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Post by Sasquatch on Mar 3, 2022 18:19:57 GMT -5
My Eldest son used to be my constant sidekick in the woods, and though we still get out some the inevitable obstacles of growing up have lessened the frequency. This afternoon he got out of school early and didn't have to work. When he retired to his room with a snack I sat on the couch thinking of all our old adventures. The more I thought the more I wanted to go get him and do something. I had more work around the house to do but I finally said "to hell with it" and asked John if he wanted to look for some sheds. We drove ( with John at the wheel) to the hunting property. We walked around a lot of the places we used to, past the old place where we would build fires and the old dump where we shot a bb gun at cans. Down the old fence row where the "sticky bushes" would grab at him. We relived past hunts, saw old rubs and deer beds, all the good stuff. Memories were everywhere, like the very trees around us. We came to a spot that we had found the skeleton of a calf when he was about eight. That day as I walked around looking for spring flowers he gathered all the bones in a pile, with that enthusiasm that only kids have. Ever after they became a land mark, "the cow bones." Back then I took a picture of young John with an armload of his macabre treasures. Today a much bigger John, now 17, held one of the same bones. Not the bones we set out for today but precious in their way. I've shared a picture of John and his old bones on this forum before, but I felt it was worth sharing again. Funny how a bunch of old bones can come to represent so much. If you want to take a walk, go fishing, or visit with your kids, parents, whoever, do it. Do it now. So many chances slip away. Occasionally, you just have to say, "hell with the chores."
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Post by jjas on Mar 3, 2022 18:58:36 GMT -5
Great post!
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Post by featherduster on Mar 3, 2022 18:59:35 GMT -5
Excellent job DAD!
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Post by bartiks on Mar 3, 2022 20:47:30 GMT -5
I couldn't agree more, the inexorable march of time. A quote from Shawshank shines a light on how quickly things get away from us. "Get busy livin......
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Post by Woody Williams on Mar 3, 2022 22:11:53 GMT -5
Excellent!
Still making memories!
May there be many, many more!
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Post by genesis273 on Mar 3, 2022 22:48:43 GMT -5
That's a great story!
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Post by deadeer on Mar 3, 2022 23:16:29 GMT -5
Nice going.
Definately gotta get family time in when you can. Life is flying by, busy world, kids growing up quickly... gotta make it count.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Mar 4, 2022 13:58:47 GMT -5
Man I'm looking at this Saturday's forcast and dealing with something similar. We are in the heart of wrestling season right now and have this weekend off. Wouldn't you know it the baseball organization we belong to wants to do a work day. I don't want to leave yhem hanging but I'd rather hike HNF with my boys and have a pic nic or grill some dogs or something. Ig I don't do it now I may not have time later. I'm thinking the ball field can wait. Maybe I can ask for a task or two to do on my own time.
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Post by Sasquatch on Mar 4, 2022 16:13:09 GMT -5
Man I'm looking at this Saturday's forcast and dealing with something similar. We are in the heart of wrestling season right now and have this weekend off. Wouldn't you know it the baseball organization we belong to wants to do a work day. I don't want to leave yhem hanging but I'd rather hike HNF with my boys and have a pic nic or grill some dogs or something. Ig I don't do it now I may not have time later. I'm thinking the ball field can wait. Maybe I can ask for a task or two to do on my own time. Yeah, if you help em a lot you might want to forgo this round. These chances with the kids don't come around again. I am haunted ( unreasonably, I know, but still) by the chances I let slip over the years.
