I encourage their play and imagination and believing hearts,  but I also hope to focus them on every day heros that are real.  Their teachers, and firemen for example…  but even beyond that, the people in their life that would do anything for them, unconditionally. Our every day hero is my husband and their dad.  He may not wear a cape, or have any “super” powers,  but he is our hero. He works to provide for us and of course he would do anything to protect us. He grew up loving comic books, Batman was his favorite. I know he is truly enjoying this new found superhero stage our kids are in.  They sit together and thumb through his old comic books (yes, he still has his).  He wears his superman t-shirt in public with pride. The kids light up when he does. Lately he has been staying up late creating pencil drawings of Batman for the kids to find at their art table in the morning.  This is already becoming a routine.  He draws as they sleep,  our son wakes up first and immediately goes to the table to see what daddy drew.  He then colors it in, or draws one just like daddy did.  He beams waiting for daddy to wake and come out to see the finished product. What a great way to start the day.

My husband had a milestone birthday this past February.  I wanted to get him something extra special, something that reminded him of his youth but resonated with him now. I remembered a few months prior he had found these particular converse high top sneakers online.  Batman,  not just ANY Batman,  but the blue and gold Batman of his youth.  The one in those faded comic books he so neatly saved.  The hero of his youth that he now shares with his little ones.  Perfect!  He opened the gift on his birthday and they were a hit!  When he comes home from work he takes off his work shoes and puts on the sneakers.  If we go out, he wears the sneakers. i think they celebrate the boy he once was, and the man he now is. Our every day hero.