New Game... WHEEE!!
Today as I was p
icking Colin up from school I raised him above my head "tossing" him. (For those of you Nervous Nellies, no. I didn't actually throw my 4-month old son in the air. I just gave him the feeling that I was doing so.) I've done this with plenty of kids of varying ages, and they all react differently. Some enjoy it, others (most notably my friend Nora's eldest son) are terrified. Colin was instantly delighted, and I was rewarded with smiles and laughter. I repeated, to see if he was really reacting to the "flying" feeling and sure enough... smiles and laughter every time.
Next time I'll make sure he hasn't eaten recently. While this was fun, moments later I was rewarded with a little... um... gift. That was a little less fun. Lesson (re)learned.
Anyway, I've heard there's a thrill-seeking gene. Something that drives your personality, and makes some people love whitewater rafting and skateboarding and rock climbing, while others prefer safer more sedate activities. From the Ithaca.edu website:
From the early signs Colin may fall into that thrill-seeking category. Which in general is fine with me, let's just hope he doesn't go out for the extreme sports. If he decides to ride a motorbike and take some insane jump, hundreds of feet off the ground, while barely touching the bike, I'll probably stroke out. So Colin, please... have a little mercy. I'm not asking you to spend your entire life in a library. I'd actually be thrilled if you enjoy some fun adventurous outdoor activities. But if/when you decide to compete in the X-games... send me to Bora Bora for an extended, no-TV-no-phone-no-internet vacation and show me your winning medals and the TV coverage after it is all over. When I can be sure you're not in the hospital in 1,000 pieces. Deal?
icking Colin up from school I raised him above my head "tossing" him. (For those of you Nervous Nellies, no. I didn't actually throw my 4-month old son in the air. I just gave him the feeling that I was doing so.) I've done this with plenty of kids of varying ages, and they all react differently. Some enjoy it, others (most notably my friend Nora's eldest son) are terrified. Colin was instantly delighted, and I was rewarded with smiles and laughter. I repeated, to see if he was really reacting to the "flying" feeling and sure enough... smiles and laughter every time.Next time I'll make sure he hasn't eaten recently. While this was fun, moments later I was rewarded with a little... um... gift. That was a little less fun. Lesson (re)learned.
Anyway, I've heard there's a thrill-seeking gene. Something that drives your personality, and makes some people love whitewater rafting and skateboarding and rock climbing, while others prefer safer more sedate activities. From the Ithaca.edu website:
- Sensation-seekers who risk their wellbeing for a thrill are known to have the “novelty-seeking” gene. They are genetically wired differently than those who are low sensation-seekers, notably lacking the dopamine-4 receptor. Marvin Zuckerman, a psychologist and pioneer in the genetic wing of arousal studies, first identified this trait thirty years ago and he explained these sensation-seekers as people who crave “varied, novel, complex and intense sensations and experiences.”
From the early signs Colin may fall into that thrill-seeking category. Which in general is fine with me, let's just hope he doesn't go out for the extreme sports. If he decides to ride a motorbike and take some insane jump, hundreds of feet off the ground, while barely touching the bike, I'll probably stroke out. So Colin, please... have a little mercy. I'm not asking you to spend your entire life in a library. I'd actually be thrilled if you enjoy some fun adventurous outdoor activities. But if/when you decide to compete in the X-games... send me to Bora Bora for an extended, no-TV-no-phone-no-internet vacation and show me your winning medals and the TV coverage after it is all over. When I can be sure you're not in the hospital in 1,000 pieces. Deal?
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