the most important job

While I've made quite an impact working at various places throughout my career, there is no question that the greatest impact that I have made is as a father.  I am a father of one, to an amazing, intelligent, considerate, and all around amazing 11 year old named Isaac.  

The job of dad doesn't have just one definition.  Different dads can do different things.  And different kids need different things from their dads.  But the main job that all dads must do is make sure that their little one grows up to be a competent, strong, and capable adult.  And those things mean different things to different kids.  Supporting your children's journey to be the best that they can be is the key to it all.  And try to have some fun along the way.  No, have a lot of fun.  Because it's amazing.

Isaac is an exemplary student.  He is now in fifth grade and has yet to receive a grade of anything other than an A in school.  His teachers all rave about what a great citizen he is in class, as he's helpful when necessary, and he's a friend to nearly all of his classmates.  He loves to read, loves music (though he changes instruments every year, he can never decide what he wants to play!), enjoys and is great at math and science, and loves physical education (and recess, of course!) more than anything.  

He's very active, and loves playing basketball, flag football, handball, and dodgeball.  He's always the quarterback on his flag football teams, he has a huge arm, and works very hard on his mechanics, to make sure he's as good as can be at the position.  And lately he has been going to the gym with me, to work on strengthening his body for when tackle football begins.  And he's already quite strong!  Maybe a powerlifting career in his future...

We enjoy doing all kinds of things together.  We are always out throwing the football around, or playing basketball.  We go camping a few times every year, and have not only some amazing pictures, but some pretty crazy stories too.  We share a lot of the same interests, so I'll tell him all about the latest news in the world of science and astronomy.  And there's so much more, especially with him getting older now.  The world is opening up to him, and he's ready to embrace it all. 

So what are the keys to doing the job of dad?  Really, just three main things.  Exposure, teaching and support.  Dad's job is to show his kids the world.  It's a big world, and there's a lot to see.  Dads have experience, and passing on that wisdom is critical.  It's that exposure that allows children to learn what it is they really have a passion for in the world, what they are truly good at.  And we have to teach.  Growing up can be a complicated thing, especially as the world continues to get more complicated.  Dads are a guide to navigate the complexities of growing up, since they have been through it.  We've made our mistakes, taken our lumps, and had our successes, and passing on that knowledge makes a world of difference.  Isaac and I have made specific times to talk about the challenges of growing up.  One of our rituals is to have those talks during haircut time.  This began during COVID, where I had no choice but to learn how to his hair.  And it evolved into a time where we would talk about serious stuff while cutting hair.  And now it's something we both look forward to every other week.  He will bring up things he wants to talk about, whether something going on at school, something going on with his body (puberty is in full effect!), his friends, or anything else that comes to mind, and we can have conversations about anything without fear of ridicule, punishment or judgement.  He and I have a great trust and respect for each other, which is good for him, because he knows he can come to me with anything without fear of repercussions.  And I know that he won't hide things from me, when he really should be talking to me about the challenges in his life to better get through them.  

I could go on and on, but I will finish by saying that there is no greater joy than being a father.  Seeing him grow through his successes and his failures is an experience I would not trade for anything.  And I look forward to what the coming years bring to both of us.  

And now...pictures!