a question to all you dads or sons out there

[Highland Forestry]

Cant comment from a dads point of view yet stevie, but from a sons point of view, I didnt get any of the experiences you have already given your son - going to work with my dad was an amazing treat and very rare - but I do remember playing with welders, fork lift, pressing buttons, messing about in old cars and generally helping dad out when I was very very young.... I think it's important to give the wee ones a good healthy balance, make time with them whilst working and on the weekends but take them swimming and to the play centre or whatever too..

 

I think swimming is good for all kids, keeps them fit and it pretty handy in case they ever fall in a pond or loch etc - but isnt it part of the curriculum at school? I think they have to teach kids to swim now..

 

I hope I get the chance to do all the fun things with my wee one in a few years that you're doing now... i'm looking forward to it already!

[Tom D]

I did very similar stuff to you with my dad, one of my earliest memories is sitting in the cab of a crawler that my dad was driving, i loved it. I think you need to chill out on the matter.

 

I do wish I was a better swimmer though.

[Yorkshireman]

my son is 13 & he & I enjoy our time together doing dad & son stuff from driving a digger or tractor or spinning for mackerel ,riding the quad shooting whatever it is as I remember being a lad, time spent is good time regardless of what you do

I remember my dad coming home from a trip to orkney & in my hurry to get down stairs I went arse over down the stairs & split my eyebrow open on the skirting board , I wasnt the slightest bit bothered I was just glad to see my dad

 

ENJOY

 

He's just got into karate & I'm the bunch bag JOY

Edited November 27, 2009 by Yorkshireman

[firewoodman]

one of the things you cant buy is time, and you cant change the past.

who cares what you do is right or wrong, as long as you 2 enjoy it.

teach reading, writting and maths (spelling helps too) the rest is all fun.

my boys mum died when he was 5, she was 28, so i have to do it all, i spent more time at work and neglected my son, until one day i realised he was growing up too fast.

he is now 10, i make sure i am home most nights to put him to bed, once a week we go to canoe club, where the most coments i get are "does your son ever stop smiling"

i wish i could go back in time, but i cant. i just make sure i do what i can in the time i have. my 2 yr old gets spoilt something terrible.

 

i do recommend swimming lessons though, water can be fun when you are confident in it, even just jumping waves at the beach, or the rope swing in a tree over the river

 

good luck stevie, just bear in mind that some kids out there dont even know who thier dads are, let alone spend any time with them

 

if the boys are smiling, then your doing it right

[Jonesie]

Stevie your doing the right things, as your doing them with him.

I take my boy to work with me when I can and he loves it, as the wife says most boys want to be like the dads, and he won't go wrong there.

 

Do try and get them swimming if you can (and yourself). You live by the sea and your new yard is in the marina would be a good thing to have under your belts if god forbid one of you fell in.

[Mesterh]

Teach him to swim, I very nearly drowned once and it wasnt a nice experience:crying: In fact I doubt I will ever forget it.

 

I only read the first post so if this contradicts what others think then I dont care

[penfold]

speaking as a son who lost his father at a very young age, all i can say is you're both getting the best times of your lives and basically you should just enjoy it. i wanted to do what my dad had done even though i never really knew him but i ended up in an outdoor job (long story) which is apparently what all the men in the family have done over the centuries so i'm happy. sorry if that sounds very disjointed, just not sure how to put it. i think simply put stevie, if xander wants to be a tree surgeon he will if he doesn't he'll let you know and you'll still have the memories. best of both worlds mate:thumbup1:

[Stephen Blair]

good points there justin, i am surrounded by water maybe i have just been lucky to avoid an accident it over the years, i didnt learn to swim until i was about 11, i will get my finger out and take him again, we havent been for ages. I will get his lessons booked too. Thanks to all you guys for sharing your thoughts and experiences:001_smile:

[tommer9]

Steve, dont get hung up on what xander can or cant do- you are spending quality time with your boy, and what i have come to learn recently is that the most important thing for the well-being and stability of your kids is having that time. I was sent away to school when i was 10 y.o and i am now thinking that i dont really know my old man. I was talking the way you are to the hypno guy, about how i wasnt giving my son the education i got etc etc, and actually how your kids are educated or what they choose to spend their life doing is irelevant...quality time with his dad is the best thing that xander could have, full stop. Whether that be in a swimming pool, out for a walk with the dogs, or sitting in a mini digger is irrelevant, the fact that he is with you is paramount mate. Keep up the good work, just pray that the sea levels dont rise so much that largs is underwater.LOL

[penfold]

Steve, dont get hung up on what xander can or cant do- you are spending quality time with your boy, and what i have come to learn recently is that the most important thing for the well-being and stability of your kids is having that time. I was sent away to school when i was 10 y.o and i am now thinking that i dont really know my old man. I was talking the way you are to the hypno guy, about how i wasnt giving my son the education i got etc etc, and actually how your kids are educated or what they choose to spend their life doing is irelevant...quality time with his dad is the best thing that xander could have, full stop. Whether that be in a swimming pool, out for a walk with the dogs, or sitting in a mini digger is irrelevant, the fact that he is with you is paramount mate. Keep up the good work, just pray that the sea levels dont rise so much that largs is underwater.LOL

 

thats what i was trying to say tom but made a hash of it (as usual )