My baby!

[Rhizomorph13]

Oh, I'm a fucking laugh riot too! The kids dig me, I let them have a little more candy than their mom and, get this, I veg out on video games with them! I have a Wii, PS2, and PS3 so we play lots of video games. That is more for the boy but I do crafts with the girl and every once in a blue moon I play dolls with her. Ok, so it often becomes the dolls being attacked by her Zoobles or me recreating Monty Python sketches using barbies, but it sort of counts. I also cook with her; she loves to make pancakes.

[Autumnlicious]

Being a father, though, requires that you keep in mind that sooner or later, you must play the role of Judge Dredd.

If you get too buddy buddy, you might compromise your position. Sometimes being a parent, I suppose, must suck due to wanting to grow your child in positive manners instead of mitigating negative influences.

Also, children tend to define themselves by what their parents are /not/. Beware of that, because letting magical thinking become engrained only opens up your child for exploitation and heart break, chasing a presence that never is there but in your head. And I can think of hundred of other "only in my head" entities that I would rather trust in.

Have you simply sat down and asked questions with the girl? Hearing "I don't know" is the goal (not "there is/is not a god").

[Jackalope]

Rhizo - congrats. I can remember the joy of seeing my son in the flesh for the first time like it was yesterday, even though it was nearly 10 years ago. It was the happiest day of my life by far.

[Michelle_Patton]

Congratulations!

It can be a hard job being a parent, but also one of the most rewarding things you'll ever do!

I can't wait to meet it and bitch at it for keeping me up nights.

I felt the same - I just wanted to meet him! And 18 years later I can honestly say he's one of the coolest people I've ever met

[Tiberius]

That's the beauty of stepchildren. I got mine when he was four-years-old. He never once tried to crawl into bed with me. He only once woke me up Exorcist vomited on the floor. However, you do have to deal with their ungodly morning hours and their biological parents.

My cousin recently had to buy a bedside crib thingy because her son refuses to sleep in his crib.

You SMILF you :-)

[Rhizomorph13]

Being a father, though, requires that you keep in mind that sooner or later, you must play the role of Judge Dredd.

If you get too buddy buddy, you might compromise your position. Sometimes being a parent, I suppose, must suck due to wanting to grow your child in positive manners instead of mitigating negative influences.

Also, children tend to define themselves by what their parents are /not/. Beware of that, because letting magical thinking become engrained only opens up your child for exploitation and heart break, chasing a presence that never is there but in your head. And I can think of hundred of other "only in my head" entities that I would rather trust in.

Have you simply sat down and asked questions with the girl? Hearing "I don't know" is the goal (not "there is/is not a god").

She is 8 so not really, we were in the car and I just asked her why she believed and she pretty much hit upon I don't know from the start. From what I understand of the brain it only can do positive thinking, so engaging a person in an idea to try to get them to release that idea has the opposite effect. I don't want the children to deal with spritual matters at all until they are curious about them organically through their experience in life. Right now they have only mentioned spiritual things a very little bit so I just let the idea pop right back out of their heads and do something else. I expose them to science all the time though, through youtube videos and experiments we can conduct in the home.

As for Judge Dredd, well I play that role enough and try to avoid my harsh tendencies. I've realized through the successes I've had with these children and the parenting classes I've taken that the most effective ways to handle people is through natural consequences and connecting with their feelings. There is nothing worse than "mind reading" when you are trying to change someones mind. You will talk past what they really feel almost every time and really piss them off in the process.

[KichigaiNeko]

It's ALL about how you 'market' ideas to these little ones...they are NOT stupid!! Keeping them this way is a hard task

[Rhizomorph13]

Yes, they are not stupid but they are ignorant of much and their skills are undeveloped in many areas. It is my job as a parent to push them forward in those areas as is appropriate for their age level. I try to do this AND make it as enjoyable as possible for all parties involved. I do find myself treating them like idiots much of the time and that sucks. I look forward to their teenage years. I think that is when they will understand my motivations more and be able to have a decent conversation. They will also have a higher attention span, be more self-reliant, and have more clear drives.

[The Grand Nudger]

Rhythm addressing his daughters at 0630.



Gratz amigo.