On Becoming a Better Man, Human, and Father
In my early 20s, I met a man that mesmerized me.
Frank was loud, outlandish, and polarizing. Most people loved and gravitated to him, while others couldn't stand him. Until then, I had never met anyone like him, but I wanted to be like him, the fun and exciting part.
As parents, we all want our kids to get a good education and get a good job at a good company that treats them well.
But will your child show up and be that team member we all wish we had at work? Or will they be that crazy person you dread seeing on the schedule?
Crap, I was starting to sound like my dad.
My daughters aren't calling or staying in touch. I feel forgotten. A part of me feels like they don't appreciate or love me.
I was furious at my girlfriend.
Never have I ever been this mad at her. I screamed. She screamed. Our egos refused to back down. Fight me.
She could have chosen anyone, but my daughter chose me.
I shouted this to my 11 and 9-year-old daughters as we drove down the freeway with the windows rolled down. They were in the back seat of our old run-down Honda Civic, so it was especially noisy.
This will be my strangest and most emotional summer as a dad.
It's the bridge to the other phase of my parenting journey. On the last day of school, I would be waiting for them to jump in the car. Then we would drive into the horizon.
This is a call to action to all dads. If you love your kids, you will be mad at me and do something about it.
Over the years, I've had a few people tell me that my daughters were smartasses. This came as a shock to me because I hadn't noticed it. My daughters and I will debate and argue, but disrespect wasn't something I ever detected.
Was my bias showing?
Does it seem like your kids never follow your directions?
What if I told you that there was a technique that would help ensure that they understood your instructions and almost guaranteed they would follow through without needing to scream like a maniac who lost his keys.
What can I say? I was a perfect dad. Or was I? Read the story below.
Haters are everywhere. Critics are everywhere.
But haters and critics aren't the same. Hate is stupid. Yet, critics and criticism have value. They provide the feedback needed to improve your craft, art, and life.
On Becoming a Better Man, Human, and Father