A Chip Off The Old Block

For those that are living the single life, there comes a point where one ponders what it would be like to have kids of his or her own. Women, more so than men, have that proverbial biological clock that can oftentimes have them yearning for an offspring to call one;s own. Yet, in today's ever changing world countless stories can be told of kids, who without question, disregard a parent's authority and the parent's response is simply to throw his or her hands in the air. In some ways, witnessing it or hearing about it can make a person rethink the possibility of having kids or wanting kids one day. But one can't base his or her decision on that; it's just a matter of having a style all your own that balances meanness and coolness. Up until now, I've never really thought about what it would be like to have a son but I technically have over 30 of them at work who I consider absolute daredevils. When it comes to boys, a person in profession tends to keep repeating this same sentence, "If he jumped off a bridge would you jump off as well?" Let me tell you something, on any given day working in an asylum you will find at least one of "my boys" trying to do some kind of crazy stunt that involves jumping off something high. It usually ends up with me standing over him and lecturing about why that wasn't a very good idea. Hey, boys will be boys, but like my dad told me when I got hurt I now tell them which is, just shake it off.

Undoubtedly, nothing will prepare a guy more than having a daughter because there are several things that go through our minds. All these things involve her starting to get interested in boys and boys getting interested in her. I can already tell that my daughter will have me wrapped around her finger because "my girls" in the asylum have me wrapped around theirs. Thinking about it, I feel more protective of them than the boys because I know what boys are thinking because I used to think the same way. For it's my job, any obligation to scare away the boys and tell each of "my girls" not to date until they are 35 years old. Though they aren't my daughters, I will and always be a father figure to them.

Someone once asked me several years ago if I would ever take a bullet for "my kids" and without hesitation I said yes. Though I am not a parent, the parental instincts are in me, as well, as in each of you. Let me ask you this question, if someone harmed or was trying to harm your child would you stop at nothing to get your hands on him or her? Hopefully your response would be a definite yes because the safety of your child is all that matters to a parent. Over the past 8 years I have seen a number of kids grow up before my eyes. Even though most of the kids have outgrown the asylum, there is a side of me that still sees them as that little boy or girl who thought cooties were contagious.

Someone once said, ~Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad.~ I don't know what it is about me that kids gravitate to. Doing some research, I have learned they like me because I'm sarcastic, weird, funny, strange, altogether kooky, but most of all I found that they like me because I talk with them on their level. For most of the kids, they don't just see me as their counselor, they see me as their friend who he or she can absolutely feel comfortable to be around and talk to one on one. In retrospect, someday I will have children of my own and they will inherit certain personality traits, which is a scary thought indeed; but in the end, he or she will be a chip off the old block.

Someone once asked me several years ago of would ever take a bullet for "my kids" and without hesitation I said yes. Though I am not a parent, the parental instincts are in me, as well, as in each of you. Let me ask you this question, if someone harmed or was trying to harm your child would you stop at nothing to get your hands on him or her? Hopefully your response would be a definite yes because the safety of your child is all that matters to a parent. Over the past 8 years I have seen a number of kids grow up before my very eyes. Even though most the kids have outgrown the asylum, there is a side of me that stills sees them as that little boy or girl who thought cooties were contagious.