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When a Son Turns 10

posted on January 28, 2009

Today is my little guy’s birthday. He turns 10.

I’m not sure why this hit me so hard last night. I thought maybe it was because it was getting to me about my age, but that wasn’t it at all. I look back over all that has happened in these ten years and it is quite a shift. Laura and I were just out of college and living in Virginia. I was working for a government consulting agency and we were figuring out our lives on all levels.

Dylan Canon Digital Rebel XtiWhat might be scaring me is the thought that if you look over all the blocks of years as a parents I believe I’m headed into one of the toughest blocks. Becoming a teenager. Going through puberty. Girls. Boys. High School. All kinds of obstacles, goals, broken hearts and moment of great joy. All the way figuring it out as we go along.

I see a lot of myself in Dylan. This picture here shows him playing around with my old camera. I think I’m going to stick a memory card in it and let it be the family camera around the house so he can continue to experiment with it. In school he is a lot like me and I know that is going to cause him problems, but I’m ready for them. Plus he’s got the Chapman smile. I hope he learns to appreciate it younger then I did. *laugh* Wait, maybe I don’t want that!

The snow is falling very heavily right now. The kids got a snow day so Dylan is psyched. I came downstairs to him on the Xbox with a breakfast that Emily made him. (cocoa pebbles) They get along great for the most part and I hope that continues, but we all know how siblings are.

Dylan, if you ever get around to reading this some day. The first ten years were awesome and I hope we both enjoy the next ten and beyond as well. You are a hell of a kid and I love you big time. Happy Birthday Buddy.

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Categories: Digital Dads
  • http://www.providentpartners.net/blog Albert Maruggi

    Here’s a perspective from a father of five.

    1) When I turned 10 I’ll never forget what my father said, your an old man, chances are you’ll never get out of double digits. Yup a quantitative milestone, 10.

    2) In my kids 10th year I took them on a dad/child trip. Fenway Park, Sea World, Chicago, New York, ( i have one more left). It’s a milestone and a memory for both of us

    3) As a father there were clear moments when it struck me that a phase had passed, infant to toddler, toddler to little person, little person to young something, and so it goes (got to love Linda Ellerbee) You are right about the teen years, be prepared for anything, including heartbreak, disrespect, and disillusion. It’s all possible. This was a learning experience for me, but I had a non-typical perspective, my mother died when I was 12 and father when I was 20.

    The result, as a parent I am sensitive to the shortness of life. So I try to meet the teenagers where they are and not pull them where I think they should be.

    Result, after learning from the #1 son, he’s 19 now, everything, and I mean everything is temporary. The crying, the tantrums, the rejection, the smiles, the buddy moments, the good report cards. It’s all temporary.

    What lasts are the routine memories, walking the dog, putting surprises in their school lunches, coaching, routine complaints about cleaning their room, Sunday breakfast, all that stuff lasts.

    You are a good man CC – thanks for sharing.

    All the best,
    Albert

  • http://www.matteroffactsite.blogspot.com Sherri

    Happy Birthday Dylan!

    The next ten will FLY BY, oh too quickly.

    Enjoy.

  • http://doughaslam.com Doug Haslam

    CC,

    It is a big milestone– though somehow,m as my son just turned 11, I’m feeling it more now. The independence and uptick in activities is really getting pronounced– and middle school is in September.

    Also, I have recently been scanning and uploading old photos to Flickr (I think you have seen and commented on a few), and that really flattens the years out and highlights the changes.

    Just keep enjoying them