Give and Take

Sunday January 18, 2026

1949 Royal KMG

GIVE AND TAKE

One morning a few days ago I was changing my sons diaper. For those of you that have diaper changing experience, you remember that one diaper change that takes the cake. The one you’ll never forget. The one that makes you pause as you think how you’re going to clean this mess up.

For my daughter her diaper came several years ago and I titled it, “the IKEA diaper.” We were leaving an IKEA and it was terrible that diaper mess she had.

For my son, just a few days ago, I was very clear in my disgust and profound amazement - and not in a good way. As I kept repeating, “oh my god... this is terrible...boy what did you eat...?” My daughter from the other room yells out to me, “dad, are you strong?” I say, “yes baby, why?” Camila finishes it in a way I guess I needed, “than act like it than.”

Very good and wise for a six year old. Maybe it didn’t quite fit the moment. Perhaps she should have told me to stop complaining or be a big boy. Something along those lines. But it reminded me of moments that I remind her of her strength. To encourage her. To push her. To raise the bar previously set by her in a different feat of her strength.

When you or I are caring for kids, it isn’t enough to give the advice. We must be willing to take it too. I complimented Camila after her encouragement of her little brothers diaper. Now titled the, “are you strong than act like it” diaper. Much of raising and caring for our kids is like that. We can’t be hypocrites when its flipped towards us.