SHED: The beginning of the end

By Julian O’Brien

A SIBLING of mine described it best when he labeled it “the beginning of the end’’. He’s right you know.

His remark was in response to me noting that Princess Kellie and I were about to take Princess Ella to her first dancing lesson.

As a dad with two older children of his own, my bro’ prophetically noted my life now was set to be completely dominated by running Princess Ella (and eventually Princess Holly) to an endless stream of dancing lessons, music lessons, sport and social events.

My life flashed before my eyes  … or was it Ella and Holly’s life, because a lot of it featured me sitting behind the bloody wheel of a car?

It was easy for my brother to say this, of course, as he sat behind the wheel of his own car in the pouring rain waiting for his boy to finish his footy training.

The real dilemma came at the end of our conversation when said boy returned and my brother was forced to somehow negotiate a way the boy could get in the car without leaving mud all over it and incurring the wrath of the “boss” of the household.

Don’t get me wrong, I want my girls to have a myriad of life experiences. I want them to learn an instrument or find something they are passionate about. It would be sensational if one of them turned into a professional athlete – maybe even the next Lauren Jackson (although, given the title of this website, that last one is highly unlikely).

As long as my girls are happy and healthy I’m fully prepared to pay the price of sitting on my backside waiting for them.

So, Ella and Holly, bring on the dance lessons, bring on the basketball training and bring on the parties, but don’t think for one minute either of you are going to choose the violin!

Read how that first lesson went…