My Daughter's Dollhouse: A Gift Filled With Hope, Optimism & Love From One Child to Another Fatherhood

I came into our foyer early one morning to find my daughter's dollhouse with a note written on the back of it. On my daughter’s own accord, she dragged it out while we were sleeping and wrote this on back. She spent the night refurbishing it; she was ready to let go. It made her a little sad, but in a wonderful way. She explained that she wanted it to go to another child that perhaps couldn't afford it so it could make them happy. My eyes welled up as I read the note she wrote:

"Dear Person who gets this,

Please take care of this for me we have had it for years and love it. It made me happy when I was little then it made my sister happy now. I hope it makes you happy.

Love..."

You see, my children and I have open conversations during our daily regimen. Although primarily positive, we – like all parents – inevitably have to answer some of the much harder questions brought forth in these times:

• Why was there another school shooting?
• What’s a hate crime?
• Why are we building a wall?
• Why do kids cyberbully?

A resounding answer we always use to comfort them is that the good people on this planet far outnumber the bad people, and if you ever feel lost or lonely as you grow in the world, look for people that help and are kind to others and you’ll always find good there. We have done our best to teach our children that one of the most important pillars of society is community – both micro and macro – and that volunteering and giving is far more satisfying that being passive and receiving. 

Of course, it’s just a sliver of time and an isolated moment, but my hope is that little moments like this are happening in millions of other places all over the planet and that the next generations are stronger, kinder and more compassionate than ever before.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world." – Gandhi

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