Just like my parent...

[Debi]

One of the insurance companies is running a series of commercials depicting a "parenteral life coach" working to help people "unbecome" their parents. Looking at who've you've become, how are you both like and unlike your parents.

​

 

[Stevedog]

I was recently in the car with my son and a song came on the radio by the band Everclear called Father of Mine. While it's got kind of an upbeat, pop melody the song is actually about how the lead singers Dad left when he was 10. When it got to the chorus of the song, which is "My Dad he gave me a name, then he walked away" over and over, my son turned to me and said "This sounds like a fun happy song but the lyrics are really depressing!" I agreed and told him to keep listening.

The final verse of this song is:

"Now I am a grown man, with a child of my own.
And I swear I'm not going to let her know all the pain that I've known."

I pointed out to my Son that the song has kind of a happy ending. He took the pain he felt as a child and rather than be a victim he turned it into a positive thing by trying to be a better Dad to his children than his father was to him. Likewise I too have looked at some of the hardships I grew up with and am determined to give my Son a better childhood than mine. At this point I told him that someday, when he has children he will want to do the same, but not worry if he can't because I have set the bar pretty high for being a great Dad!

He laughed out loud. Hopefully it was a laugh that meant he got the joke and I am a great Dad, not him laughing at me for just thinking I am. Now that I'm thinking about it, of all the presents my kids have given me none of it was the usual Dad gifts I gave my Dad; ties, slippers, a coffee mug that reads "#1 Dad". Instead I have received hats and t-shirts with the Punisher skull logo on them. Is that bad?

 

[Debi]

Instead I have received hats and t-shirts with the Punisher skull logo on them. Is that bad?

LOL I would say your kids love you enough that they are comfy giving you those!

 

[Debi]

There have been times in my life where I "hear" my mother coming out of my mouth. For swearing I'd never "say that", I've said "that".

As I've gotten older, I find myself understanding the "why" behind much of what she said and did so I'm not quite so concerned. However, if I ever find myself washing paper plates to reuse them I expect you all to take measures swiftly!

 

[Paulm]

I was recently in the car with my son and a song came on the radio by the band Everclear called Father of Mine. While it's got kind of an upbeat, pop melody the song is actually about how the lead singers Dad left when he was 10. When it got to the chorus of the song, which is "My Dad he gave me a name, then he walked away" over and over, my son turned to me and said "This sounds like a fun happy song but the lyrics are really depressing!" I agreed and told him to keep listening.

The final verse of this song is:

"Now I am a grown man, with a child of my own.
And I swear I'm not going to let her know all the pain that I've known."

I pointed out to my Son that the song has kind of a happy ending. He took the pain he felt as a child and rather than be a victim he turned it into a positive thing by trying to be a better Dad to his children than his father was to him. Likewise I too have looked at some of the hardships I grew up with and am determined to give my Son a better childhood than mine. At this point I told him that someday, when he has children he will want to do the same, but not worry if he can't because I have set the bar pretty high for being a great Dad!

He laughed out loud. Hopefully it was a laugh that meant he got the joke and I am a great Dad, not him laughing at me for just thinking I am. Now that I'm thinking about it, of all the presents my kids have given me none of it was the usual Dad gifts I gave my Dad; ties, slippers, a coffee mug that reads "#1 Dad". Instead I have received hats and t-shirts with the Punisher skull logo on them. Is that bad?

Frank Castle is the definition of what a family man and father should be....just maybe a little to the extreme

 

[Lone Wolf]

I'm a little of both in some ways, and in other ways, I'm like neither. But as I've gotten older myself, I've come to understand some of the things I heard from both growing up and have given some of the same advice I was given to anyone if I feel I can help. And for the record - I thought I'd never do that.

But much like my mother, I'll listen and try to help if I can. I don't have the answers, but I'll try my best. And like my dad, I'll work myself to the bone but I still can't compare to him. Honestly, he's just better and that's just an observation. Not a put down.

 

[Duke]

I definitely have my Dad's work ethic, but like Lone Wolf, I'll not measure up to how hard my Dad had to work. Also like my Dad, I'm a problem solver. From my Mom I still abide by two of her most ardent rules.....no dirty dishes in the sink at bedtime and no outdoor shoes in the house.

Unlike my parents, I tend to be more open minded on social issues, and I don't worry about every dollar. The latter is mostly a function of an education and a good paying career, but it took me well into my thirties to realize I could (and should) buy things I wanted.

 

[TexDanm]

I had good parents and was probably a lot harder on them than they were on me. The interesting thing is that I was 40 and had children of my own before I understood that. Parental discipline is where you learn personal discipline. When you are young you try to do the right thing because you don't want to be in trouble. Over time you start to do it because it is the right thing to do. It takes discipline to get up and go to work every day.

My best friend's parents just didn't put much effort into raising him. I thought that he was lucky back then. He could and did come and go as he pretty much pleased and seldom got in trouble for not applying himself in school as long as the teachers and school didn't bother them. I became a pretty successful adult while as far as I know he never has kept any job for very long. I NEVER partied on a work night. He never misses a party and does miss a lot of work until they let him go.

His parents seemed to want to be his friends. A kid has friends, they need parents and sadly those parents are going to have to MAKE you do things that as a kid you just don't want to do and can't always be "friendly".

 

[Stevedog]

Frank Castle is the definition of what a family man and father should be....just maybe a little to the extreme

It probably doesn't help that I'm apparently "scary" looking. After meeting some of my daughter's friends they asked her if I had just gotten out of prison.

 

[ozentity]

I'm like mum who is really sensitive but not to the paranormal like mysef. My real dad was a free type of person and also a hunter which I didn't know about until recently so I am a combo of my parents.