The Simplest Of Pleasures

Aug 29th, 2009 | By chrisbrogan | Category: Article

Violette at the Kennedy Greenway

The other day, my wife took the kids to the New England Aquarium. Supposedly, they had fun. They told me about penguins pooping on the rocks, and about the sharks. Officially, the sharks never eat the other fish in the tank. (Here, the woman saying this wiggled her eyebrows.)

But what my kids will remember from that day is their visit to the Rose Kennedy Greenway. You paid for it, so if you haven’t heard of it, it’s part of the Big Dig project. Thanks for your money. It turned a really ugly stretch of highway into a really ugly underground stretch of highway, and then deposited some delightful little parks right into the heart of Boston.

The main attraction from a kid’s perspective is the water display. I’d call it a fountain, but that’s too passive. It’s one of those series of jets of water that do different things, and that kids (mostly) use for tactical soakings.

My daughter played in this water for well over an hour. I recorded an interview. My wife and son got wet at different times (though my 3 year old wasn’t really into it once he got a face full at an inopportune moment).

In the end, this is what they will remember. They will remember the moments of pure, unbridled fun. Learning is great. Experiences are great. But if you don’t look for pockets of pure fun, you’re missing the finer things, at least from a kid’s eye view.

Agree?

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  • Chad Bookidis
    Damn skippy. It's made my weekend to read this. Got 2 kids of my own. And like, you I try to remember to see the world from a kid's eye view now and then, especially when things get tough.

    Well said Chris.
  • bruceeric
    Chris: I absolutely agree with you. We often over-complicate our lives in trying to give our kids what we think they want.

    In our world of technology and media, it's nice to remember that often times when a child opens up the latest gadget given to him or her as a gift, they will set it aside and play with the box it came in.

    While I think computers and technology can aid in learning and development, what is most impactful is to send our kids to the backyard, to the woods to explore nature, use their minds without the aid of chips and 1s and 0s. Thanks for the reminder of the simplicity of life as seen through the eyes of our children.

    @bruceeric
  • It is the simple things kids remember, they learn from everything, giant sponges soaking in experience. My kids always learn best in unstructured, fun experiences. Nice post.
  • bpende
    I've always been the guy people seem to wonder at because I'm playing with something no "grup" should be. I have the busyness apps and the fun apps on my iPod Touch. I've got the fun puzzles, slinkies, and juggle-ready tennis balls in my office. If I didn't look for the fun in my day, I'd probably go mad... and those days I get caught up in the busyness and don't take the time to flex the brain a bit are days I'm doing less well. Thanks for the reminder, Chris.
  • If you remove this "at least from a kid’s eye view", then I agree.
    For some reason, pure fun is for kids.
    I think it is (or at least should be) for everyone.
    If we just forget to be proper, busy or whatever is holding us back.

    Tally
  • tall_geek
    Great idea this site is Chris! As a dad i find myself enjoying the simplest pleasures as well. There is nothing quite like seeing your child's eyes light up in excitement over something us "adults" often take for granted.
  • You're absolutely right Chris. Life is full of opportunities -- some good, some bad. However, there can be fun in just about anything, especially when kids are involved. The benefit of being a dad is the lifetime of fun you enjoy via the experiences of your kids.
  • We can learn a lot from our kids... as you noted, they had over an hour of "pure unbridled fun" yet only a few adults actually participated in the enjoyment. That's too bad - just think of how relaxed we could all be if we just stopped being adults for an hour and just had fun like kids again :)
  • The best days of my life are when I stop to enjoy life with my kids.
  • You hit it here Chris. As a dad of two (ages 8 and 10) I'm blown away by the simple things that kids delight in. Time spent together enjoying these moments is money in the bank for an incredible relationship later in life. Thanks for bringing our focus back when it's so easy to get distracted today. Best to you in the days ahead.
    -Joe Bruzzese
  • We couldn't agree more. We love to do things with our kids and repeatedly find that the simplest ones tend to be the ones they enjoy most. That's why we did park day (13 parks in one day)- just for the sheer joy of runnig around and having fun. At our kids' birthday parties, we find that our best activities are the ones that took the least effort to put together. For example, we had a pirate party for one of our boy's 5th birthday party and kids had to "walk the plank" for cake (the plank was a fence board that we propped up on our stairs and a box so it was about 1.5 feet off the ground). The kids loved jumping off the end of it and onto the ground- they must have spent 20 minutes doing that and coming up with creative ways to go off the end of it. Keep it simple and look for the joy in things!

