FLY OFF THE HANDLEBARS

THE MOST FUN I've ever had as a dad was launching myself airborne off an ATV at a dude ranch in Wyoming.

- DAVID OYELOWO

Allow me to explain myself.

I was what people call a “rambunctious” child. If we'd had the X Games in Nigeria where I grew up, I would have competed in every event. I threw my body around in ways that defied gravity. I have injuries, some that I'm still nursing, to prove it.

My dad dealt with my rambunctiousness by repeating careful, careful, care-ful constantly. His carefuls did nothing to deter me from bashing and crashing my body around. Instead, they seemed to fuel me.

Then the craziest thing happened. My wife and I had three sons and a daughter, and I started saying careful, careful, careful—even though I knew it didn't work. My kids, despite my cautioning, are all varying degrees of rambunctious.