I miss my son

[fett]

I am an old fart and my son is 23. I just hope you guys and gals have a grand time raising your kids. Me and my son lived through a very bad and tragic time. His mom and my wife was dying and it took 10 years. Somehow, someway, my son came out being a very normal guy. It sure didn't happen based on me. Don't ever sell your kids short. Let them grow. I may be drunk, but I do know that love directed at a child will allow that child to develope in spite of whatever goes on around him or her. I know that for a fact, Jack.

[daisp]

Good advice Fett...

[Superfly]

You are a wise man above even YOUR years Fett...

[UFORocks]

My old man and I had a non-existent relationship for a good 8 years when I was a kid. Basically he decided he didn't want to be dad anymore and rolled, signed over his parental rights and everything. 8 years later he showed back up but we've never really regained the whole "Father-Son" thing.

He got married back in september, and told me he'd rather I not come to the wedding, nice eh? I have seen him once, maybe twice, since he and his new lady hooked up. Apparently she didnt like me too much and my old man suddenly decided that we'd crossed the line between parent/child and friends and I need to start respecting him like a father. I reminded him that he'd long since given up the right to make that demand, and that I'd always been there as his "son" and his friend despite all the BS in our past. We talk regularly on the phone, but its been over a year since we spent more than an hour in the same state at the same time, and we only live 45 miles apart. We used to get together and hang out and play guitar for 10 to 12 hours straight at least once every other month until he met the new wife. I kept trying to get together with him for a while but he'd always come up with some bullshit one-liner or another, just like the old days, so I've stopped asking.

So yeah, all you dads out there. Listen to Fett, dont take your kids for granted, and dont piss on them when they need you most. One day I'll be a dad, and I know I'll do everything in my power to not be my old man.

Later,

Steve

[straycat]

Good for you Steve.
My first wife took off when our two daughters were very young 10 and 5.I raised them both myself and sent them to college.They were a handfull at times you know the "boy" thing.But they turned out fine despite me being pretty hard on them.I made them do things for themselves so they would be OK out in the real world.
Kids are great just don't pamper them, give them responsibilities (chores)and be firm when it comes to the rules of dad.

[StukaJU87]

Fett, did you call him and tell him you miss him? I bet he would really love to hear that from his dad. A lot of kids would kill to hear that just once.

[UFORocks]

Good for you Steve.
My first wife took off when our two daughters were very young 10 and 5.I raised them both myself and sent them to college.They were a handfull at times you know the "boy" thing.But they turned out fine despite me being pretty hard on them.I made them do things for themselves so they would be OK out in the real world.
Kids are great just don't pamper them, give them responsibilities (chores)and be firm when it comes to the rules of dad.

Yeah, I couldn't imagine what I would have turned out like without the stern hand of my stepdad. Think Red Forman from That 70's Show. As much as what happened with my dad sucks, it was really probably for the better to be honest.

My stepdad went through the same "boy" thing with my sisters, except he was a cop. He used to show up with lights flashing at all the parties and "arrest" my sisters, that was fucking hilarious.

Later,

Steve

[kelly user]

i wish my dad could read this, so he could learn what a real father is.

[guitarsjb]

.

[straycat]

My daughters do speak with their mother now after many years of hating her.I told them she is your mother whether you agree with what she did or not talk to her don't shut her out.Life is good now.

[delt]

I'm so lucky to be born in such an awesome family.

Just came back from visiting my parents & brothers/sis, in fact. It's always good to see them.

[missionguitars1]

Thanks for reminding me - I have 3, and after coaching little league all day Saturday, taking them out to dinner, burning an hour at the book store with them, taking the middle one to a birthday party, and the incessant fighting they have been doing all weekend I am ready to throttle them.

I should probably focus on the double my middle one hit and the fact that they are straight-A students and just great kids in general - thanks fett...

[Norton]

My father's a doctor.But he always stalls me for a while before taking me to the hospital if I've got some medical complication.He's such an ass



So,get along with your parents.

[24seven]

i wish my dad could read this, so he could learn what a real father is.

Most of them realise when it's too late.

[GryphonGuitar]

My Dad treated me like a little king all my childhood. Then when I turned 13, it all suddenly turned around and I was expected to earn all of it back sort of... With talk of "family honor" and everything, suddenly all the love I thought was always going to be there, unconditional and parental, turned out to be an advance on a contract, which I now needed to pay back before I could start earning it again.