Ummmm…what exactly did I do?
Becoming a father is by far the most joyful thing I’ve ever done, but there are some concerning parts also. I hear about people who say they don’t want to be parents because they’re so unhappy with society that they don’t want to bring potential kids into the world to have to face it. That is far from my view, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t understand the viewpoint sometimes. I think of how much harder it is nowadays on families and kids, and how much higher the stakes in everything about life seem, with the cost of living increasing so much. I don’t even want to think about how much college will cost 16 years from now. I also think about how it will be for my son being a biracial kid in an America that I don’t believe is even close to post-racial yet, no matter how much we hear that it is.
I also think about how society and media will influence him no matter how much we try to keep it from him. I love the fact that he seems to like watching sports at such a young age, but some of the commercials they show during games (particularly NFL) are not even close to being appropriate for kids. If its not creatures warring with each other in the latest video game ad, it’s buildings blowing up and people in sexually suggestive scenes in ads for the latest cop drama or action movie. I remember when I was young the negative attention was on the beer commercials, but I’ll gladly take the Miller High life guy trying to spread the high life or the Corona commercial where the couple on the airplane imagine they’re on the beach over many of the other ads they show. Likewise, I also worry about some of the music and video games that are out now, how easy it is to take a wrong turn in cyberspace, “sexting”, etc.
But then again, I have some perspective – these are all first world problems. I know there are also fathers out there who just want clean water for their kids.
Like I said, I don’t think there’s any way to shelter him from all of this…it’s out there and he will be exposed to it one way or the other. I expect that we will try our best but also talk to him about stuff when he sees it to help him process what he is seeing and hearing.
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Ay yo, Be a Father 
My wife and I joke that we have become the prude parents who think everything on TV is inappropriate. I total understand what you are saying, but bringing another life into the world is the greatest feeling in the world. You then have a chance to make the world a better place by raising a responsible person.
yep, and it being football season, i have to re-teach my son about how inappropriate the jets are at football. he just started to learn it last season but might need a refresher 🙂
My wife went to her first Jets game on Thanksgiving a few years back, and we had a shirt made up for it. It stated Future disappointed Jets Fan with an arrow pointing towards her pregnant stomach. So we have one of our children conditioned to the play of the Jets.
You’re right, there is a lot of scary stuff out there. Raising kids in this world is a challenging venture–especially if you are trying to raise them with a sense of morality. We have to constantly monitor what they watch and listen to.
To those who are hesitant to have children, though, I would say: it’s worth it. The joy, the friendship and the experience will change you. And you never know, they just might be someone who changes the world for the better.
very true. I think there will always be things they’re exposed to but it’s all how you process it with them…that’s what builds that morality you’re referring to.
Reblogged this on New Age Dad.
cool…thanks!
As a longtime Sox fan living through the 1918 curse, I know that feeling well.