Awesome Dads of Ricochet

 

Happy Father’s Day to all the Members. I have been impressed by the many Dad members, who write about their family lives, and their kids. We Ricochetti tend to know what a good Dad is, and how not having one in the home can adversely affect the children. How many societal problems could be ameliorated by having a resident father? A great Dad is always attentive to his kids and their Mom. A great Dad is Masculine, Male, and never “toxic.” A great Dad is chivalrous toward his wife, and appreciates everything she does for the family. My list of Awesome Dads:

@bossmongo I love his stories about his family, and how he describes Mrs. Mongo, who is a very lucky lady.

@drbastiat I am impressed with how he supports all his kids through adverse circumstances.

@lance He just dotes on his really talented and gorgeous daughters.

@seawriter He has been Strong through all his troubles, and always sings the praises of all the members of his family, especially his late wife.

@iwe In spite of being a globetrotting CEO, he has raised a fantastic brood of kids, and I look forward to the Dad Tales he posts here. It also can’t hurt that he has added Ricochet members of his family, too!

@ryanm (Hammer, The) He must have one of the most beautiful families anywhere (we have met). And his tales of the characters he encounters on his job have been very instructive

@ejhill  We have followed the trials and tribulations of Sons number One and Two, knowing they will be well taken care of.

Here’s a Cheer for all the Ricochet Dads! Hip, Hip, Hooray!

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There are 18 comments.

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  1. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    Thanks Rushbabe!

    I do certainly support my kids, although my overall goal is to allow them to screw up, get hurt, get back up, brush themselves off, and move on.  I think many parents support their kids way too much.

    I’d love to know how many times my wife and I have had this conversation:

    Wife:  “Why are you letting them do that?  Aren’t they going to get hurt?”

    Me:  “Yeah, they probably will.  And that’s why I’m letting them do that.”

    Wife:  * dirty look *

    Me:  “They’re fine.”  * pretends to ignore the dirty look, while hoping that any ensuing injuries are minor *

    It’s really hard to watch your kids get hurt.  But there’s really no other way to learn. 

    All parents set up guardrails, to protect their kids.  I do too.  I just set mine up A LOT wider than most.

    6 year old girl with pigtails:  “Daddy!  I think I can climb up that cliff!”

    Me:  “Well, you’d better get started!”

    I’ve sewn up my own kids at least 10 times – maybe 15.  But I survived the trauma.  And now I have tough kids. 

    The ultimate goal of parenting is to produce independent adults who no longer need you.  Which hurts SO, SO MUCH.  Every time my kid works through something without even calling me for advice, my heart aches.  But that’s the whole point. 

    I don’t worry about them anymore. 

    They’re fine.

    • #1
  2. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    I don’t worry about them anymore.

    That never happens–the not worrying.  :-)

    • #2
  3. Vectorman Inactive
    Vectorman
    @Vectorman

    I’ve had the pleasure of meeting the last 3 on your list, and they are just as fantastic as their Rico image.

    Edit: @seawriter@iwe@ryanm

    • #3
  4. MarciN Member
    MarciN
    @MarciN

    When the kids move on, we let them. We find other things to do. So it looks on the outside like we parents have stopped worrying.

    When my daughter and son-in-law were newly married and in the process of buying their first home, my daughter sent the four parents a quick e-mail: “Hey, Guys, the real estate broker says there is radon registering on their meter but not to worry about it. Do you think we should buy the house anyway?”

    She reports the rest of the story this way: She turned to her filing cabinet beside her desk to put something away and then turned back to her computer. She looked and laughed. In that fraction of a minute, she had received four e-mails in her inbox. Each one said, “No!”

    We only get better at pretending we’re not worrying. :-)

    • #4
  5. Randy Weivoda Moderator
    Randy Weivoda
    @RandyWeivoda

    I will add @stad to your list, a guy who went all the way to Russia to take delivery of his beloved daughters.  If I could be adopted by anyone, it would be him and @neutralobserver.

    • #5
  6. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    Both boys just left the house. It will be, at least for awhile, our last Father’s Day together. Next year at this time Son #2 will be ensconced in Philadelphia, and Son #1… we’ll, let’s just say that there are deployment rumors swirling around his reserve unit as they do from time to time.

    Son #3 has a month before he leaves for lacrosse camp and three more years of High School. And Baby Girl has just completed her third year of teaching 450 miles away. But she FaceTimed during dinner just to see what she was missing.

