A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood.

Our son adored the Gruffalo story. I think our son had all of Julia Donaldson books. We loved reading them to him, that’s what parenting should be about. Not the anxieties, the stress, the frustration, the heartbreak.

Walking through this deep dark wood took us back to that golden age. Fairytales and colouring books. Toy cars and Teddy Bears. Dragons and magic. Thomas the Tank Engine, Dora the Explorer and Iggle Piggle. When we were a team of 3. Golden Years.

But time marches on…

Son gets older. Fairytales replaced with Manga. Colouring books replaced with an iPad. Toy cars replaced with FIFA 19. Teddy Bears assigned to the shelves. Dragons upgraded to Transformers. Magic being drummed out of him by school. Thomas, Dora and Iggle now Assembled into Thor, Black Widow and Ironman. A team of three assigned to memories. The Golden Years now the Anxiety Times.

We walk further into the deep dark wood. Let’s hope it’s magic returns and takes us to a different world. One where anxiety is vanquished, dreams flourish and life is enriching.

The mouse found a nut and the nut was good.

54 thoughts on “In the Deep Dark Woods”

  1. You have so many more challenges than I had raising my family and that was tough enough. My heart goes out to you and your son as you travel the dark path. I am praying that magic, and goodness, and all things life-affirming and joyous come quickly to lighten your loads and brighten the forest. Blessings, always.

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      1. The problems that come with growing up kids are more or less the same all over. The changing environment and feelings of being unable to cope. Then there is the fear of the unknown future too. You have to be strong and confident so that your son gets those vibes from you.

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  6. What a beautiful way to say it all. One day maybe you will find time to write more of this. I appreciate your blog is currently your way to let off steam, and you need it. But one day … maybe ?

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  8. These days if you find a nut in the woods he’s probably a serial killer in survivalist mode!!

    Everything gets ‘upgraded’ these days to the next iteration. (Funny how i-Phone, Samsung and Windows are all up to version 10 point oh!)

    Don’t stop looking for the magic – it can be found in the most unexpected places. 😉

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  9. Peer pressure and teachers under duress somehow force innocence and wonder into a tiny sunlit woodland patch that we leave behind on our March through the dark woods of growing up. Go back to the sunlit patch often and the magic will envelope you both again and sustain you through the dark journey. Hopefully, you both come out the other side unscathed.

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  11. Love it. So true. We have neighbors that had a baby a year ago and now I see him outside with his little Thomas the Tank Engine walker and it does take me back. Thomas was all Bobby wanted. And now things are so different. You put it beautifully.

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  13. Pingback: In the Deep Dark Woods – A Dad trying to cope with the loss of his Partner and becoming a single parent. – International Badass Activists

  16. The thing is that life is constantly evolving, and while there will always be nostalgia for toy cars and teddy bears, for the dreams of childhood, what replaces those things becomes the new ‘good ol’ days. While you will bemoan the loss of his childhood for a bit, before long you’ll realize he’s grown into your best friend! Hugs!!!

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  19. There’s still a magic there–Thor is a Norse god, after all. But it’s a different kind of magic to be found in these heroes and robots. It might not be as pretty, but it’s pretty darn powerful. Hugs to you both from Wisconsin! xxxx

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