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Splashing in the Deep End: Adventures Raising Boys
Life with small kids is not easy, but it just might be the best thing out there. If you've ever wondered whether you should laugh or cry at the end of a long day, you're not alone. Steven K. Smith, children’s fiction author, husband, and dad to three boys, recounts in equal parts humor and sentiment the adventures of raising young children. Parents will quickly relate to the tell tale signs of life with kids like surviving the dreaded family car trip down the interstate, light saber battles, middle-of-the-night diaper changes, demands for striped pajamas, or boycotting tomatoes at the Mexican restaurant.
"The hardest part of raising our three little boys is the exhaustion. We weren't prepared for that in the beginning. Now we're prepared, but just not handling it well."
"Sometimes being a parent is like a heavyweight fight—you keep moving with the punches and try to stay on your feet, waiting for that bell to ring so you can take a few breaths before the next round."
"The room was pitch black, and as I opened his diaper, I couldn't distinguish stink from pink. I felt like I was in a dark foreign land and had never changed a diaper in my life."
"Traveling with children is not fun. Ever. Even the quiet times when games and movies are playing is only masking the pain bubbling just beneath the surface."
"Sitting little boys around a table full of china is like dropping your husband in the middle of a Victoria's Secret store. There's a lot to look at but little you can touch without being yelled at."
"For all the frustrating times, there's that moment when he'll shuffle over when I'm not expecting it. He'll look up at me with big blue eyes, wrap his arms tightly around my neck, and with a groan in his voice from the strength of his hug whisper, "Daddy, I just really love you." And suddenly it’s not so bad."
"The major downside to car seats is the inability for the kids to pick anything up off the floor. Because they drop things. Constantly. Usually to that one unreachable place, despite my Plasticman-like attempts from the driver's seat. Those dangerous maneuvers alone probably negate any safety advantages to the kids being strapped down in the first place. I'm seriously considering getting rid of the car seats completely."
"The hardest part of raising our three little boys is the exhaustion. We weren't prepared for that in the beginning. Now we're prepared, but just not handling it well."
"Sometimes being a parent is like a heavyweight fight—you keep moving with the punches and try to stay on your feet, waiting for that bell to ring so you can take a few breaths before the next round."
"The room was pitch black, and as I opened his diaper, I couldn't distinguish stink from pink. I felt like I was in a dark foreign land and had never changed a diaper in my life."
"Traveling with children is not fun. Ever. Even the quiet times when games and movies are playing is only masking the pain bubbling just beneath the surface."
"Sitting little boys around a table full of china is like dropping your husband in the middle of a Victoria's Secret store. There's a lot to look at but little you can touch without being yelled at."
"For all the frustrating times, there's that moment when he'll shuffle over when I'm not expecting it. He'll look up at me with big blue eyes, wrap his arms tightly around my neck, and with a groan in his voice from the strength of his hug whisper, "Daddy, I just really love you." And suddenly it’s not so bad."
"The major downside to car seats is the inability for the kids to pick anything up off the floor. Because they drop things. Constantly. Usually to that one unreachable place, despite my Plasticman-like attempts from the driver's seat. Those dangerous maneuvers alone probably negate any safety advantages to the kids being strapped down in the first place. I'm seriously considering getting rid of the car seats completely."
227 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2016
6 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
Steven K. Smith
27 books127 followersSteven K. Smith writes the middle grade series The Virginia Mysteries, Brother Wars, and Final Kingdom.
Steven lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife and three sons. Born and raised in rural northwestern New Jersey, he moved to Virginia in 2011 and quickly fell in love with its history and charm. Visit his website at www.stevenksmith.net.
When he's not writing, Steven enjoys coaching his boys in sports, hiking, kayaking, naps, and taking away his kids' screen time. Some of his favorite children's books include Where the Red Fern Grows, Rascal, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Bridge to Terabithia, and the Chronicles of Narnia series.
The Virginia Mysteries - Adventures with a twist of history
(Ages 7-12)
Book 1 - Summer of the Woods
Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill
Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle
Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase
Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion
Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown
Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon
Book 8 - Escape from Monticello
Brother Wars (Ages 7-12)
Brother Wars
Brother Wars: Cabin Eleven
Brother Wars: The Big Apple
Final Kingdom Trilogy (Ages 10+)
Book 1 - The Missing
Book 2- The Recruit
Book 3 - The Bridge
Steven lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife and three sons. Born and raised in rural northwestern New Jersey, he moved to Virginia in 2011 and quickly fell in love with its history and charm. Visit his website at www.stevenksmith.net.
When he's not writing, Steven enjoys coaching his boys in sports, hiking, kayaking, naps, and taking away his kids' screen time. Some of his favorite children's books include Where the Red Fern Grows, Rascal, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Bridge to Terabithia, and the Chronicles of Narnia series.
The Virginia Mysteries - Adventures with a twist of history
(Ages 7-12)
Book 1 - Summer of the Woods
Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill
Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle
Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase
Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion
Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown
Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon
Book 8 - Escape from Monticello
Brother Wars (Ages 7-12)
Brother Wars
Brother Wars: Cabin Eleven
Brother Wars: The Big Apple
Final Kingdom Trilogy (Ages 10+)
Book 1 - The Missing
Book 2- The Recruit
Book 3 - The Bridge
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
July 31, 2016
Having raised 2 boys I could relate to this book. Wonderfully written and very hard to put down. I recommend it for all readers but those who raised boys will enjoy it the most.
Displaying 1 of 1 review