    Thanks for reminding us of this!
  • 13 parks in 1 day? Why aren't you an author on Dadomatic? : )
  • Chris -
    And isn't that what we (hopefully) all remember? The "moments of pure, unbridled fun." True that from a kid's POV those ARE the finer things in life. My question would be - what's happened to so many "grown-ups" that they have given up on that? Whether it's having a hot-fudge sundae or french fries for breakfast or getting up in the middle of the night to look at shooting stars and pretend they're people flying through outer space - it's all about the fun. The old cliche about taking time to smell the roses never has been so true. Everyone should try to view things from a kid's eye view at least twice a day. The new perspectives it gives you can't be measured - only enjoyed and they will make your life so much richer.
  • I completely agree! If we get into too big of a hurry we can forget to give them the space they need in the day to have and enjoy those pockets.
  • scottgallagher
    Thank You for your comment about what the children will remember the most, the fun. Today I'm taking my two kids to 6 flags and your comment is a great reminder of why we do these things for our kids...for the memories and the fun. Today the kids will make a lot of memories and have a lot of fun.
  • Those parks were one of my kids' favorite places to visit while we were out there with my parents this summer.
  • mlkeone
    My children once built an entire city out of appliance boxes that stayed in our basement for a long time. Children help to remind us of what we forget as we grow up; simplicity, joy, in the moment-ness and that learning almost anything new is what keeps us young. Sad that most of us either routinely forget or ignore these lessons. Gotta go now, heading out to play in the sprinkler.
  • KathySenaParentTalkToday
    Chris, I totally agree. Some of my own faves with my son... Making cupcakes and going crazy with the sprinkles — no holds barred. Slip 'N Slide in the back yard to the point where the grass under the thing is completely flattened — and not caring. Skipping the diet for a night and having family movie night in the den with a large pizza, then snuggling up together on the couch. Good stuff.
  • Ironic..we just came back from the annual Coble Hill Fair and the kids has a great time...

    Phil
  • angelawills
    Agreed! My son finds fun in everything and I think I need to remember not to be so serious sometimes. He helps remind me though. Nothing better than seeing your child just enjoy life.. :)
  • ChickJ
    One of the simplest pleasures that kids love to do, is going out in the rain. Just getting wet under the skies makes children giglle with laughter. (Just have towels and dry clothes ready.)
  • natev
    I loved the post except for the part where you recorded an interview. Look for the pockets of pure fun Chris. ;)
  • In the old days, I'd have been at a desk and not with the family at all. Now, I can be with them *and* get my work done. Kind of the best of all worlds.
  • Hi Chris,
    This is my first visit on your blog.This is really appreciable step for all the Dads like me
    This is the right place to learn something new being a Dad.
    Thank you again !
  • When you get down to brass tacks, aren't the simple things the ones that matter most ... to everyone? The best moments are the ones that you can't plan, that you can't pay for. They just happen. This is true for kids, and grown ups. Hold onto those moments, as they truly are the best things in life.
  • I may be going out on a limb here but I think Chis is trying to tell us something about blogging... Dad-O-Matic to Blog-O-Matic, if you will.... Maybe I am too much of a Dad and and reading between the lines to much? At any rate, whether you are talking about parenting, bloggin or life, it's all about fun.
  • Shhh, don't give away my secrets. : )
  • Agreed... I find that the best memories my kids are having, are from FREE activities. Hang'n at the park, walks in the summer rains, or waking up at 3am to walk in the first snow of the season. Those are the kinds of things they'll tell you about when they reminesce. (I've got two elementary kids)
  • We'll have no bigger impact on the world than the impact we make with our children. Start there. The rest will be easy and fall into place.
  • We'll have no bigger impact on the world than the impact we make with our children. Start there. The rest will be easy.
  • We'll have no bigger impact on the world than the impact we make with our children. Start there. The rest will be easy.
  • mistressmia
    It's never too late to have a happy childhood.
  • I was visiting Atlanta a few months ago and a similar fountain in the Olympic Park was full of kids all day... (No, I didn't jump in because I was wearing a business suit not a bathing suit :-) )
  • When our three children were young, we had little money (husband full-time student, I was stay-at-home mom). My husband decided to take the kids to every play park in the city of Saskatoon. They played at every one and rated each one (my husband is an engineer. What can I say) I think it took them two summers to finish them all. Crazy. Fun.

