There are days I swear I’m living inside a low-budget reboot of The Goonies — but instead of treasure maps and booby traps, we’ve got school bags, speech therapy appointments, and the mysterious crumbs that Gigi somehow leaves everywhere she goes.
Starring:
- Oz — the brave leader, part Mikey, part Mouth, all heart.
- Gigi — the chaos gremlin with the heart of gold, like if Chunk discovered glitter and decided to spread it everywhere as a life philosophy.
- Elle — our tiny adventurer, sweet, curious, surprising everyone at the perfect moment.
And me — just the dad in the background whispering, ‘Never say die,’ thinking back to my apprentice days on the Heidelberg platen — clattering away like that Goonies cash-printing scene — right before it tried to eat my finger.
The Map to the Lost World
Most mornings with Elle feel like we’ve been handed a treasure map scribbled in crayon by friendly pirates. Her speech is coming in slowly, beautifully, and completely in her own style.
Every new little sound is a clue.
Every point, every excited “Da!” or “Ba!” is her leading us deeper into the adventure.
Sometimes the clues are confusing.
Sometimes they’re crystal.
But every time we work one out, her whole face lights up like she just uncovered One-Eyed Willy’s treasure.
The Great Wobbly Walk Quest
While Oz and Gigi run laps through the house like they’re outrunning the Fratelli brothers, Elle has her own signature move:
the legendary Goonie bum-shuffle.
She zooms across the floor like she’s sliding down a hidden tunnel in an underground cave — fast, determined, and super pleased with herself.
Now, with help from physio, hydro, and a team of absolute legends, she’s slowly starting to try standing, stepping, testing her balance. Each wobbly rise feels like we stumbled into the next chamber of the adventure.
Oz cheers like the team captain.
Gigi offers snacks for motivation.
And I’m behind her saying, “You’ve got this, girl!.”
The Sibling Adventure Crew
The best part?
They don’t even realise how good they are together.
To them, they’re just:
- Building tunnels out of cushions
- Hiding treasure around the house (and my keys, mostly)
- Turning the hallway into an obstacle course
- Plotting missions that end in crumbs
But secretly, they’re learning courage, teamwork, and kindness — the Goonies way.
Our house might not have booby traps (except for carefully place bluey figurines),
but we’ve got something better:
A crew.
A team.
Three little Goonies who make even the ordinary feel like an adventure.
Dad Reflection
Some days feel heavy.
Some feel hilarious.
Some feel like we’re all just trying to dodge imaginary boulders rolling down the hallway.
But every day with them is the kind of adventure worth hanging onto.
And if The Goonies taught us anything, it’s this:
The treasure isn’t gold — it’s your people.
Dad Point of Hue — Where CMYK meets ABCs.
✍️ Author: Rob Allen
Dad of three under six, wrangler of fonts, print runs, and bedtime routines. Writing from the messy overlap of design proofs and parenting fails.
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