Warm Fuzzies...

I had a chat with my oldest son last night, my son with his Doctorate in Sociolgy and teaching at the University of Nebraska. He returned my call as he was picking up his 15 month old daughter and heading for home... We chatted about different things and throughout the course of the call he had to address or attend to my grand-daughter's needs aand attentions. At one point, as she was begging him for his I-pad, he commented, "I was thinking the other day, at my age you had a 9 yr old, a 6 yr old, and a 3 yr old- and I have a hard time handling one! Every day, every day, I appreciate you as a dad more and more". What a warm fuzzy! For as they were growing up I felt my kids (my boys especially) didn't think I was a very good father- too strict, too protective, too disciplined... I don't know, I just felt like I failed in their eyes, though I tried to be a good and engaged father.
Hearing Jonathan's comments really validated my fatherhood, even though my kids are long grown and gone. I was further amazed when he shared that now he appreciated how I always made time my kids, even after a long day at work. As he tries to remain engaged with all life's distractions I'm so glad he recognizes and appreciates my efforts now. And in all fairness, my second son, who's also a father of a 16 month old, I'm sure has had a change of perspective on parenthood... Kids have a way of doing that.
Toward the end of our call Audrey, my granddaughter, said to me, "aye-a oh", which, loosely translated from baby means, "I love You". What a warm fuzzy!