Another chapter closes in my life

zilla68

zilla68

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My son graduated college today at 1pm. Boy is that hard to say. I can remember the day he was born and holding him in my arms, and making him a promise to always be there for him.

How you dads deal with them moving on? It has been tough thru his college years, but at least I got to see him weekly at the games and such, or I'd show up to practice and sit by myself in the bleachers and watch him. 

He is taking a job that will train in Minnesota from Feb thru August, then hopefully comes back close to home. It's gonna suck if he's not back here in OKC. 

But today is the first day of the rest of his life. Played 5 years of football and couldn't be more proud of him. He was on the deans honor roll every semester.

Im sure he will be great in his new job, but man, growing old sucks, kids growing up sucks, and depression is real I guess.

My daughter is on her first year at the same school, no sports though, but man not sure what the hell i'll do when she's graduated and moving on. 

I think I need to adopt a kid, cause man those sports days suck when they end. He's ready for it to end, but I sure wasn't. When you spend the past 15 plus years going season to season, sport to sport, baseball, football, basketball, and track, you stay busy all the time. 

What a great kid, never any trouble, always did the right thing, respectful, honest, hard working and took alot of spit from me growing up, turned out great. 

Guess he's ready for the real world now. Good luck son!

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Congrats to your son. Congrats to you for raising a son to be proud of. Great to hear stories like yours it gives hope that there are still people who value responsibility honesty and integrity. 
Well done sir

 
Contrats to your kid and to you.  This was an accomplishment for your family.

While I don't have any kids (by choice..I'm 45) I will say that my relationship with my dad has grown as I became an adult.  He was "the dad" for me and many as a kid and a young man.  Similar to your other thread, my dad was the soccer/baseball coach for many.  "Kids" still stop by his house to say hi.

Today, he is as much my friend as he is my dad.  I hope you two find that.  Your journey is still young.

 
Just so you know, when they return, they have reinforcements.

 
Congrats, job well done. 

Now you get to sit back and watch the next chapter, it ain't over its only changing. 

I dread and also look forward to thos days coming at me as well.

:cheers:

 
Stinky said:
Just so you know, when they return, they have reinforcements.
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i would gladly welcome them. He has a serious girlfriend and shes going to graduate in spring and then off to nursing school. they are a perfect fit if there ever was one.  

 
ChEFF said:
Congrats on the job well done! Peace
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probably more a job well done on his part than mine lol.

My wife always said I was to hard on him, but i felt i gave him plenty of room to be himself. he turned out great by making great decisions, knowing right from wrong, even though i forced him to work at a young age mowing lawns. but i feel that taught him alot of lessons. Never ever moderated the music he listened to, the movies he watched or the games he played. I always told him as long as you make the right decisions and communicate with me/us, you can do what you want. 

When the company that's recruiting him wanted to do an "interview dinner" with us, the guy was amazed by my answers on his working at 11, and why I had him do that. Like I told the guy I could care less if he ever mows another lawn in his life, my hope is he has the money to pay someone to do it for him, but he learned how to talk to people, interact with people, carry himself, and pay attention to details.

One time he drove the zero turn across the middle of the lawn when he was done, so i made him redo the whole thing. He was pissed, but after I explained to him the importance of straight lines, detailed edges, no grass in the flower beds and on and on. Life and your future jobs are about details.

about 2 years ago his best friends parents split and a bunch of the gang went to help her move out, and he said you know what dad, I was the only one who knew how to unhook a washer/dryer, how to take a door off a hinge, and the only one with an essential tool bag in my truck. those guys were clueless. At that point I felt i was accomplished lol. 

so he listened even though we fought, he took it in, processed it and it paid off for him. 

Daughter on the other hand lol. turned me more gray!!! but she's coming around, she's a late learner

 
Congrats to you and your son…you for raising him right and him for making the right choices and following thru.

He will do great.

My son graduated, served 4 years in the army, and came back home . He lives about 3 miles from me and works for a defense contractor, is married and just had his first baby.

Daughter will graduate this year with a dual degree and just bought a house about 5 miles  from me…..she just accepted a job with a company she had been working part time for and they wanted her before she graduated. She also was working part time at another place while taking 18 credit hours. Both kids worked since they were 16 years old.

i was always “too tough” on them according to my wife, but never unfair. They both know their way around vehicles, power tools, and the things needed to survive.

You did a great job and the real accomplishment is that you raised them to survive on their own and achieve their dreams   Congrats again, and enjoy the next chapter👍

 
For me it was VERY easy.  I knew he was moving on, I knew it was a part of his life that was going to happen, and I knew it was something in our lives (the wife included) that was going to happen.  So my perspective on it was "mission accomplished ". 

Now what is ahead??? 

Congratulations, so everyone!!!

 
Congratulations!  
 

How to deal with them moving on? Thats tough. Parents are concerned by nature even though you have taught them how to be responsible for themselves. I’d tell you it gets easier with time but it hasn’t for me. 

 
Congratulations to you and your son. You for being a great leader teacher and your son for making the right choices and seeing his education through. He will be fine and your relationship will change but it will be good. I have had the opportunity to work with my oldest son for the last 8 months what a blessing for us both. Hopefully he will land reasonably close by after his training time that would be a blessing. Congrats again job well done

 
10 to 12 years ago my son went to college in Longview Tx and now lives in Searcy Ar. 1800 miles away and a pain in the ass to fly to. 3 days to drive, etc... But we talk a lot on Facetime/phone. I miss him a lot and wish he would have taken a job here in SoCal but he loves being out in the sticks. Doesn't ever come out here because he has 24 acres and a bunch of animals! lol. 2 grandkids now and doing great. We are just going with the flow. My wife and I both had Grandparents who lived in Europe so we hardly ever got to see them. So, the tradition continues! :dunno:   :lol:   Sounds like you did a great job raising them and things will get back to normal soon. 

PS. You can still go to the games! 

 
Air450 said:
10 to 12 years ago my son went to college in Longview Tx and now lives in Searcy Ar. 1800 miles away and a pain in the ass to fly to. 3 days to drive, etc... But we talk a lot on Facetime/phone. I miss him a lot and wish he would have taken a job here in SoCal but he loves being out in the sticks. Doesn't ever come out here because he has 24 acres and a bunch of animals! lol. 2 grandkids now and doing great. We are just going with the flow. My wife and I both had Grandparents who lived in Europe so we hardly ever got to see them. So, the tradition continues! :dunno:   :lol:   Sounds like you did a great job raising them and things will get back to normal soon. 

PS. You can still go to the games! 
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funny you say that, a kid he played with all thru little league in all the sports got hurt last year and medically redshirted the season, they started college together and roomed the first year together. then kinda went their own ways, but he is still playing so he is healed up and training like crazy to finish his last year of ball, so i'll go see him play the home games anyways, the away were brutal lol. so i do have another year to wean myself off

 
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