Scary Things

Are centipedes scary? Sure they are creepy and appear out of nowhere, but scary no. A few paper towels and a quick arm movement can take care of that. Are snakes scary? Maybe a little. Out in my kayak in the middle of a lake and a water snake swimming nearby! You do the quick math and geometry…can that thing really get in this boat.  Are bats scary? Oh yeah!!!  Their wicka wicka wicka flapping wing sound and their unpredictable flight paths. Stay as far away from me as possible!

But to me, the scariest thing in this world is being the father of a teenage girl!!!

It’s scary because of the world we have created for her. It’s scary because I can’t be watching her 24/7. It’s scary because I was once a teenage boy.

Don’t get me wrong. I love being the father of a teenage girl. The rewards are amazing. The challenge is well worth it. Maybe in the 21st century, it is a little archaic to say that I look at my role as one of protector. I take that role seriously and with love. But there is an alternate role and that is empowerer. Keeping the balance between protecting and empowering keep me up at night. Keeping that balance sometimes makes me physically ill. Keeping that balance fills me, at times, with self doubt.

My biggest fears for her are drugs, sex, and rock and roll. No, not rock and roll. That just seemed to flow. Drugs, sex, and a world that still treats women like an inferior gender. I want her to be whoever she wants to be and I want her to be able to do that on her own merits and talents. I once read that the three guaranteed predictors of a life of poverty are getting pregnant before you are ready to be a parent, getting too involved in drugs and alcohol, and finally, not finishing your education. That’s some scary stuff right there.

Sex today is everywhere and statistics show that kids are having sex at earlier and earlier ages. Earlier ages means less maturity and more bad decisions. How do  I protect against that? Educate, educate, educate!

Drugs today are everywhere. Just look at the opioid crisis. My daughter goes to Parkland High School. It’s a richer school known for a higher class of drugs and pharm parties. How do I protect against that? Educate, educate, educate!

It is still a man’s world in spite of incredible progress made by women over the last few decades. My fear here is that that progress has slowed under our current political environment (no rant coming, I promise). How do I protect against that? Educate, educate, and vote!

So I guess what I am saying is that I need to be not just a protector and an empowerer, but an educator as well. To perform those three roles to the best of my ability and infuse them with unconditional love, is my best hope for a great future for my daughter.

Enjoy your Friday!