The Challenges of Fatherhood

I have learned that being a father can bring great joy.  I have 2 boys my oldest is 5 1/2.  but according to him 5.  my youngest is 18 months according to my oldest 1.

Kids are so precise there is no grey it is all black and white,  I guess as we get older we understand the black and white is there but there can be gray scale in our life as well; but for a child it is all black and white.

I know we want to teach them right from wrong and how to make decisions on their own but do we teach them or do they teach us.  Sometimes I wonder.   They test us they try our patience in what we say.  My oldest is now being defiant and trying my patience along with my wives.  He will also say no after much argumentation and confrontation he gives in to us.

Tonight I told him enough is enough he is old enough to wash his face himself. He got mad and said NO.  The biggest problem is as the school years winds down and many early mornings as of late he is exhausted.  But according to him he is not.

I have learned that reasoning with a child is near impossible you need to make compromises and have them understand why.

I often wonder am I doing what is right by being firm and taking items away and threatening to not do something to make a point.  We take his computer away or his tablet, he has a fit but is he learning by our actions.  Or is it just a justification for us that we are wining the tiny battles or his he the one winning by gaining our attention since he sees us so little with us both working.

I have seen love in him and the desire to emulate both my wife and I in what we do,  He loves drawing and creating with both of us he goes in to my wife's art studio to create he wants to be like her.  He will draw with me and asks me why do I always draw castles or waterfalls.  That is a question I wish I could answer. I know I like drawing them but he tells me I need to draw other things.  I did in the past i guess it is just a stage I am going through.

Enough about me.  Fatherhood has changed me that is for sure it teaches us to slow down and enjoy the little things in life.