Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Being a dad

     The person I least want to disappoint is my dad. His approval is very important to me and I remember every time he ever told me that he was proud of me. My dad drove a truck and he was on the road a lot, usually just home on the weekends. I think, because of that, my sister and I are closer to our mother. We both love and admire our dad though. He's been an excellent provider and gave us everything we needed in life.
    Probably the most important thing my dad taught me was responsibility. Even when we were little, dad would say "don't let other kids do your thinking for you."
    Now I have four kids of my own. I don't feel like I'm bragging when I say that I'm a pretty good dad myself. Since each of my kid's were born, I've been involved in every aspect of their lives. When they were babies, if they woke up in the night, I got them. I would take them to their mommy and she would feed them, then I would change a diaper and rock them back to sleep. Even now, when my kids wake up at night they call for me. I do my best to teach them responsibility like my dad taught me. It's not as easy as you might think, but they're catching on.  Mainly I teach by example, I work hard and love my family openly. I have tons of hugs and kisses always at the ready.
     I worry because so many kids today don't have a dad in their life. Mothers amaze me, especially single mothers. One of the first thing that amazed me about my wife was the fact that she lived alone with her son. She worked every day and got the bills paid and her boy was healthy and happy. She sacrificed so much in his first few years, and I just couldn't imagine how she made it all work out. It may just be my ignorance, but I see kids all the time and think, "that kid needs a daddy!"
     If you're a dad but not involved in your child's life, please be aware that they need you. Even if you can't get along with their mom anymore, you're children still need to learn all the things that a good dad has to offer. Responsibility for their actions, a good work ethic (I know, Moms can teach this too!!), and how to love themselves and others. Of course, all kids need someone to wrestle with. In my experience, Mom's suck at wrestling. That always ends with Mom pretending you hurt her.
     I'm not the best dad, and I'm still learning how to be a good husband, but I try to be the best dad every day. On really good days I AM the best dad. Hopefully my children will someday look back and think that of me. Maybe on of them will let me live with them when I'm old, instead of putting me in a home.....

3 comments:

  1. You are an AWESOME Daddy EVERYDAY! I love you and I know how lucky I am that you are my baby daddy! :)
    ALSO, I'm not sure what you're alluding to, but I have never pretended to be injured while wrestling...I've really been injured! I'm just glad they have you to wrestle with!
    Sons need Daddys to teach them how to treat woman, and girls need Daddy's to teach them how a real man treats a woman. You do a wonderful job of doing both of those things!

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  2. Bart, you are so right! Children do need their daddies. It breaks my heart that my ex decided to walk out on my son and it makes me mad as hell to see my husband's ex-wives try to push him out his kids lives.

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  3. Daddy tells me all the time that he's proud of you ;)

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