Us Dads Are Failing

Here’s the deal.

The reason that the world is going to hell in a hand basket is because we as Dads have failed.

We’ve failed for the last 30 years, and we’re starting to see the results of that show up in society.

Sure, we can blame it on a lot of things.

A broken education system that would rather teach our kids about underwater basket weaving than personal finances.

Sports leagues that give trophies to last place.

Corporate woke-ism that gives favoritism to the loudest voices in the room.

There is a lot of blame to go around for sure.

But at the end of the day – society is not responsible for raising our kids.

WE ARE.

Us Dads are the leaders of the family.

It is our job to instill the values, ethics, discipline, and skills into our children.

If enough of us do this, it will change the world.

Not overnight – but generation to generation.

Even though the world sucks right now – WE have the power to change it through both our actions and the lessons that we are teaching our children every day.

So… quick story.

I’ve been taking my kids to the local CrossFit gym on Saturdays with me lately, and it’s been pretty fun.

I get to give Mom a break for a couple of hours, get a good sweat on, and give my kids the opportunity to watch me push myself physically.

This last Saturday – I finished up my work out and went to the “play-room” to check on them and I found my oldest one (she’s about to be 5) drawing a perfectly shaped unicorn on the door with a pen she had found.

Now this play-room was in complete disarray.

It was completely covered in pen from where other kids had drawn whatever their heart desired – so I can understand why she thought that this action was OK.

But as soon as I asked her what she was doing, she broke down in tears.

She KNEW that what she was doing was wrong.

But she did it anyway.

She caved into peer-pressure even though she knew she was doing the wrong thing.

Now – I love my kids unconditionally, but I had a decision to make.

Coddle her and tell her everything was going to be ok and that I forgive her right away?

Or do the RIGHT thing and take the time to teach a lesson?

So – here’s what I did.

I grabbed some Clorox wipes, and made her scrub her unicorn for 10 minutes trying to get it off.

Through uncontrollable sobs, she wiped and wiped…

And then I made her go to the owner of the gym and apologize for what she had done.

After that – we had a small chat about that even though everyone does something, it does not make it right.

She knows the difference between right and wrong, and part of growing up is understanding that when we know the right thing to do – we need to do it. Even when doing the right thing is hard.

Did the lesson sink in?

Probably not… she’s 4.

BUT – the important thing is that we as Dads take time to teach these lessons over and over.

At some point they will sink in.

Go be epic.