Creating Memories
what children remember most
Today’s post is not about training.
My 8-year-old daughter has become increasingly interested in stories from my childhood.
My children have totally different lives from the one I had. She can’t comprehend when I tell her that we didn’t have running water and we had to fetch it from a kilometer away. Hot water? Yes - in a bucket left under the sun.
Heating in winter? We, children had to log trees (not our own) for firewood. To feed the livestock, we cut grass from swamps with water snakes and carry in our back.
I understand completely why these stories fascinate her.
Yesterday at bedtime we were talking about why she is interested in bowshooting.
I told her that we, as 9-10 year olds, used to make our own bows and arrows and shoot at trees, or frogs, or whatever felt fun.
Somehow the conversation turned to slingshots. She didn’t believe me when I said I could make one that can kill birds.
She was like “Dad, now you are talking like in the movies. You can’t make a slingshot that can kill birds.”
I didn’t try to convince her. I just said we could make one tomorrow.
She woke up full of energy and anticipation. After breakfast we went outside with a knife, found some tree branches, an old shoe in the garage, and an elastic band my wife used for postpartum exercises. With tape and thread, and about two hours later two slingshots were ready.
Fortunately, wild life is protected in Norway, so we couldn’t shoot at ducks, frogs or birds. Instead we grabbed a few empty soda cans and had proper fun with my two kids.
When she saw how a small stone can destroy a soda can, she understood that it was possible to kill a bird with that thing.
And probably the proudest moment for me was seeing their reaction when I hit a bumblebee :) (please, don’t judge me, I know… but it felt good to showcase old skills)
Computer games, gifts, vacations and similar things can create memories too. But I am certain they will not forget the fun we had together today. For children, memories matter more than how much they cost to create. They don’t care about expensive things.
When I think a bit deeper, this story is not about slingshots.
It is about handing my children a small piece of the practical agency.
In my childhood, most of the toys we wanted were not bought. We made them with our own hands. Today we did the same: we built them together, tested them together, and for a short while the distance between my childhood and theirs disappeared.
That is the part I hope they keep.
Keep creating memories.
After all, that is what matters most.
And, stay healthy,
Bek
You reminded me of some of my childhood memories. Most of my childhood was spent with my older brother. My father worked in another country, so we didn't have many chances to spend time together. My younger brother filled those days with happy memories. He used to make slingshots and kites for me, and we had so much fun playing with them. I also remember that whenever we had a handicraft project for school, he would always make it for me. Those are some of the sweetest memories from my childhood.
Assalom aleykum Bek aka I used to have such a narrow perspective on life looking at the internet to figure out how to live and what's supposed to make us happy. But honestly once I achieved those things I didn’t feel any real sense of happiness at all. Then I stumbled upon your interviews. The way you speak and the perspectives you share really opened my eyes. We all know we’re put in this world as a test, yet we knowingly spend our entire lives just chasing a livelihood barely making an effort to break out of that cycle. After watching your videos and reading about your life and thoughts on Substack, I’m finally trying to take steps toward a more open-minded and free way of living, God willing. Thank you so much for everything.