Patience Pop

As one Dad to another, let me counsel patience, tolerance and never stop counseling.

Talk to the child. Every day as they grow up, talk to them. We even violated the "morning rule" which was the one that said "No Talking" to a certain child who was most comfortable between the hours of midnight and 3 AM and who barely functioned at dawn. Getting her up and out was always a joy. I drove my children to school everyday for better than 12 years, and everyday I got to put on a cheerful face ( even if I wasn't) and talk to them. Maybe that is the reason they did not come to hate me.
I also kissed them good bye . Even when my son was in HS, and there was no good bye kiss, I would reach across the seat and put my hand on his shoulder , the first time I did it, I told him it was a hug and a kiss. He never protested.

He knew and they knew they are loved, even when we were angry with each other they knew they were loved. A couple of months ago I drove him and a couple of his buddies to Baltimore so they could see the Ravens play the Jets, I dropped them off and told them I was going to walk about , before he took off with the ticket he was given for his birthday, he turned from his friends ran back the 50 feet and grabbed me in a big hug. Thanks , Dad he said. I will always remember that impromtu moment. I knew that I had not totally missed the mark at that point for it was his 20th birthday. 20 years and we still loved each other. Patience, Pop, patience. We were patient with our daughter the day she could not get her driver's license because , of all things, the car she went to take the test in had a center console, and the inspector refused to do the test---oh, the humanity of a 16 year old without license on birthday. The wailing the gnashing of teeth, the hair pulling --the performance of a lifetime a tour de force worthy of an Oscar, until the word Enough was laid out. No yelling , no screaming, a simple Enough. The world's worst parents drive cars with center consoles, don ja no.

I miss those days. Even when they were mad at us, we would not let them stay mad, we told them what needed to be told. Things like money doesn't fall from the sky, drinking is not something taken lightly, treat your peers and parents with respect and above all know that we are in your corner. It takes patience and more patience sometimes. But you only get a few chances at this game.

Shooting your child's laptop is not likely to produce a warm and fuzzy. Patience, Pop, patience. A 16 year old is a child. By the time they are in their early 20s they are gaining in experience, judgment and hopefully perspective. But only through patience are they shown the way.



http://digitallife.today.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/10/10373426-dad-punishes-facebook-post-with-8-bullets-to-daughters-laptop