Daddy's Love and Dirty Underwear, and you put the wrapper where?

by Mike Logan
(Rockford, Illinois)

Reader Post: 'Dr. Rose, all those things you said above are true about a Dad's love. Looking into my son's eyes as he burst into the world, and that is what he did, was a life altering moment. Julie had him w/o anesthesia, which is an act of monumental courage, and he was squawking as he emerged, as if to say, "What did you just do to me?" And from that moment on, his personality has emerged, so different from mine. For example, I can be extremely solitary, but not the kid. He will wither up without contact with his buddies, and now that he is 11, the girls who want him to call them girlfriend. The struggle for this Dad is between inspiration and discipline. My son does not pick up after himself, and he may never at his current level of cleanliness, but he is bright and when we monitor his schoolwork, he gets excellent grades. Loves baseball, although getting him to practice by himself or play a pick up game with his buddies is like getting teeth pulled. We are going on a road trip today to see the Illinois State University spring football game. I am hoping to begin the process of opening his eyes to a wider world of ideas and education, and get some alone time with him. Soon the testosterone hits and he will need a mentor, and I hope he still considers me one. Mike'