AOS Interview complete, but no answer given.

[slim 1,525]

I'm just worried about all the fatherly ###### coming my way. Nothing Earth shattering, but meetings with teachers, playground fights, all that ####### is coming too soon.

You already sound like more of a dad than he's used to. Love his mom, love him, and you'll do fine.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

He's gaining his English vocabulary by the week, without any formal 'training' or lessons from me. Kids really are a sponge. A while ago I started mixing the few Russian words/phrases I know with their English counterparts. I'd ask for water/voda, milk/malachko, or ask him shto ti hochesh/what do you want, etc. etc. We'd play hide and seek and I'd count 1-10 in russian/english at random times. He's started asking me questions in English and then turning around to ask mom/grandma the same question in Russian. Or Katya will tell him something in Russian, and he'll ask me about it in English.

I am very excited to help him with his studies, as I'm sure Katya and his Babushka are. I'm just worried about all the fatherly ###### coming my way. Nothing Earth shattering, but meetings with teachers, playground fights, all that ####### is coming too soon.

Ok, some advice from a father of four sons...

1. He only needs to stomp the snot out of someone ONCE. Preferably a known bully. Do so immediately and without warning when threatened or intimidated. It will NEVER happen again. EVER. EVER. A boy does not have to be stronger than all the other boys, he only has to be stronger than another potential victim. Let the other potential victim's father worry about that kid. Kind of like, you do not have to run faster than a bear, only faster than your hiking companion. Kapeesh?

2. Learn to love all that stuff because it is downright guaranteed to come your way every day. If you love it you will always be happy. If you hate it you will always be miserable. I love it and seek and plan things to do with the boys every chance I get. FIND new things. Next week we are taking sailing lessons. Why not? I need to learn to sail a boat like I need a hole in the head, but it will be great fun. So far, I have taught the boys to swim, fish, shoot, work on cars, change windows, insulate, finish sheetrock, ride bicycles, ski/snowboard, stormboarding, (snowboard with a parachute on the frozen lake) snowmobiling, drive cars, paddle a kayak, cliff jumping into natural river pools (YES I jump off cliffs too, you have to or you are NOT cool!)...all great fun. Great fun. I go to all the parent/teacher conferences, sports games, sports practices, make the science projects with Pasha, handle all the paperwork, sign all the permission slips. In the winter we take our son and a van full of his friends skiing every weekend. I did a lot of my surgery recovery sitting in the lodge at the ski resort while the boys rode snowboards and Alla skied. Take lots of ibuprofen and never complain. Always smile.

3. Caring for your son is the thing that will endear you to your wife more than anything else possible. Wonderful thing about FSU women. They will do without a lot of things, if you are a good father, you are GOLD!

Edited August 5, 2010 by Gary and Alla

[baron555 934]

if you are a good father, you are GOLD!

Oh Yea! It's True.