Am I Doing This Right?

As with everything you do in life.  Whether it be a new job, a new relationship, buying a car, buying a house, etc...  The thought runs through your head.  "Am I doing this right?"

Your first job. You want to do well, so that you don't have to go home and tell your parents that you got fired.
A girl.  Do you really want to go back to your friends and tell them you got dumped because you did something stupid?
A car.  Make sure it's cool enough to drive and won't break down all the time.
A house.  Do you really want to move back in with your parents?  With your kids?

A child is the same way.  But a hundred times more pressure.  This will be your ambassador to the world.  The way you raise them will reflect on you for many years to come.  If they become an important person, or end up in jail for years.  At some point, the praise, or blame will fall on you.

This happened a few years ago.  Just before Monkey came along.
Princess was only five.
I have been staying home with her since day one.  We had been going out and having little adventures.
We see some sights and window shop.  Everything was going fine.

But as a dad, staying home with a little girl, I always wondered....  Am I doing this right?
Play with her.  Feed her.  Changer her diapers.
Praise her.  Scold her.  Help her. Watch her.
Every little thing that goes into making her what she is, I am helping with.
But....  Am I doing this right?

So one day we went with my Mom, Step-dad, and our little family to Powell Gardens.
It is a nice place.  There are paths to walk.  Flowers and plants to see.  A Nice place to enjoy yourselves and have some fun with the family.

On this summer's day, Powell Gardens had a giant bug exhibit.  Now these are giant statues of bugs.
Ants, praying mantis, ladybugs, and other things. All made out of natural materials.  Sticks, stones, leaves.

As we are heading down a slightly steep hill, I noticed that Princess had slowed down a little to keep her balance.  As I waited for her to catch up, I saw a little girl of about two or three walk down the hill.
This little girl got going too fast and her feet couldn't keep up.  She ended up falling on her bottom a few feet away from Princess.  My little girl stopped.  Walked over to where this little girl was and helped her up.  Then asked her if she was okay.

This has been one of my proudest moments.  I didn't need anyone else to tell me.
In that moment.  I knew that I was Doing This Right.