    My professional life dissipates into the ether as quickly as water through a sieve but this brood is what will stand as a testament to my life. As the years roll on without me, may each of them stop for just a second and remember the old man. I hope they smile while doing it.

    • #6
  7. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    Seen on facebook:  I don’t know why you’re thanking your mother for bringing you into the world, she wasn’t even in the mood.

     

     

    • #7
  8. Cow Girl Thatcher
    Cow Girl
    @CowGirl

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The ultimate goal of parenting is to produce independent adults who no longer need you. Which hurts SO, SO MUCH. Every time my kid works through something without even calling me for advice, my heart aches. But that’s the whole point. 

    Isn’t this the biggest irony of life?? When I figured out this concept, as our children all grew up and moved out and into independent lives, I began to feel kind of bad. But, I realize that they can do this because we succeeded as parents!

    • #8
  9. EJHill Podcaster
    EJHill
    @EJHill

    I call it “The Indescribable Agony of a Job Well Done.”

    • #9
  10. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    EJHill (View Comment):

    I call it “The Indescribable Agony of a Job Well Done.”

    Fantastic. 

    • #10
  11. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Randy Weivoda (View Comment):
    If I could be adopted by anyone, it would be him and @neutralobserver.

    We’ll send you the paperwork.  Hehe . . .

    • #11
  12. Skyler Coolidge
    Skyler
    @Skyler

    I think it’s a mistake to make the claim that a good dad is never “toxic.”  This plays into the SJW/communists/progressive’s strategy.  They define something innocuous as toxic and then demand that you stick to the claim that you aren’t toxic.  

    I fully intend to be toxic if whatever they want to claim is toxic is what matches what I am.  I just say that their definition of toxic is what makes men good, makes the women want them, makes women and children safe, and enemies quake.  If they want to use the word toxic to describe that, then toxins are good for all of society.

    • #12
  13. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    Dr. Bastiat (View Comment):
    The ultimate goal of parenting is to produce independent adults who no longer need you. Which hurts SO, SO MUCH.

    Speak for yourself, Kemosabe. When the youngest finally left home and all three were independent, Jan and I high-fived and told each other “mission accomplished.” And the year between the time the last one left and she fell ill, when we had the house to ourselves was . . .  let me leave it at fantastic.

    Most of it is that they are still around. They are just not at home. If mom and dad needed them they would drop everything and come running to help. And did. Their support while their mother was dying was invaluable. 

    Watching them succeed on their own – I do not know anything as satisfying.

    And then you get grandchildren. I do not think grandkids would be nearly as much fun if their parents were dependent upon you.

    And @rushbabe49, thank you for including me in your list. I feel honored.

    • #13
  14. KentForrester Coolidge
    KentForrester
    @KentForrester

    RushBabe, couldn’t you have a category called “Semi-Awesome Dads”?   I just can’t qualify for “awesome.” 

    I never even earned a “World’s Greatest Dad” tee shirt.  In fact, only one dad in the world can wear that shirt. 

    But I was good enough (the Forrester motto).

    It’s true that my kids have been out of the house for over twenty years, but we stay in touch.  

    BTW, RushBabe, both my kids live in your neck of the woods, the Tacoma/Olympia area.  Alan is a manager in a blood/plasma company.  Annie is a funeral director.   

     

     

    • #14
  15. Seawriter Contributor
    Seawriter
    @Seawriter

    KentForrester (View Comment):
    Alan is a manager in a blood/plasma company. Annie is a funeral director.

    Sounds like they get folks coming or going.

    • #15
  16. Dr. Bastiat Member
    Dr. Bastiat
    @drbastiat

    KentForrester (View Comment):
    But I was good enough (the Forrester motto).

    Still chuckling…

    • #16
  17. iWe Coolidge
    iWe
    @iWe

    Thank you so much for the kind words! As it happens, I am joining this conversation from a Parisian suburb while the incredible Mrs. iWe is the one actually parenting the kids, 4,100 miles away…

    • #17
  18. Mim526 Inactive
    Mim526
    @Mim526

    A couple days late to a great post/thread, but wanted to say in tribute to Ricochet dads that one thing I’ve noticed about many fathers on Ricochet reading their posts/comments, sometimes between the lines, is they seem to get that

    The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother. ~ Theodore Hesburgh

    I include divorced dads, not one of whom I’ve seen diss their children’s mother.  

    Good job, Dads.  Really good job.

    • #18
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