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Best a thing about being a Dad
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<blockquote data-quote="nofearfactor" data-source="post: 2774584" data-attributes="member: 1535"><p>Our last kid is leaving the nest as we speak. Just now 18 he 'thinks' he knows it all too because we were those kiind of parents- we not only pushed our kids to learn everything they could but also to question everything (his mother was more patient with the 1000s of questions, naturally), as well as to not to take any **** from anybody and be able to back up your smartazz mouth (my department). Looking back on his life and our life with him is what I did yesterday afternoon. At the bank we had to formally take his juvenile accounts and update them to adult accounts. I signed papers signing over some of his college trust money (money we put aside when they were young along with the kids own money they added themselves: watching a kid put a $10 birthday check from gramma in the bank for college some day might seem weird and a long shot but watching them see how much they saved later in life when its time to withdraw it is priceless) to him into his own accounts so that he can pay upcoming 1st semester college bills and helped him navigate some small financial oceans that from now on he will have to maintain on his own without our help, for once. (Doesnt mean that me the helicopter dad wont be checking up on him behind the scenes, because yes I will, thats what we have done their entire lives). The same kid who at 4 came into my life when I married his mother, him, and his older sister and joined them with my own 3 daughters and son (along with my 3 still friendly ex wives, their husbands and new kids)- making one big weird dysfunctional family. </p><p></p><p>The best part about being a dad to me is when they dont need you any more, because thats when you know you did your job and if you did it well, because its all been about preparing them to be able to do things on their own from day one. They were ready to poop on their own- even tho they were making a mess doing it you let them learn it-and cleaned them up; they rode that bike on their own for once, with you still standing there nervously watching and hoping they dont flip it and knock some teeth out or break an arm; they drive that stickshift car with you in the passenger seat trying not to count how many times they grind the gears while trying to get it (you have to hold back your criticism as best as you can in order for them to feel like they did it on their own); and then you help them pack up their most valuable stuff that they have accumulated most of their young lives along with the new stuff mom helped them with; and then the worst experience in the world: watching them drive away in their own car out of your driveway out on to that road that will take them off to their new 'life'. (I remember when I did just that and that feeling of real freedom as well that weird feeling in your stomach about how youre going to be able to do all youre supposed to do to survive on your own). Even tho Ive done it more than once, and even tho Im a big boy and an old tough guy- I still cried like a baby, one more time. The last kid, the last time we will experience this. But if I did my job right he will be ok, more than ok, and like the older kids before him, hes going to kick azz and take names. Just like he was taught.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="nofearfactor, post: 2774584, member: 1535"] Our last kid is leaving the nest as we speak. Just now 18 he 'thinks' he knows it all too because we were those kiind of parents- we not only pushed our kids to learn everything they could but also to question everything (his mother was more patient with the 1000s of questions, naturally), as well as to not to take any **** from anybody and be able to back up your smartazz mouth (my department). Looking back on his life and our life with him is what I did yesterday afternoon. At the bank we had to formally take his juvenile accounts and update them to adult accounts. I signed papers signing over some of his college trust money (money we put aside when they were young along with the kids own money they added themselves: watching a kid put a $10 birthday check from gramma in the bank for college some day might seem weird and a long shot but watching them see how much they saved later in life when its time to withdraw it is priceless) to him into his own accounts so that he can pay upcoming 1st semester college bills and helped him navigate some small financial oceans that from now on he will have to maintain on his own without our help, for once. (Doesnt mean that me the helicopter dad wont be checking up on him behind the scenes, because yes I will, thats what we have done their entire lives). The same kid who at 4 came into my life when I married his mother, him, and his older sister and joined them with my own 3 daughters and son (along with my 3 still friendly ex wives, their husbands and new kids)- making one big weird dysfunctional family. The best part about being a dad to me is when they dont need you any more, because thats when you know you did your job and if you did it well, because its all been about preparing them to be able to do things on their own from day one. They were ready to poop on their own- even tho they were making a mess doing it you let them learn it-and cleaned them up; they rode that bike on their own for once, with you still standing there nervously watching and hoping they dont flip it and knock some teeth out or break an arm; they drive that stickshift car with you in the passenger seat trying not to count how many times they grind the gears while trying to get it (you have to hold back your criticism as best as you can in order for them to feel like they did it on their own); and then you help them pack up their most valuable stuff that they have accumulated most of their young lives along with the new stuff mom helped them with; and then the worst experience in the world: watching them drive away in their own car out of your driveway out on to that road that will take them off to their new 'life'. (I remember when I did just that and that feeling of real freedom as well that weird feeling in your stomach about how youre going to be able to do all youre supposed to do to survive on your own). Even tho Ive done it more than once, and even tho Im a big boy and an old tough guy- I still cried like a baby, one more time. The last kid, the last time we will experience this. But if I did my job right he will be ok, more than ok, and like the older kids before him, hes going to kick azz and take names. Just like he was taught. [/QUOTE]
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