    Now my children are almost grown-up. But yesterday I spent hours shopping with my daughter who is heading off to college this week. We kept losing each other at the Farmers' Market. Ate some very sticky but delicious cinnamon buns from the Market. We stopped at a second-hand clothing store because she's into recycling. Then we trekked on to the downtown mall (we parked blocks away because I hate to pay for parking). At the mall, we kept buying stuff--big stuff like comforters, duvets, pillows. Eventually we had to head back to our car. We looked like bag ladies (no shopping cart though). We kept laughing about needing sherpas to help us carry everything.

    The crazy park thing my husband did when the kids were young created amazing memories for them. I know that yesterday my daughter and I, bag ladies needing sherpas, created some more memories--links in that chain that binds us together as family.
  • Wow, what a beautiful photo! (And reminder about what matters most)
  • gacconsultants
    I love this post Chris... You're a major contributor and thought leader to the evolving world of communications and an awesome Dad - Balance it key to a truly rewarding and successful life : ) Kudos!
  • gcuccureddu
    Totally agree.

    We complicate or think too much about activities which might please kids.
    The simple the better, so it seems much often.
  • marymcd
    There is a similar fountain in Galveston (Houston) area that my kids reveled in when they were younger... strangely, it was my usually laid-back husband who didn't want them to go in and get "all wet", and I, the uptight planner, who said, "Oh, let 'em have some fun!" -- and they did. In spades. Glad to see that your kids had a great time here - I'll look for it next time I'm up that way!
  • karenslate
    Yes, kids do really enjoy the simple pleasures!
  • shauna6
    I absolutely agree. ;o) Coming from a mother of 4, small moments of pure joy are what I relish the most. Like my 21 month old laughing his giddy unadulterated laugh when his sister pulls him around the house (wood floors) on a soft blanket, making him slide everywhere, or when my 16 yr old son teaches all of the kids in the neighborhood how to make berry shooters out of left over PVC pipe, my 14 yr old daughter having the soccer game of her life (or being a good sport when it doesn't quite go her way). and last but not least, my 10 yr old cuddling up with the little one to read him a story....notice, not one dime spent, but memories that are worth a million dollars. :o)
  • "In the end..." this is what you will remember too! Those simple moments where we watch our children savor life littlest pleasures like that fountain. These memoris are burned in our hearts and minds long after they've ceased to be little. They grow up way too quickly
  • VibrantMama
    Not only do I agree - I am dancing around to have found another site where pockets of fun are celebrated and acknowledged!!! They are the cornerstone of a well-rounded childhood, and trump all the fancy trips, gizmos and fads in the world! Bravo for calling attention to them, and on this weekend in particular for blogging about the Rose Kennedy Greenway - it is a particularly well-done piece of public space!
  • rexaw
    I've got 4 kids of my own - ages 11 to 5 - and sometimes when we're doing silly things that might seem like a waste of time, I realize that just giving them my undivided attention as a part of their world is worth a lot more than it seems at the time.

    When I start thinking about all the books I need to read, emails to reply to, and things I need to do, I stop and remember, "I am doing something more important right now than any of those."

    Of course there needs to be a healthy balance, but I'd venture to guess that most of us are deficient in the "spending time with kids" area.
  • Natalie
    Your post hit a cord. Yesterday it was sizzling hot in San Diego. To cool off, our teens walked over to the local community pool - come to find out it was closed due to a swim meet.

    Disappointed, they returned home and soon found a bag of water balloons, hidden away in a cupboard. They spent the remainder of the afternoon filling the balloons, tossing the balloons, getting wet and chasing each other outdoors.

    But the best part was my husband's role in making more fun. Covertly, he filled up several small plastic cups of ice water. Crouching in the corner of our upper condo deck, he ambushed them with cold water as they played in the walkway below.

    Here's to the power of water as a generator of laughs and smiles.
  • There are some similar fountains here near the Tennessee Aquarium. Sounds like a fun day.
  • There are some similar fountains here near the Tennessee Aquarium. Sounds like a fun day.
  • Yeah, and walking distance from the North End, too. My kids love ethnic neighborhoods.
  • How can we each be that child that enjoys those pockets of pure fun? It's a question I ask often. What helps me is oddly enough scheduling it in. Weekly play time. I must. Sometimes it turns into more than 1x/ week but in that 2 hour block I let myself become 8 and do whatever....of late I've had fun rediscovering reading clouds and seeing the images they're making :)
    Love this garden you speak of and the water fountains. Glad you all experienced it as a fam. FUN!
  • I took my son to "grandma on the farm's" as he calls her. We rode on the tracker, fed the cows and jumped in puddles. There is something about the simple things that help you remember to stop and enjoy life with the ones you love.
  • korycochran
    Chris,
    This is my first time to read this Blog as I heard about it from your post on ChrisBrogan.com.

