It occurred to me today that there’s nothing quite as attractive as a ‘tough’ guy who responds to a young child’s enthusiasm. Today driving home from work I stopped at the traffic lights and watched as a mother steered her young daughter, who was probably three or four, in a pram / tricycle combination across the crossing.
The endearing smile and enthusiastic wave that this small bundle of energy bestowed on everyone sitting at the traffic lights was enough to lighten the heaviest heart. What was great was that in the two separate cars alongside me, both of the ‘tough guys’ in work shirts waved back with the same enthusiasm as this little girl. This put a smile on my face that stayed with me all the way home. It reminded me of one of the greatest qualities which attracted me to my husband many years ago. I think its true what they say about children and animals and who they gravitate towards. My husband is not a baby person, at all, nor is he really an animal person.
Yet children adore my husband; they climb up in his lap, hang on his every word and follow him around like shadows. Despite him not being a ‘baby’ person’, he has the most calming and restful ability in dealing with babies and toddlers. He treats them like little adults, he talks to them and he hears them. Dogs will curl up at his feet or follow him, man’s best friend loves him.
The first day I met my husband, my 5-year-old son climbed up in his lap and started chatting away like he’d known him for years.
After 18 years together I can honestly say that our lives are not without turmoil and disagreements, but to see him in effortless action around my grandson and my nephew and even friends’ children means I’m reminded of that special quality which always manages to melt my heart.
My boys are 14, 16 and 23. They’re ‘tough’ guys on the outside with marshmallow insides, much like their father. Despite it not being considered cool for teenage boys to be good with babies, all three of them are incredibly capable with babies and toddlers and not afraid to show it. Little kids adore the care and attention they receive from my boys and gee it melts my insides.
I remember years ago my husband and I were at a party with our youngest, who was only several months old. It was early evening and youngest was quite distressed, okay the reality was that he was screaming like a banshee. He was obviously disturbing fellow party goers and a particular rough and ready looking guy came up and quite simply took him from my arms.
This person was at the time, the head of the Adelaide section of the Hells Angels Bikers Club, he was covered in tattoos and was extremely scary looking; I’d never met the guy before and was too intimidated to utter a word of protest. Yet he had my baby son nestled in his arms and cooing gently within seconds. I later learned that he was a father of five and an absolute natural with babies.
Let me repeat that there is nothing quite as attractive as a seemingly tough guy who isn’t afraid of a young child or baby – never again have I ever judged another person simply by their rough and ready appearance or the number of tattoos they have.
A better indication is whether children and animals steer clear of them, if so then there’s a pretty good chance that you should too.
Do you know someone who children and animals adore?
This is an original World Moms Blog post by Inspiration to Dream of Adelaide, South Australia. Fiona is the writer of Inspiration to Dream and can be found writing or reading in every spare moment that isn’t filled up with work her three boys, her baby grandson and, of course, with a bit of spare time thrown in for hubby as well.
The image is courtesy of Adam Borkowsli of Dreamstime Images and meets the terms and conditions of use.
Lovely post, Fi. That gentle side can be very endearing, I agree.
I do know some men who are great with animals and children, and it was one of the things I liked about Craig when I met him too.
Thanks Karyn, I think we all find this kind of appealing.
I could not agree with you more Fi. My husband can be like that as well, although he is afraid of larger dogs (don’t tell him I said that – LOL). Since the day she was born, our daughter was daddy’s girl. She stopped crying when he held her, I thought it must be comforting to be cradled in his big strong arms. He used to talk to her about the football game that he was watching or the moon out the window (still does) with the same enthusiasm, and she would follow along and coo back to him. Now that she is 20 months and has her own vocabulary, it is even cuter to observe their conversations. Great post! 🙂
Don’t you hate it at the same time that you love it when they can effortlessly inspire such adulation
Dogs love my husband! Until he had his own children, he feared babies!
I agree, lovely post!
Jen 🙂
Jen, my hubby is funny because while he willingly held our boys as babies, he always steered clear of friends babies – used to mumble some rubbish that he might drop them – yet these babies gravitated to him
I completely agree about the intuition of children and animals. And what an adorable image you described about the biker guy soothing your baby boy. Wish you had a picture of it to post!
A picture would have been great, but even if I had of had a camera I would have been to intimidated to take a photo. I guess who he was made him seem so much meaner and scarier in my mind than what he really was. Tattoos and full length beards and leathers are also pretty intimidating.
Wonderful post. Maybe there’s something that kids and animals can see that we don’t.
I’m almost certain that there’s something they can see that we can’t, its a pity we lose that ability as we get older 🙂
When the first of our group of friends had a little girl, that child LOVED my husband. She feared me when she was a toddler….cried when I entered the room! But she always wanted to curl up on my husbands lap and read a book. I knew I hit the jackpot in the future dad department 😉
Great post! Children love my husband – he is great with kids (much more that I am!! :))