Dads advice - the day is approaching fast!

[MajorCaptSilly]

I can go on for days on this subject. I always knew my parents loved me but they almost never showed any affection for my brother & I. We never got hugs or "I love you's" from mom or dad. It didn't really affect me until I had my own kids. I've never missed a chance to hug them, tell them "I love you", or "I'm proud of you". It was just a natural thing to do for me. It wasn't uncomfortable or forced in any way. I started wondering if my parent's felt the same love for me that I felt for my kids. I think they did but just didn't know how to express the emotion. As I see my kids almost grown, I believe that their knowing the love that my wife and I feel for them has helped a great deal with their self-esteem. They're both very bright but more important than that, they are very caring people.

Make sure to give your kids a chance to be kids. I see too many parents who push their kids so hard from an early age in academics & sports that it is really scary. If they are so focused on the non-fun stuff through their childhood, they will inevitably make up for it when they become adults.

This may sound weird, but never let your kids beat you in sports. The time will come when they will win and it is the sweetest victory in the world for them when they do. My son still talks about the time he first beat me in basketball and actually told me he was glad I never let him win.

MCS