When I became a father to 3 kids, like all Dad's, no one gave me a manual or instruction leaflet. I didn't even get an induction course or a meet and greet. In fact, thinking about it, I got more information with my new tumble dryer than I ever did with the entrusted lives of 3 small people for the next 18 years of their existence and beyond.
You never know when you're doing it right, you never know when you're doing it horribly wrong (until it's way too late), you just do what you think is best, close your eyes and count to 10 really, really slowly (try and make it last for 18 years if you can). Then, when you open your eyes and survey the damage, you get to judge for yourself what kind of job you did in the end.
For me, when my kids ask me as adults and fathers themselves what the acquired wisdom is and the tricks of the trade (assuming they're still talking to me at that stage), I'll just tell them that I tried as hard as I could to be the best Dad to them that I could be within my abilities and resources.
I'll never know if it was good enough but that's not important - I just need to know that I tried my hardest for all 3 of them, loved them equally and treated them with dignity and respect helping them to become the wonderful human beings they were always destined to be, with or without my help along the way.
And if that's not enough, I'll know that I should have bloody hit them harder.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment