My parents split up when I was five. I went to live with my mom, who lovingly cared for me – well, the nanny she hired cared for me.
It would be years before I would ask myself why I looked forward to summer vacation so much. (Dad only got me for vacation.) He would put me to work: chopping wood, washing dishes (by hand!) and other forms of annoying, manual labor.
He didn’t even have Internet OR a television. And yet. Those were some of my favorite childhood moments.
***
Thanks Lisa and Rochelle for a fun prompt! It brings back so many fond childhood memories, growing up with my quirky dad in his quirky (who needs a clearly-marked driveway anyway?) home, after being sent to live with him by my … mother of whom I have less fond memories. My dad wasn’t perfect, and he could be downright peculiar. He had no idea how to raise two girls, especially one as nuts as me. But, he taught me how to change a tire, survive in a basic wilderness situation, and not to care too much what other people think of me. Most of the time.
Anne Higa 
Annoying manual labour. No TV. I wonder if there might even have been … books
LOL. If not, then suddenly I’m thinking the dad in this story might be totally sketchy. No TV and manual labor, could be good parenting? No books, that’s clear child abuse right there.
Of course, only in retrospect do we appreciate the simpler things. Nicely done.
Without all those distractions we can focus on what matters. A lovely tale.
I never had a dishwasher so I only know the manual way. A lovely tale tinged with sadness at being in a split family. Well done.
It’s good to get away from the nanny and the TV on occasion. And be with a parent who pays attention.
Sometimes the simple things can be much more memorable.
Nicely written …
Isadora 😎
Dear Anne,
Show me a perfect parent and I’ll show you a fairytale. 😉 Glad your memories of him are good ones. Thank you for sharing this story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
This sounds like that child knew what mattered, thank to her father’s teachings. Lovely tale, Anne. And lovelier to know it was inspired by your story.
A well told tale, with lots of truth in it. I particularly like the way you vary the flow of this story by using sentences of very different lengths.
Anne, I’m so glad this photo triggered those fond memories of times with your dad.
I’m glad her troubled beginnings had a happy outcome. And doubly glad when when I read that you were thinking about your own childhood here. Beautifully told.