The 2016 NorCal Camping/Wheeling Thread!

You will make a good father

 

HAHA thanks. My wife actually just said that to me a couple of days ago.

I look forward to having kids, but I'm just having so much fun being an adult right now haha. My wife and I said 2 years after we got married we'll start having kids. It's been 3.5 years since and our answer is still 2 years (from now) haha

 

I agree with everything you guys are saying. Parenting is where it all starts. My kids are by no means angels and are pretty bratty at times but they do know right from wrong! If there are two thing I swear by it's to teach my kids to be responsible for their actions and not blame others for their failures.

 

I don't wheel and generally don't belong in here, just read some stuff and wanted to contribute my thoughts so feel free to scroll by this.

I think the trend of generational branding is largely due to an increasing level of narcissism with each new generation. Not sure where it comes from.. some say the generation that raised them is responsible for how they turn out, but I don't think that applies anymore (and hasn't for a number of decades). Some have mentioned here already that their childhood consisted of, let's say "traditional" upbringing.. kids outside all day, had chores, had competitions they won and they lost, had fights and bruises, etc,. etc,. That all contributes to some extra social awareness, confidence, and intuition building that the more recent generations haven't had as much (or any) while living in the technology immersion era and now lack because they have less and less actual life challenges every year. The swing is beginning to go the other way for some families, and on a larger scale some whole schools/neighborhoods/cities are swinging the other way.

We'll see how I do with my kids. I'm less of a screw up than some people I know, but a screw up nonetheless.

Childhood should be as the world is. Winners and losers, people who try and people who don't, reward for hard work and no reward for laziness, good things and bad things, and risk.

 

As a swim coach the last 12+ years, I can say it's the parents. They're the ones who can't put any blame on their kids. Always looking for a scapegoat.

Best example is a trouble maker a few years ago. I kicked him out of practice for making a lewd gesture. Told him to talk to me before he leaves. Walked right past me. Told his mom that night what happened and I was most upset with him blowing me off. We would need to talk before he's back at practice.

Shows up a few days later with mom. They refused to apologize because she said he didn't do anything wrong. I reminded that regardless of what he did with his hands, I want an apology for not having the respect to listen. Long story short, I wouldn't let him in the pool. Mom called me racist and they quit the team...

 

Full disclosure: I do not have kids. Like MJ, I don't have room to talk. Much. I have watched my nieces and nephews grow up. I have watched my best friends kids grow up. One in particular, could get no break from wifey. He's partly to blame, as well. But they wanted to be their kids best friend, instead of being a parent. She turned out to be quite a little shit. She's slowly coming around, though. I envy all you guys with kids. My wife and I were not so blessed. I've only seen some of the kids from this group, and they all seem like great kids. Good job. Not that you needed my approval. But I respect what you guys are doing.

 

Same here. No kids.
But like Don said above, the ones that i have met through TW have been great! Some of my favorites! Sure, sometimes there's some attitude problems or tantrums now and again. But who doesn't have a bad day. I know i do. But it's how you guys handle them when that happens(which is pretty rare to begin with) that says the most. Ya put 'em in check and make sure they aren't gonna effect anyone else's good time. Hats off to the good parents out there!
I have a hard enough time taking care of myself!

 

Me too, I'm literally 12 going on 30.

 

I'd apologize for derailing this thread with my question, but it's 2017 now...so I guess this is a BS thread.


Also, I agree with everything you guys are saying. Very insightful.

 

Felt like 11.5 to me.

 

You're literally 12? Seriously? What's that, 7th grade? And you drive?

 

Damn fucken right!


I'll slap a child!!! ok, no I wont, but I sure will check his lil ass! I got a pretty damn awesome kid

 

Parenting sucks. All I want to do is be their friend. But then they fuck it up and now i gotta be someone they don't like. We haven't been friends for years.

 

I can just see Fernando going HAM like this:

 

Is this you?

 

Haha, I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation Don.

 

IMHO, parenting is a balance between replicating all the good things your parents did, trying not to repeat the bad things, and interjecting your own principles. Also changing everything based on the kid's reactions. Couple that with your spouse's efforts that may not parallel yours.

The other day we were walking in the city on Market St. We came to a busy intersection and I insisted on picking up my 6 year old daughter to cross the street. My wife and in-laws laughed and said something like, "Did your parents always pick you up to cross the street?" I said, "No, but people weren't on their godamn phones texting while driving back then. And there were no Uber drivers checking their phones for the next pickup. Why do I have to keep reminding you guys?" They all shut the fuck up.

Things are different these days and I can't compare them to my childhood. I'm overprotective where I think it matters. So I'll let my older daughter rock climb and go off a (small) ramp she built on her bike, but not watch TV unattended or cross the street. Us parents have a different set of challenges these days, and we'll see if technology will hurt or help kids develop into upstanding members of society.

On a funny note, a few months ago I gave my daughter a jar of coins. She said, "Jack bought!" I told her it was "pot". She said, "Jack bought pot!"

"He did sweetie, he sure did..."

 

oh man, I needed that right about now. Thanks brother!



And yes, I will go HAM on everybody! lol