When I was a kid, somehow or another I was exposed to quicksand (only through the media; I’ve never actually encountered it physically).  I seem to remember sketches on You Can’t Do That on Television in which people were trapped in quicksand.  It was something that really made me nervous; I’m not sure how I got the impression that it was a threat to me personally, but I did.  Maybe it was because I didn’t have a very good sense of geography.

Anyway, it may have been total B.S., but my dad told me that if I ever found myself drowning in quicksand, the thing to do is make slow, deliberate movements (as opposed to flailing around).  I have no idea whether this is true or not, and I’m not sure whether he actually believed it was true at the time or was just placating me.  Besides, from what I read in the linked article above, it turns out that most quicksand is denser than a human body, and therefore people float in it.  Regardless, I was very happy to have a survival strategy, and my worries were eased.

I think it was a good parenting moment on his part.  It wouldn’t have done me any good to tell me that there was no quicksand anywhere near our house.  Like I said, geography meant nothing to me, so the concept of “near” was useless.  What I needed was a concrete plan, and that’s what he gave me.

It’s not so useful nowadays, since my fears are largely rational ones (“Is that growling German Shepherd going to attack me as I jog by?”  “Should I really be picking at that?”), but having a good plan and a backup plan is still valuable.

Another of my dad’s standout parenting moments was when I baked cookies and ants got on them.  I was very sad.  He got out the ShopVac with the hose attachment and vaccuumed my cookies.  And then, I daresay, he ate them.   In retrospect, I am impressed by his commitment.