Whoo, does this put me in a good mood.
My dad did his best considering he lost his dad at 14, so I don’t blame him too much. But if there was something I knew I’d do one day as a dad (currently have a 4-year-old daughter) it’d be spending free time with her.
My generation isn’t the best, but I knew this was a statistic we’d slam dunk.
High five!
I’m with you on this all the way. My dad did, and continues to do, his best. But as an elder millennial (I was born in 81, and as best I can tell that’s what I am, I guess), as I got older it felt like our generation was collectively fucked up about a lot of the same stuff - whatever the reason. And we were making many of the same promises to ourselves.
My dad loves my two kids more than anything in this world, but there’s a definite feel of redemption-seeking there. Or maybe just trying to soothe regrets.
I have a preteen and a toddler, and for different reasons I held both of them close yesterday. I begged my brain to remember these moments when I’m my dad’s age, because I’ve been able to be there for almost every leg of the journey so far. I really don’t want it to start to all just blend together, because right now it feels so special and unique to have this opportunity.
Another 40+ with a toddler here. I swear it was just the other day I was holding up a bottle for her, now she’s talking in full-freakin sentences. The other day was a very eventful one: tumbling class, day at the park, went for a swim at the pool. Shortly after dinner, the wife and I were just chatting a little about our day and she comes up, looks right up at us and exclaims “I NEED TO GO TO BED” :)
I am looking forward to the day we can go on a bicycle backpacking trip together, but for now she rides in tow on mine, and I know, one day, I’m really going to miss that too.
Millennials these days don’t even know how to neglect and terrorize their kids!
Millennials: killing the ‘neglected elderly’ industry!
No no, those neglecting parents dug their own neglected elderly hole…
Yeah, how dare I, degreed, spend every waking moment earning a roof and food, clothing and health care/wellness care for my kid!
Why should you need to spend all your waking moments earning enough money for those things?
So billionaires and international corporations can get tax breaks, I guess. Also I didn’t get child support. A trifling amount, but it would have helped, at least with diapers, at that time.
My father proudly states that he didn’t change a single diaper for me or my siblings. My eldest spends one day a week with them, and he still refuses to change diapers saying that’s “women’s work”.
I, on the other hand, have no problems changing diapers. I will ask my wife for help if there’s a bad blowout though.
Ever ask why he’s so afraid of getting his hands dirty and suggest maybe he should man up?
Don’t intend disrespect, but that sounds so sad, for multiple reasons.