SimpleFather

If people do something that surprises you, it's your fault.

I heard the phrase above a while back, and I just can't seem to get it out of my head. With some very minor changes, the same phrase applies to parenting. If a kid does something that surprises you, it's your own fault. Just to be clear, I'm mainly talking about the unpleasant surprises, like wiping a booger on grandma, streaking in front of company, dating a hoodlum... those types of things.

Long ago, in a distant land, there lived a king. The king ruled his kingdom with a fair and just hand, and life was good. However, after a period of stability throughout the region, an unsettling presence sought to disrupt the peace.

Enter the dragon... this was no friendly, PBS Kids Dragon Tales type of dragon, but a man eating, fire breathing dragon. After laying in slumber for many years, the beast was awakened, and seeking to devour all in its way.

Luckily, the noble king mounted his trusty steed, and rode out to confront the great winged creature. What happened next is the stuff legends are made of.

It's no secret that when a married couple has kids, soon their world revolves around the kids, and the relationship they once had starts to deteriorate. Less and less time is spent focusing on the person that helped you become a family in the first place. Below are seven suggestions that may keep you and your spouse from becoming strangers.

There have been times in the past when I have grown frustrated with my children... particularly the older one. One could say that I have been curt, gruff, and insensitive. Take what I like to call the "bike riding incidents" for example. They started out well enough, but always ended in me saying something like, "I'm not carrying your bike home, if you want it, you can ride it... or else we'll leave it in the park for someone else to enjoy." While reflecting on my parenting tactics, I had a hard time figuring out why my approach didn't work. Doesn't everyone like their stuff given away, especially when they're frustrated?

Some days you got it, and others you don't. Today is one of those days that I don't have it. I pride myself on keeping my writing schedule, but for the sake of you, dear readers, I don't want to crank out a post even more lame than usual.

Stay tuned and check back Thursday for "You're going to ________, and you're going to like it!"