    I whole heartedly agree to what you are saying. As a youth pastor for a church in northwest Houston,TX., I have found that a teenager does not typically have the most memorable experience within a group or even one one with their pastor or teacher, but rather, the spiritual experience that packs the greatest punch is one they have shared with a parent.
    This is the reason, I do not just seek to have a youth ministry but a family ministry. We purposely design events to create those experiences with a young person's immediate family members.
  • I agree 100%! The purest memories I have from my childhood are those that were pure fun.

    Now I get those great memories through my son and his pure fun. I love to play with him and watch him play. When he has a pure spontaneous laugh of joy it makes my heart sing. That is one of the reasons I try to involve myself in his life as much as I can as his dad, his soccer coach, and his scout leader. I love it when we get my wife's eyes to roll up with that expression of, "oh lord there the boys go again."
  • dohop
    You can't always predict what kids remember, but family photos & albums sure help to glue it in both parties.

    A week ago I took my 5 year old (http://tiny.cc/blogdoug) over to check out the yet empty school where she will commence Kindergarten this Thursday. In the course of describing many things to her, I mentioned she would be going to school for the next 12 years (at least...yes, actually 13; I'm not as smart as she is!), a statement I figured was over her head or not of interest. Today she informed dinner company she would be "in school for 12 years".
  • babyjadepr
    I took my kids to one of the most wonderful places in Vermont to ski and enjoy all the pleasures of The Equinox in Manchester. Historic hotel and lots of fun things to do. My kids were 10 & 7. When we arrived they put us above the boiler room. The whole room vibrated. I asked them to move us. They graciously did...to another room on the 1st floor that vibrated. We did this 2 more times until they finally put us on the top floor. No vibrating...hallelujah. We spent the next 5 days skiing, going to great kid places and generally having fun. When we returned, the kids teachers asked their classes to write a piece on their vacation. What do you think they wrote about? The fact that when we arrived we changed rooms 4x! Not a word about the other things we did. The teachers were so tickled by this they couldn't wait to ask me, "you really changed rooms 4x?!" When I asked my kids what about all the other things we did their answer was "but that was so much fun!" Next time, I'm going to save the cash, check into any old hotel, just keep changing rooms, stick them in the pool and read a good book!
  • I agree, Chris. My daughter's best moments this weekend were walking on the beach (well, I walked, she darted around a lot) and playing with the buttons on the automatic chairs in her grandparent's RV.
  • Chris - you're sooooo right! I love it when dads write about the wonders of being dads. Even though our twin daughters are 29 year old, my husband and I are still learning with them and from them all the time - about fun and many other things.
  • Chris, Great post. Sometimes it seems like we can learn more from kids, than they can learn from us.
  • You know what - just read this post kind of late, but yesterday, Sun Aug 30, we got one heck of a rain storm. So, after the lightning passed and it was just sprinkling - the kids and I went out and drove the car through the 2ft puddles, rode biked through them, skipped rocks, got soaked, muddy, filthy. It was the most pure fun we have had in a while.

    This post brought a good smile simply because I know yesterday was one of those days that will be used to pull through the drudgery that is commonplace each day.
  • WalterSchwabe
    Chris, I completely agree, one of the wonderful things about being in this business is one can operate from almost anywhere. On Sunday, I took my daughter to the park to take pictures, she's 4.5 yrs old and every so often she and I will take a dad/daughter photo trip...great times. As I pulled up to the park, a local councillor asked for my card and said he'd like to talk more about SM...a nice bonus to spending time with my daughter, as if that was actually needed.
  • Chris,

    Of all the titles you have - social media guru, NYT best-selling author, etc - Dad is by far the only one that really matters.

    Thanks for plugging fatherhood!

    Peter
  • Hey Chris,
    "Pure fun". One of the best things a dad can give his kids, and the look it produces on their faces is one of the best things about being a dad. Sounds like you have the perfect day! :)
  • diance
    100% agree with you and hope you all have a nice time : )
    you will like it!
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