I have a 23 year old daughter and a 12 year son. My daughter is on her own, going to school and is a Banker for Chase. Her teen-age year were tough. She was shuffled between our home, her Moms home, and her grandparents home. She was into drugs, bad people stealing, etc.
It got to the point that we had to send her away to a "boot camp" in Montana. She was kicked out of there. After spending 3 weeks in a "transitional" camp, I found another placement for her in Utah. For the next year or so she stayed put.
$75,000 later she came home at her 18th birthday and promptly moved out. However, something shocking happened. She became responsible. She got a job, payed her rent an did not get into any trouble. Now at 23 she rents her own home, has a great boyfriend, get's all "A's" in school.
She is the true poster child that a kid can turn their life around. Her last words on the phone to me whenever we talk are "I love you Dad"
Now there's my little man. Or as other's call him a "Mini-Mark". He is my superstar. My starting catcher on the team that I coach. But he's really special. He has a mid form of Aspergers. He is quirky, flails his arms occasionally, and knows every baseball player in the majors, along with anything you want to know about any current actor or movie. You see this is something, a commonality, that Asperger kids have. A knack for centering on a subject and becoming completely engulfed in it.
He makes my laugh, tests my patience, and made me cry yesterday.
He was downstairs watching a movie and I went to check on him. He was sleeping on the couch. Quiet, innocent, pure. I gently woke him up, as he opened his eyes he said..."Hi Daddy"
I walked him upstairs, holding his hand. Tucked him in bed, kissed him goodnight and told him I love you. He said " I love you too Daddy"
I went into my office, sat down and cried.
We as parents must do anything for our kids. It's a tough world out there, and they need our guidance and love so they will "do good" Kiss you child today and tell them you love them. If they're grown, call them.
You never get too old for your kid to say "I love you". They're nver too old to tell them the same.
Comments(1)