The Talks are Very Different Now.

When I first began writing this blog, my oldest son may have been 10 years old and my youngest was about 5 or 6. Conversations were so innocent and light-hearted. I can still remember sitting around the dinner table and listening to their voices, which were about two octaves higher than they are now. We talked about trains and cars, basketball and school, best friends in class and teachers. We talked about school lunches, play dates and sleep overs. How times have changed.

Forward about ten years and you’ll find that our conversations are different, but seemingly similar. Talks are a lot more weightier and succinct. We still sit around the dinner table (that feels a lot smaller now) when everyone is present and eat and talk. We talk about trains and cars:

‘Dad, can I borrow your car tonight to go out with some friends?’ I can be back around 1:00 am.

‘Mom, I can take the train into Georgetown, hang out for a bit and either take the train back home or Uber.’

We still have conversations about best friends and teachers:

‘Dad, this boy has irritated so many of my friends that he no longer hangs out with us. ‘

‘Mom, Ms. ________ is such an incredibly boring teacher. She doesn’t bring life to the class at all. I’d much rather be hanging with a stray cat than be in her class.’

And yes, there are still play dates and sleep overs:

‘Mom, I plan to go to the Playboi Cardi concert and then sleep over at a friend’s house because the drive will be too long…unless I can borrow the car.’

There has been other meaningful conversations that go deeper into their character. These are now my most important conversations because they help shape who they really are and will be. Just recently we had a challenging conversation on the essence of integrity in which we bumped heads a bit. I see that I still have much to teach. And did I mention dating? Girls and women? Se…Se…SEX?!?

The fact of the matter is that as long as I am on this earth, I must father and parent. I must guide and instruct. I have No Off Season.

What are you talking to your kids about? How has the dynamics changed since they were younger? Do you find these conversations more difficult to have?

Do you even have an Off Season? You shouldn’t…