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Post by esshup on Mar 4, 2022 19:47:35 GMT -5
Man I'm looking at this Saturday's forcast and dealing with something similar. We are in the heart of wrestling season right now and have this weekend off. Wouldn't you know it the baseball organization we belong to wants to do a work day. I don't want to leave yhem hanging but I'd rather hike HNF with my boys and have a pic nic or grill some dogs or something. Ig I don't do it now I may not have time later. I'm thinking the ball field can wait. Maybe I can ask for a task or two to do on my own time. I'll bet that you are in the 10% that actually show up to work so missing one won't be the end of the world. Let the others that typically don't show up take your place.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Mar 5, 2022 6:44:28 GMT -5
Man I'm looking at this Saturday's forcast and dealing with something similar. We are in the heart of wrestling season right now and have this weekend off. Wouldn't you know it the baseball organization we belong to wants to do a work day. I don't want to leave yhem hanging but I'd rather hike HNF with my boys and have a pic nic or grill some dogs or something. Ig I don't do it now I may not have time later. I'm thinking the ball field can wait. Maybe I can ask for a task or two to do on my own time. I'll bet that you are in the 10% that actually show up to work so missing one won't be the end of the world. Let the others that typically don't show up take your place. You are right 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Problem is they still won't show up so now my guys are down one more. Still tossing it around in my head, my boys will be up soon and we will talk about it.
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Post by esshup on Mar 5, 2022 19:30:37 GMT -5
There will always be time to work at the ball field, the time with the boys is worth more in my book. The more time you can spend with them, molding them into great young men is time well spent.
I believe that's what is wrong with this society, the parents don't spend enough quality time with the kids, they shove them off on others to watch or put them in a big group of kids, and the kids don't learn the manners and respect that they would (should?) be learning from Mom & Dad.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Mar 5, 2022 20:11:47 GMT -5
There will always be time to work at the ball field, the time with the boys is worth more in my book. The more time you can spend with them, molding them into great young men is time well spent. I believe that's what is wrong with this society, the parents don't spend enough quality time with the kids, they shove them off on others to watch or put them in a big group of kids, and the kids don't learn the manners and respect that they would (should?) be learning from Mom & Dad. I was right about the ball field, 20 were texted/emailed, only me and 3 other coaches showed up, we worked till noon and I spent the rest of the day with the boys. Momma had them in the morning, brought them to the ballfield at 11:00 they helped with menial tasks and then we went home and had a pic nic on the front lawn, played games and talked. A good day all around but soon me and my boys need a loooooong walk together.
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Post by esshup on Mar 5, 2022 20:23:58 GMT -5
Sounds like there needs to be some ground rules set for the parents about "X" amount of mandatory work days if they want their kids to be part of the team.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Mar 5, 2022 20:48:33 GMT -5
Sounds like there needs to be some ground rules set for the parents about "X" amount of mandatory work days if they want their kids to be part of the team. Good luck with that, I'm not sure how far removed you are from Tball /youth baseball but I'm 46 and have a 13 yo 11 yo and a 4 yo. I've mostly been invilved with this organization but played "fallball" with another one fall. I once asked for volunteers at the fallball for one person to go work concession stand I was standing 5 ft directly in front of the person I had in mind to go work. They would not make eye contact with me. There are babies raising babies out there, the organization I usually deal with is falling apart the president and a few others do the work all others just watch us do it. I was lucky with my tball team last year, i asked for help doing the weed eating at the field one week after it hadn't been done in a month and had 4 jump up and help. We got done and I went to the tavern down the road to get burgers to go for the fam and low and behold there's two of my tball dads having a beer and NOT HELPING! These parents (kids) don't want to do anything except pay their fees and sit on their butts. Sad but true. I had a long talk with my boys about volunteering and the "If I don't step up who will?" attitude. I'm no chicken little thinking the sky is falling but the good ol' USA is in trouble!
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Post by esshup on Mar 5, 2022 21:07:55 GMT -5
No kids, but I was in a Water Ski club for years. A buddy who ran the local soccer club got fed up with the no-shows for work detail. Next year they implemented a pretty hefty fine for not showing up for work. Pay your $$ or show up for work. Funny how that motivated parents to show up for work days.
