Life with Dylan

Category: children

  • My Son the Photographer

    Over the past few nights I have been going through Dylan’s photographs from the last year. Yes, I am a year behind on photos. I have been editing his pictures, posting some of his favorites to a photo group we belong to, and uploading them to his Flickr account. Some of his photographs, well, they are really good. I only wish I had been doing this sooner.

    Dylan has come such a long way from when he first started taking pictures and I have really enjoyed watching him grow as a photographer. He takes his time now and thinks about the image in his mind. Sure, there are still those times when the picture is out of focus or a head gets cut off, but for the most part he is a pretty darn good photographer for being only 10 years old.

    My favorite is when he takes a picture and says, “Hey mom, is this one any good?” Like he took a really bad picture, but then smirks because he knows that he just nailed it!

    Tigress Danai

    Sharing a love for photography with my son is wonderful and not something that I anticipated. It’s the hobby that quickly became an obsession and now we don’t go anywhere without at least one camera.  Dylan is starting to use Instagram more and loves leaving comments on others Flickr photos.

    He is learning to use words like contrast, depth of field, clarity, and composition. I look forward to seeing what he photographs this year. Because after all, the possibilities are endless when you give a child a camera.

    Photos by Dylan Fryer

    To see more of Dylan’s photographs visit his Flickr page.

  • My son isn’t an athlete and that’s ok with me

    Everyone has something that they are really good at, something that makes them stand out from the crowd. For some people this may be a sport; many kids in our neighborhood play soccer and football. Others belong to various running clubs. I think this is wonderful – the world needs athletes. However, if sports are not a child’s passion, then I don’t believe they should be put down or made to feel inferior. 


    Having different interests, hobbies, and skills is what makes us all unique individuals. I believe in fostering whatever passion a child may have rather than forcing them to conform to what others are doing. What might be the norm for some isn’t necessarily the norm for others.




    My son loves playing basketball – for fun. He doesn’t want to be on a team. He doesn’t want to commit to practicing three days a week and playing games every weekend. This is completely OK with me. His passion, his niche in life, is not sports. I know, gasp right? Wrong. 
    My son is not and probably never will be an athlete. Rather, he will change the world around him by educating others and being the best person he can possibly be. 


    Dylan has been in Scouts since 1st grade. Tiger Cub, Wolf Cub, Bear Cub, Webelo, and now he is starting his first year as a Boy Scout. He thrives in this environment and looks forward to his weekly troop meetings. He has a goal of becoming and Eagle Scout like his Grandpa and his hero Rick Schwartz, Ambassador for the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo Safari Park. I have no doubt that with hard work and determination he will accomplish this task. 


    The other passion in Dylan’s life is animals. This is something that has interested him since he was a toddler. Dylan has always loved learning about animals, their habitats, and as he got older, creating awareness for animal conservation. Those of you who follow Life with Dylan here and on Facebook know the depth of his passion. His fundraising efforts for San Diego Zoo Global have made him somewhat of a household name around the zoo – When we attend events at the San Diego Zoo or Safari Park, people stop mid-sentence and say “Oh, wait, you’re the Dylan! We’ve heard all about you.” Others see him and congratulate him or thank him for what he has done. 


    Sometimes this makes him uncomfortable – he doesn’t understand why they make such a big deal about something that seems so natural for him – and I explain that what he does is not “the norm”, but that doesn’t make it wrong or any less important. Dylan’s passion is growing stronger every day and I have no intention of holding him back. We have both seen the rewards of his hard work. Doors are continuing to open for him and amazing opportunities to learn more are within his reach. 


    Ask him what he likes to do and he will answer with philanthropy or conservation work. Dylan would rather spend his spare time reading or watching wildlife documentaries than playing sports and he would spend every weekend at the zoo if he could. Sure, he plays his fair share of video games, but Dylan is far from the average 10 year old. 


    My son is a philanthropist.


    My son is an entrepreneur.


    My son is a conservationist.


    My son is not an athlete – He is an individual who is making a difference and inspiring others. I am not saying that playing sports is a bad thing or a waste of time. If sports is your passion, then by all means excel in the game. 


    Dylan’s playing field may be different, but my son is still an all-star in my book. 



  • Giving makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year

    Christmas is probably my favorite time of the year. As a child, Christmas was a time filled with excitement and hopes of getting everything I asked Santa for. As a parent, Christmas became a time of making memories and hoping that my child’s wishes came true.

    Christmas is about more than just Santa Claus, but Santa does remind us about giving from the heart.

    Aside from all the marketing, Black Friday sales, Cyber Monday sales, and what seems like the never-ending slew of commercials for this years hottest toy, Christmas remains a special time of the year for me. A time that I can sit on the couch at night and gaze at the Christmas tree. A time when I feel more relaxed. I take the time to reflect on all the good things that have happened over the year.

    I even find myself getting lost in the memories of Christmases past – especially when I see ornaments that my son made when he was just a toddler. 

    I can remember the look of pride on his face when he gave me that ornament, wrapped up in green tissue paper and tied with a red piece of yarn. It didn’t cost a lot of money, but it was made with love and given with love. The giving is what Christmas is all about to me. 
    So the other day when my son came to me in tears because he didn’t have money to buy me a special Christmas present, I reminded him of the snowman ornament he gave me when he was just 3 years old. The same popsicle stick ornament that hangs front and center every year on our tree. This is what brings a smile to my face. I told him to make me something special – a card, a drawing, anything that he made would be the best present I could ever ask for. 
    The gift of giving is what makes Christmas the most wonderful time of the year. 

  • Endangered Species Monday – Educating children will change the world

    As much as I don’t want to believe this, educating adults is much more difficult than educating children. I guess its like the old saying goes – you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. Or can you?
    As adults, we are sometimes stuck in our way of thinking and are challenged to think otherwise. Explaining the importance of an endangered animal to an adult means changing the way something has been thought about for years – sometimes decades.

    However, explaining the same thing to a child is liking flipping a light switch on. Suddenly a new way of thinking is introduced and a child will run with it – soak up the information like a sponge – and then release that information to anyone who will listen. A child craves learning new things and is eager to share what he or she has learned. Today’s children are the future of this planet. What my child does 20 years from now will either further the existence of current endangered species or continue to clean up the mess that we have made of this world.

    One of the best ways to educate a child is to give hands-on experiences. While libraries and computers are amazing and can teach vast amounts about why animals are endangered or have become extinct, there is nothing quite like seeing it first hand.

    Touching a rhino horn or ocelot pelt, holding a boot that was made from snake skin, these are the types of educational experiences that will become embedded in a child’s mind.

    Children are emotional thinkers. They see an animal being harmed and can relate this to a pet they may have at home or a charcater in an animated movie. Some, like my son, will go beyond the average persons level of involvement and ask questions that most adults don’t even think about.

    A great way to get your child the hands-on experiences about endangered animals is to visit your local zoo or aquarium. Many of these places have tables set up with pictures, artifacts, and games that make learning fun. You will be surprised at how much a child will retain and quickly repeat to others. So if you want to help save the endangered species, start by educating your child. Our children are the future leaders of this world and what they learn now will make a difference for many years to come.