The people I grew up with and worked alongside are now boasting and sharing pictures of their cute grandchildren. You could say I chose a different path -- becoming a father at 49! Follow my experiences, thoughts, and random ramblings. Thanks!
By acting like a grown-up, he was showing his son that might wasn’t always right, even if the bullies sometimes walk away with the prize. … More Everyone talks about ‘Phillies Karen’ — but Dad and Son ‘just doing the right thing’ is the true lesson
Regrets … I’ve had a few … The older I get, the fewer regrets I hang on to, not that there were many to start with. I’ve had a great run for many years, and I’m not done yet. Many ups, many downs. Now I find myself sandwiched between childhood, parenthood, and spouse-hood. While my … More Regret: My Mother can’t realize how rebellious Daughter has inherited her ‘wild streak’
“I just want to stop by for a minute and pet the cats, and pick up something.” It was the first Monday following Daughter’s move, setting up house in a beachside condo with her boyfriend. She was coming off a 10.5 hour shift at the sandwich shop, but she was in a bright mood. The … More Our Empty Nest arrived early — but we’re rolling with some of the same requests from Daughter
One day I blinked, and she was 16, buying her own car and paying her own insurance. I momentarily rubbed my eyes, and when my fingers dropped, she’ had turned 18 and signed a lease for her own place (with boyfriend). Getting such a late start on fatherhood, as I did, I guess I must … More What? Younger Daughter has turned 18! Dad’s still Old (even Older). Where does the time go?
“Though I know I’ll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I’ll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more … More The ultimate complication of being an Older Dad: Likely you’ll miss the 2nd (or 3rd) act of the show
You could call this, “the day Santa got booted from the mall.” In this case, Santa was me. And I actually got booted from the sidewalk in front of the mall. But the fact of the matter remains. It all began the Saturday afternoon of Thanksgiving weekend, and the parking lot at the local mall … More Hatching my latest scheme: This time, I get Santa kicked out of the mall
Moving to Florida has required many adjustments in our lives and traditions. This year, the pandemic has walked all over family plans. My wife’s family takes an annual trek to a different part of the country, and spends 7 days together under the same roof. Not this year. Daughter is excited about Christmas, but that … More Christmas trees Florida-style: Shopping in swim trunks, but sticking with a live tree
There is another type of Older Dad, Younger Child in our midst: Fathers who are raising their children’s children. Many causes create the situation: imprisonment, inability to provide care, and in the saddest cases, due to the death of a child. First, I have seen that losing a child is one of the most devastating … More There are older parents who bear a painful burden, but step up to stand in the light
Mobility is an important issue at age 13, especially when all of your friends live between 20 and 1,000-plus miles away. Normally, teens can do most of their feeding at the friendship trough during school, with the occasional weekend sleepover. These are not normal times (pardon my understatement). This pandemic has a ripple effect in … More Suffering social life: Teens need to see each other and get around, but parental taxi service piles up the miles
Being 13 years old is a full-time struggle. It’s tough to find friends — 3 schools in 3 years, and a 1,000-mile move. She’s met a few friends since moving to Florida; the 6th-grade friends from a different school have faded. Two friends she made this past year are still in the picture, but it’s … More Nobody wants visitors from Florida: Covid-19 means roadblocks at the border
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