A number of men call themselves fathers, but are they really dads? Fathers can come and go, but real dads do far more while standing the test of time. Too, often children are forced to live without both parents at home. Starting life without a nurturing family structure can sometimes leave scars that never heal. Knowing of this pain first hand, I understand how it feels. It takes nothing to give birth to a child, but it takes a real dad, to raise one.
“As a father, you may have brought me into this world, but have you earned the right to be called Dad?”
I saw my father daily…well, most days, up until age twelve, so having that fatherly void all of a sudden seem very strange. Not knowing the reason he decided to leave, it seemed best in some ways that he was gone … all the same. There was no more fear that he would hurt my mom, or spank my little brother for eating his pie. We were better off without him, isn’t that a shame… all the same.
Father, you may see me from time to time and think you know me. However, my Dad knows my likes and dislikes, my father came by to get his mail, my Dad made me lunch for school, my father dropped off $20.00 for us to eat, my dad, dressed me, my Father saw me on my way to church, my dad sat at the dinner table and said grace with me. I had a fight with some boys, as my father stood by and shouted hit him again, my dad saw me having a problem and he came to correct the situation. Most kids can tell the different between a father and dad. I ask you my brother… who shall you be a Father or a Dad?
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Educate Your Kids!
Let’s talk about schooling, as you may know, I was a high school dropout. However, when my wife asked me, “What are you going to say when your son asks if you graduated?” That was a question that I didn’t want to have an excuse for… I completed Mountain View Evening High School in 1978... six years after I initially dropped out. I then acquired an Associate Degree followed by a Bachelors’ of Business Administration from Saint Leo’s University. So yes! School is very important. We should do all we can to inspirer our kids to read, and do math and develop an interest in school…NOT just for sports. Sitting around the house here in Phoenix, I have had the chance to watch my oldest grand-daughter learn not only how to write, but to read as well. She has developed a natural enjoyment for learning. My thoughts have always been that you as a parent should do what you can to develop an interest in what your child becomes interested in.
Tiger Woods started playing golf at the age of three with his father… now I am not saying you should start pushing your kid into a sport, but you should be testing their level of interest in different things to start developing some form of career interest. The question is not “what do you want to be when you grow up”… it’s going to be “what have you learned growing up?’ Knowing what I know now, your kids need to develop some computer skills, teach them about space, biology, natural sciences. Higher levels of reading and math are keys to the 22 Century. The candidate of the future will have more than average computer skills, will maintain a passion for reading and have outstanding math skills.
So, if you’re not focusing on this now, STOP!!! Take that XBOX control out of that kid’s hands and throw it to the floor. If you’re lucky, it WILL break. In hindsight, this will be the best day of your kid’s life. Because the kid that can pick the controller up off the floor and fix it will be the one to put your money on…invest in his/her future. But if they look at you and start to cry tell them to go get a job! Just joking!
But, child development in Education is no joke, take the lead, show your kids the way.
Tiger Woods started playing golf at the age of three with his father… now I am not saying you should start pushing your kid into a sport, but you should be testing their level of interest in different things to start developing some form of career interest. The question is not “what do you want to be when you grow up”… it’s going to be “what have you learned growing up?’ Knowing what I know now, your kids need to develop some computer skills, teach them about space, biology, natural sciences. Higher levels of reading and math are keys to the 22 Century. The candidate of the future will have more than average computer skills, will maintain a passion for reading and have outstanding math skills.
So, if you’re not focusing on this now, STOP!!! Take that XBOX control out of that kid’s hands and throw it to the floor. If you’re lucky, it WILL break. In hindsight, this will be the best day of your kid’s life. Because the kid that can pick the controller up off the floor and fix it will be the one to put your money on…invest in his/her future. But if they look at you and start to cry tell them to go get a job! Just joking!
But, child development in Education is no joke, take the lead, show your kids the way.
Get Yourself a Life Coach
Everyone needs a coach… that one person in your life (whether you are adopting me or someone else) that has already done most of the things that you are trying to figure out. Regardless if you are buying a car, home, boat, or getting a credit card, chances are that they have done it. You should feel no shame in asking the simplest question… you would think. Having this kind of resource is unlimited and priceless, it’s nothing new, and families practiced this method of educating years ago. There was always the one member of the family that wore the crown of wisdom.
Not having this kind of support as a young man, I can see how the benefits of wisdom could have improved things for me. I place such a large value on this kind of advice and the fact that my experiences can helping my family is a plus. Reviewing my life, makes me wonder just how much more progress I could have had if I had a coach. So the next time you feel the need a ask a question, don’t hold back, ask the one person that could assist you in making the right decision so that when you look back hopefully you will never say, “Man, I regret making that decision.”
Yes! Life is about experiences; however, would you rather they are more positive ones than tear jerkers? Knowing what I know now, I would rather be told about an experience than rather than having the bad memories of experiencing some of them.
Not having this kind of support as a young man, I can see how the benefits of wisdom could have improved things for me. I place such a large value on this kind of advice and the fact that my experiences can helping my family is a plus. Reviewing my life, makes me wonder just how much more progress I could have had if I had a coach. So the next time you feel the need a ask a question, don’t hold back, ask the one person that could assist you in making the right decision so that when you look back hopefully you will never say, “Man, I regret making that decision.”
Yes! Life is about experiences; however, would you rather they are more positive ones than tear jerkers? Knowing what I know now, I would rather be told about an experience than rather than having the bad memories of experiencing some of them.
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