Toothpicks and String

In my early days, as most children do, I had a very active imagination. I also imitated most things that I saw in movies with my action figures. One of my favorite scenes to reenact was the final scene in Batman (1989) where Batman and the Joker face each other.

At one point during the movie the Joker is lifted into the air, by an escape ladder dropped from the helicopter by his gang. As he is about to escape, high above Gotham, Batman fires his grapnel gun at the Joker tying his ankle to a gargoyle statue. The Joker is raised higher when suddenly the gargoyle breaks off the building. The Joker begins to fall down rung by rung until the weight of the gargoyle ultimately becomes too great and the Joker falls to his death.

So, what does this have to do with toothpicks and string?

I'm glad you asked! I had a toy helicopter as a kid, it was really cool! It had a trigger handle underneath it that would allow you to hold it and fly it, while also spin the main blades. While reenacting this scene with my action figures, I would pretend that he was hanging from an imaginary ladder. Hey, it didn't come with a ladder so I had to pretend! (Great aspect of being a kid!) However, I wanted to have something tangible that he could actually hang from.

I went and asked my dad what he could do to help. My dad started to talk about some options and told me to give him some time. He took my helicopter and I didn't see it again for a few hours.

Later that evening, dad came back with a perfect rope ladder, just like in the movie, hanging from the helicopter, made out of toothpicks for the rungs and string for the rope! I played with this set up forever!

What made this special to me and what will make something special for your child or children, is the fact that you took time to hear your child's problem and calmly developed a solution to the problem and create a memory or being their for your child. That rope ladder made of toothpicks and string symbolizes for me as an adult, that my dad cared about my need and made something of his own hands to meet that need.

He didn't tell me, "no", or, "figure it out", or, "sorry bud". He didn't even tell me what he was going to do, it was a surprise and I love my dad for it! Trust me your kids will remember what you make for them, do for them, or any time that you spend with them making precious memories!

Until next time,

Josh