No Off Season...for dads

I was thinking about my boys and the things I have learned as a dad over the last couple of days.  Just thoughts... 1)  This takes work! 2)  I have to give my boys more credit than I do. 3)  I have to trust that they will put into practice what I teach them. 4)  They do listen to me. 5)  They often follow the examples that I do, whether good or bad. 6)  They are boys, not men; so I cannot give them a man's responsibility...yet. 7)  They are boys, not men; so I cannot expect to act like a man.  I have to allow them to be...boys. 8)  They know more than what I give them credit for. 9)  I need to speak to them in a calm voice...more often. 10) Freedom is often harder to give up than I expected...they are growing up and I have to allow them to. 11) I have to get more advice about how to raise them...I have never raised a ten year old and a six year old before.  Each day is new. 12) They do want to spend time with me; I have to make that time happen and make it special. 13