ForgottenHusbands.com

Sometimes, in retrospect, we have to ask ourselves why we really put our young children in sports programs, dance, etc. While it is cute to see them in their uniforms, do they really learn some of the skills that will help them be better at if in a couple of years?

I believe that after a recent dance recital, the true reason for this parental phenomenon was made clear.

We went to a dance recital for a child, and things progressed as imagined, little children trying to be serious and show their parents their newly found talents in dance. All the children tried hard to remember the practiced skills, little mistakes were overlooked as the proud crowd of parents looked on and clapped after each performance as if they were watching a play on Broadway.

My wife and I of course were in the audience as proud as can be of our little one performing in the group, camera and camcorders poised to capture every precious moment. A glance around the audience quickly revealed that each parent, grandparent, cousin, uncle, and aunt felt that their little child out on the floor was immensely talented.

On our way home from a recent family function, Our kids were doing what kids do when confined to an automobile.... they argued about every senseless thing imaginable!

As any parent can attest, topics ranging from which child can look out of whose window, to whose best friend would be the best at an impossible task. No topic, regardless of how un-meaningful, was off limits.

In the midst of this commotion, and immediately following a non-stop barrage of senseless questions which caused the development of a sharp pain behind the eye of one of the parents, a banished phrase emerged:

"If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!"

At that moment, a boundary had been crossed. I looked at my lovely wife and mouthed the words of a question that horrifies all middle-aged persons:

"Have we become our parents?"

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Sometimes discussions with children can be a delight. Other times it can be a challenge.....

As parents, we struggle to walk that fine line between teaching our children how to complete a task, and becoming a task master....

Recently one of our children came up with a line that they stuck with for a couple of weeks. When challenged on an uncompleted task, whether it was homework or jobs, the phrase was used : "it doesn't matter if it is done right, as long as it is done".

As the more sophisticated, and knowledgeable parent, I tried courses of reason, lecture, etc, all to no avail. Of course had I thought back to my time as a child, I should have know this wouldn't work... Once you have locked into a line of reasoning as a child, you tend to follow it. If your parent or another authority figure tries to lecture you out of it, you immediately shift yourself to the 'daydream channel'.

So after hearing for a week that "it doesn't matter if it is done right, as long as it is done", I decided that it was time for real world application....

It was dinner time at our household, and the child had just sat down for a prepared meal. Macaroni and cheese was the menu item, and since we were running short on time, we decided to skip a couple of steps.

Macaroni went into a bowl, with some milk, cheese power, and butter. Why spend the time cooking it the only thing that matters is that it is done....?

That line of reasoning hasn't been used since!

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A few weeks back, an article was posted entitled "Do I respond". Quite funny actually!

Not all that often do you get to read a story about your own situation from another's point of view, but in this case - I was that guy!

The scenario begins entirely innocently enough. All-Bran for breakfast, (to stay healthy) some errands to run during the day. On the way out the door I pose a question myself - "should I use the restroom" - but casually dismissed the thought.

Half way through my errands I realized that discomfort in my stomach wasn't simply discomfort, but it may be something more serious....

No biggie though, the All-Bran cereal I had for breakfast produces some 'gaseous by-products' and fortunately for me there is no one else in the car! I decided to relieve your gaseous discomfort, when I realized..... it's not just gas!

Discomfort now becomes distress, and my only hope is that it doesn't become disaster!!!