tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236818078482978377.post8849666774144158219..comments2024-03-10T23:40:49.768-05:00Comments on Bells A Ringing: Passing it onSouthern Bellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04847654788277662652noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6236818078482978377.post-48861404956144123632012-05-02T21:43:04.360-05:002012-05-02T21:43:04.360-05:00Having no children of our own, God exercised His s...Having no children of our own, God exercised His sense of humor five years ago and blessed/cursed my wife and I with a sixteen-year-old that went from goddaughter status to us being legal guardians to today's status of "daughter."<br /><br />I place very little importance or relevance on biology as it relates to parenting, and place for more importance on love and commitment.<br /><br />To that end B is our daughter--or, more correctly, MY daughter since my wife and everyone we know sees how the young lady became a "daddy's girl" early on and to this day, has the ability to light my face up with an ear-to-ear grin just by calling or stopping by to see me.<br /><br />There were some tough times, made even tougher since we had no formal experience; no OJT (On the Job Training) and lots of mistakes with B were made. Compounding that was the fact that she was a teenager with typical teen attitude and behavior issues.<br /><br />Topping it all off is that she grew up with no dad, or even a positive male role model. None. Zippo. Nada.<br /><br />Belle, I tried to teach her what she'd need to know--cars, finance, making and sticking to a budget, sex and boys and what to beware of, and more.<br /><br />Then there were the fun things like what she needed to know about the airplane and how to program in the radio frequencies and GPS identifiers, how to get us back on the ground in one piece if I suddenly fall asleep. How to launch and recover the boat, what to do and not to do with the big "not to EVER do" is let booze on the boat. We have two strict rules on our boat: 1. No booze, and 2. Unless you can swim better than this ex-AAU/UIL competitive swimmer, you don't leave the boat to swim/float without a PFD on and secure.<br /><br />She has taken to both rules with no fuss, no argument, and enforces them to the T.<br /><br />I also taught her how to shoot. Safety came first and early on, I was gratified that she ALWAYS remembered the previous lessons--never forgot.<br /><br />She has one heckuva good boyfriend right now and in just two weeks, turns 21. She has become quite the young woman and grown up and matured.<br /><br />I love her so much and am so proud of her I could burst.<br /><br />It's all we can do--pass along our knowledge and abilities to the next generations. I don't know if I'll ever be a grandfather, but if it's in the cards, then hopefully I can start passing stuff on before they turn sixteen.<br /><br />Your dad sounds like a great man.<br /><br />--AOAAn Ordinary Americanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17848364015817985349noreply@blogger.com