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Post by esshup on Mar 5, 2022 21:13:31 GMT -5
The fine was per day for the work detail, but you couldn't show up for 1/2 hour and leave, it was for the whole scheduled day, not part of it.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Mar 5, 2022 21:32:06 GMT -5
Hmmm I see the leverage there but I feel parents would just pull their kids and move on. I'm certainly not being argumentative just stating what I feel would happen. People just do not care anymore. This info was sent to COACHES not parents. These are the guys we're counting on to step up. Yes it's fun yo coach your kid, yes it comes with headaches but in order to have the fun with your kid you need to help out a little. I'm not directing that at you eesup just at the guys that need to realize grass doesn't cut itself and dugouts dont roof themselves either. Back to Sasquatch, I hold no ill will towards you for taking time to spend with your boy that is not my gripe. My gripe is with the people who don't care to spend the time with or for their kids and expect others to do the work and raise their kids for them. So many times I hear parents say well the kids stayed at grandma's last night and me and husband or wife or girlfriend went out for dinner or drinks or such and such party... Instead of raising their own kids UGH I could go on and on. I hope you see where I'm coming from.
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Mar 6, 2022 9:35:09 GMT -5
Hmmm I see the leverage there but I feel parents would just pull their kids and move on. I'm certainly not being argumentative just stating what I feel would happen. People just do not care anymore. This info was sent to COACHES not parents. These are the guys we're counting on to step up. Yes it's fun yo coach your kid, yes it comes with headaches but in order to have the fun with your kid you need to help out a little. I'm not directing that at you eesup just at the guys that need to realize grass doesn't cut itself and dugouts dont roof themselves either. Back to Sasquatch, I hold no ill will towards you for taking time to spend with your boy that is not my gripe. My gripe is with the people who don't care to spend the time with or for their kids and expect others to do the work and raise their kids for them. So many times I hear parents say well the kids stayed at grandma's last night and me and husband or wife or girlfriend went out for dinner or drinks or such and such party... Instead of raising their own kids UGH I could go on and on. I hope you see where I'm coming from. Is there something wrong with kids going to grandparents for a night so the parents can go out? Parents need breaks too. Heck, just last night my kids were at my parents so my wife and I plus three other couples could go to dinner and then the Chris Jansen concert.
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Post by Ahawkeye on Mar 6, 2022 10:25:35 GMT -5
Hmmm I see the leverage there but I feel parents would just pull their kids and move on. I'm certainly not being argumentative just stating what I feel would happen. People just do not care anymore. This info was sent to COACHES not parents. These are the guys we're counting on to step up. Yes it's fun yo coach your kid, yes it comes with headaches but in order to have the fun with your kid you need to help out a little. I'm not directing that at you eesup just at the guys that need to realize grass doesn't cut itself and dugouts dont roof themselves either. Back to Sasquatch, I hold no ill will towards you for taking time to spend with your boy that is not my gripe. My gripe is with the people who don't care to spend the time with or for their kids and expect others to do the work and raise their kids for them. So many times I hear parents say well the kids stayed at grandma's last night and me and husband or wife or girlfriend went out for dinner or drinks or such and such party... Instead of raising their own kids UGH I could go on and on. I hope you see where I'm coming from. Is there something wrong with kids going to grandparents for a night so the parents can go out? Parents need breaks too. Heck, just last night my kids were at my parents so my wife and I plus three other couples could go to dinner and then the Chris Jansen concert. I apologize, I didn't mean to throw everyone under the same label. I get frustrated by those that abuse this. I kid you not, honest to God truth I see one individual who is divorced and has the kids every other weekend guess where those kids are nearly every other weekend? Grandma's house. There are numerous examples of this that I see, some worse than others. I stayed at Grandma's house VERY rarely as a kid, my wife and I rarely have our kids stay at our parents or siblings house. To me, that's our job, our kids, our job. No one mows my grass for us no one cleans up our house for us. It's just another job that we don't have anyone do but us. I can see the occasional night here and there just kind of urks me when I see some do it so often.
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