Becoming a Kid Again (With a Bad Back)

Being a dad usually means being responsible. Paying bills. Making snacks. Saying things like, “Don’t jump off that.”

But the best moments happen when you forget all that and do the jumping with them.

When dads step into their kids’ worlds, logic disappears. The floor becomes lava. The couch becomes a pirate ship. Stuffed animals have opinions, and somehow you’re arguing with a teddy bear about bedtime while wearing a blanket as a cape. You’re not proud of it — but you’re committed.

Kids don’t care that you’re sore. They don’t care that you’re out of breath after thirty seconds. They definitely don’t care that you pulled something trying to crawl under the coffee table. To them, you showed up. And that makes you a hero.

Somewhere along the way, dads realize they didn’t lose their imagination — they just need a warm-up stretch and maybe some ibuprofen.

Sure, you’ll step on a Lego. Sure, your knees will remind you you’re not five anymore. But in those moments when you’re roaring like a dinosaur or escaping lava together, you’re not just playing — you’re building memories your kid will carry forever.

So go ahead. Be silly. Be loud. Act like a kid again.

Just… stretch first.