Do I like been a Dad?

That was the question my 15 year old daughter asked me the other day.

She’s become very self aware and observant recently. She’s also a bit fragile, and perhaps lacking an ideal social environment.
New Zealands over the top covid response has a lot to do with that because the vaxxed / unvaxxed thing has split many families apart, perhaps forever. Her cousins and their family are on the other team.
All of this has made her a bit more clingy than normal.

Just what do you say?

I’ve spent countless hours creating the best environment that I can for her to thrive in.
Does she feel guilty for everything I’ve done for her?

It felt too difficult to answer, so I evaded answering.

But it’s got me thinking..

Why is she asking this?
(I need to work this out first before the I answer the next question).

She’s sadly lacking a bit of direction right now, and whatever answer I give her, would be cast in stone, so I would have to pick my words carefully.
Then again, I cant be sure how she would interpret my answer.

How should I answer this?

In writing all this down, it’s become clear that she needs to work out the answer herself. The best I can do is be there for her.

Covid sucks and it’s changed things for the worse here in NZ. I cant change that, but I can teach her how to survive in a less than ideal environment.

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So says a commentator on a recent article about Jacinda Ardern published in The Times in Britain. The article itself – “How I watched the halo slipping from Jacinda Ardern” – doesn’t really add anything new to other coverage of her that has been made in the wake of her resignation as Prime Minister. It’s […]
There are deep problems with “kindness” as a political philosophy.

Guest post -How to Improve Your Life

When you think about your life and ways to improve it, usually your first reflex is that you are missing something. But you often forget that one of the best ways to improve your life, to feel better, is not by adding. On the contrary, it is by eliminating. Today I will share with you 5 […]
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School holidays with the kids

It’s been a busy and expensive few weeks, My oldest went to Otago university on a ‘taster’ course, trying out university life for a week.

https://www.otago.ac.nz/hands-on-at-otago/index.html

I took some time off work to spend some time with my youngest daughter. We spent three days riding off-road motorcycles to get her skill level up, so she can ride the same tracks with her sister who has had a lot more experience.

It’s been a learning experience for me as well as been a bit humbling as well….

When my oldest first learnt to ride off road bikes, I was learning as well, and it was an adventure we did together.

With my youngest learning to ride, I kept thinking she will react and behave the same way as her sister.
this was a rather patronising mistake on my part, as their personalities are very different.

She did very well the first two days, and even rode around the B-track that her sister normally rides on with such aplomp.

The third day ended with a crash. I made the mistake of heading off in front of her down a gravel road and she tried going faster than she’s used to. She has different motivations than her sister and I should have forseen that.
For her part, the crash was a shock for her, but she bounced back from that, when we left to go to a prearranged picnic with friends.

My oldest was back from Otago university for the forth day of motorcycling, and they both rode around together which made for a very happy positive day.

It’s been a rewarding two weeks.