As I’ve said in previous posts, my youngest is now off at college. Earlier this year she also turned 18. By the laws of this land, that does make her a legal adult. For the past 25+ years I’ve been doing my best to raise my daughters. I not only wanted to get them to legal adulthood, I’ve been trying to get them to mature adulthood. It was, of course, my job.
I’ve often said that I’ve had little to do with how my daughters turned out. Their mother was the primary reason they turned out the way they did. My job was to follow her lead. I thought I did that very well. Even after she died, I tried to follow her lead. She had a way with her daughters, I could never hope to do as well.
Anyway my youngest is now a young adult. In my eyes, she has grown in to a very mature young lady. Now I can say all four daughters survived into adulthood. Me, I’m just the guy who listened to their mother. Hey, it’s my job.
Maybe it is your job and maybe you took the lead from your loving wife and their mother but I think you did exceptionally well.
You may think you “just” took the lead from Mom, but you also provided very needed support to her. I’m sure there were days that she would have killed me if she had not had your support. You had more to do with how we turned out than you give yourself credit for. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, as much as I need to: You were an awesome dad growing up, and you are still and awesome dad now. I am very proud to be a ble to bring people to meet you and say “This is my Daddy!”
You are an awesome dad!
Why, oh why do they have to grow up so fast?
Draclet — You just never knew I was the violent one…. 😉 Yes dear, your mother did have a bit of a temper, but she never would have done ANYTHING to ‘permanently’ harm her children. Sometimes you did deserve a spanking or two… She loved you four more than she did anything or anyone else. Yes, she loved you more than chocolate. 😉 You were her life. We had many discussions over the years about that. If you find me awesome now, in the past or in the future it is because I will always follow your mother’s lead.
For the rest of you, boy do I have you snowed… 😉