Cute baby

Watch this video at your own risk. If you begin to feel viewing this will cause you permanent psychological damage I have included the full transcript below.

Oah. Oah.
Come heeeere.
Stand up again.
Yeaaaah.
Aahahaha.
Yeaaaaah. (adjustment for safety)
Big boy.
Yeaaaah.
Hehehe.
Heeee’s walking.
Do it again.
Whoops.
Hehehe. Getting’ tired huh?
You can do it.
Ooooooh.
Yeaaaah. Come heeere.
Look at you.
Hahahahaha.
Oooooeeee.
Hehehehe.
Oh that’s a most efficient way of getting here.
Come here (unintelligible)
Come on. Come on big boy.
Yaaaaah. So exciiiiting.
Yeeees. (clapping)
Yeaaaaay.
That’s Camilo walking for the first time by himself.
It is June 29th, 2008.
Hehehe.
He’ll be 14 months old next week. Mhm.
Ooooh. What a big guy.
Hahahaha.
You’re makin’ us proud.
Hehehehe.
Whoop. (adjustment for safety)
Hahahaah.
He stands up by himself.
Good boy.
Hahahaa.
Your so gooood.
That’s exciting. (mother hugs and kisses him)
Hmmmmmh. (check out the mother’s toes)
You got bit by the bug Camilo. Now you’re gonna wanna walk all the time. We’re gonna have to be on guard.
Hey smiley guy. You gonna walk over here.
Come on let’s walk.
Oh ya. Heheheh.
Hmhmmm.

I count 51 phrases/sounds of encouragement give or take a few, 2 actions of care and safety, 1 overt display of physical affection and 1 indication of empathy over the course of 4 minutes and 5 seconds.

Parenting aside, here’s my point. When was the last time someone encouraged you? When was the last time you encouraged someone else? Why is this thought so unfamiliar and so uncomfortable? For those of you who are still pondering these questions, may I suggest that you make a point of encouraging one person, once-a-day. For those of you who already do, my hope would be that your words of encouragement sound nothing like this baby’s father.