very good swimmers - yet I could do 2 laps of the pool to my dad's 1 by the time I was 7. There is hope for the boy yet!
Being the offspring of two stereotypically English parents, I have been blessed not only with the ability to swim, but I'm also miraculously able to express emotion and talk about my feelings.
The kids have plenty of hope!
The one parental inheritance I can't seem to shake is that I can't get a tan, no matter how hard I try :)
Hi All.
THanks for your words of hope!
Clare -- which clare are you?? Love to know.
My mum is a fantastic seamstress, and I can just about sew on a button....apparently that skill skips a generation in my family, my grandmother can't sew but my great-grandmother could!
I don't think I picked up anything that couldn't be traced back to someone though, even if not directly to my parents...
Good luck with the swimming lessons!
I don't think I can remember anything in my childhood that was as consistently fun as swimming. Make sure they enjoy it while they can. :)
As to your question: There are 'natural' talents I have that my parents don't. But there are also talents I have that I find out are secret talents of my parents.
My mom scrapbooks and creates beautiful pages of photos and memories, and the only thing I can draw is a smiling pig.
My dad does exact and gorgeous woodwork. When I tried to make a scale model of what I wanted my room to look like in D+T in year 8, I forgot that corners were right angles and made my 'corner bookshelf' an obtuse angle that didn't fit.
I'm drawing a bit of a blank on the vice versa side of things, but I'm more naturally computer-savvy I guess(though they're still really good)
I always hated swimming lessons.
Neither of my parents are very good bloggers - no perseverence.
My parents are both productive members of society with a good work ethic. I am not.
My parents were hopless at sports but I was average. Maybe my kids will be sports stars.
ha. I'm musically talented, and neither of my parents can carry a tune in a bucket nor play an instrument.
Of course it works the other way too. My mother is a very kind person, and my father is a really hard worker. I tend to be caustic and lazy.
My dad had bad feet. Mine are fine. And, though he always wanted to and never could, he had a son who can play the guitar.
I'm also working on growing a better beard than he was able to grow, but it's not quite there yet. Maybe a few more years of shaving against the grain and I've got it. :)
musical talent is what my parents don't have (tone-deaf) and with hard work and perseverance, one can overcome genes (good and bad)
Jud, Great question.
I am really good at doing maths in my head, I don't think my parents are particularly gifted at that. Though Dad says he used to put a slide rule (I think that was a pre electricity calculator) in my cot perhaps that helped.
As to swimming, I'm pretty bad, Gill's okay and the kids are getting really good at it. We have persisted with lessons every week, and they are all getting much better.
My eldest went in the 25 metre free style race last year, came last nearly drowned, having an asthma attack in the pool (you may have seen the footage on funniest home video (JUst jokes)). This year he won it.
So keep going, it's a great gift the ability to swim.
Hope all's well.
Simon.
j-man
I'm the fish one.
Clare -- Now it all makes sense!
My eldest son is incredibly musical, can sing, plays trumpet in three school bands and plays piano at a high standard and neither my husband nor I can sing a note in tune.
Moreover, my mother is obsessively tidy and I have a great ability to make messes (though these days i do tidy up after myself!)
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