Fathers Day

I have been a father for over 24 years.  Having married for the first time at a very young age, I fathered three children, two boys and a girl and in my second marriage one boy.  Having grown up for most of my young life as a single child, my sister was born when I was fourteen, I always dreamed of having more children and somehow the number six came to mind.  By the time my fourth child was born, I realised that as a father, I had to change.

Unlike animals, where instinct drives the role of the parents in the offspring's life, for human beings things are different.  It is said in the scriptures, that the love and bond a parent has for a child is a gift from the Almighty.  While this is true for all human beings, circumstance, society, social norms, opinion and the example of our own parents can stunt or even block out this gift.  Unfortunately, while the gift is very real, as human beings we have been given the choice to accept or reject this gift.

For parenting, there is no manual and the only thing we can draw on is our own experience.  We learn to bring up children by watching our parents bringing us up.  How many times have I looked at myself and realized that I am behaving just as my parents did in a particular situation.  So the chances are very good, that we will make the same mistakes our parents made with us.

So I accept that I have made many mistakes, and that it is quite probable that my children will make the same mistakes.  But I think I can give them a fleeting chance.  The best that I can do is to teach them and give them the tools that will allow them to make better decisions then me.  Decisions that are based on a good value system.  Teach them that no matter what, they are special and that none can take that away from them.  Give them the confidence so that they can face the world head on.  Being a divorce father, this will take some doing, but I am up to the challenge. 

Today, I hope to see all my children together, and I hope that they will enjoy this day as much as I will.  I will make it a special day and show them how loved they are and that I will always be there for them.  I will give them a Fathers day to remember :-)

Comments

  1. AnonymousJune 22, 2010 at 10:21 PM

    i think u have the manual and are not telling...lol....and just imagine how great the gift to know u are totally and unconditionally loved....i may be biased but i think you are an awesome dad

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousJune 26, 2010 at 12:45 AM

    Fathers can give all the guidance and tools, it is no guarantee that kids will 'accept' this gift. In most cases they do. So many fathers are the best role models, yet somehow things do go wrong and the kids are not living by the examples set by their fathers.

    And spare a thought for those who lost parents at a young age, and did not have the 'tools; nor 'guidance' from a father figure. Never had the opportunity to celebrate Fathers Day which is now just another normal day for them. No one knows of the sadness, the heartache to just have Dad back, even for just one day. They would love to have a Fathers Day to remember.

    ReplyDelete

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