24

Back in 2007 I self-published a book titled "Simple Complexities". If you missed it, HERE it is. One of the chapters in the book was called "24 Promises" and in it, I made 24 promises to my unborn children about what kind of dad I would be. At the time I was two years away from having my first daughter but I could feel a "little daddy" just waiting to bust out.

Well it's six years, one wife, and two daughters later and I thought I'd revisit "24 Promises" to see if I've been a man of my word.


#1 - I promise to always give you a spanking when you deserve it, and to tell you that "this hurts me more than it hurts you".  I'm 50/50 on this one. But I'd better start practicing that line.

#2 - I promise to make you eat your vegetables ESPECIALLY when you don't want to, because they're good for you. You just don't know it yet. Dinner time is always a battle, usually for this very reason. So, check.

#3 - I promise to protect you with my life because once you're here, my life will mean nothing if I lose you. I had no idea how true this was when I wrote it. Check.

#4 - I promise to hug you when you cry. Little did I know how often this would occur. Check.

#5 - I promise to laugh at your corny jokes. And they are soooooo corny. Check.

#6 - I promise to NOT understand what you like about your favorite music. Thankfully this is not an issue yet. But I am starting to NOT understand my favorite music a little less every time I hear it.

#7 - I promise to nurture a strong relationship between you and your grandparents. This has been a win for everyone involved. Big check.

#8 - I promise to be disappointed when you don't maximize your potential. Not a problem yet and hopefully never will.

#9 -  I promise to celebrate when you succeed. Even when it means singing, cheering and dancing around like a fool. Check.

#10 - I promise to make you laugh when you fail. This is for me as much as it is for them. Check.

#11 - I promise to let you believe in Santa Claus until you figure it out on your own. No threat of that happening anytime soon. Check.

#12 - I promise to teach you that hard work yields the best results. She may not be "getting it" but I'm definitely teaching it. Check.

#13 - I promise to pass on my love for football. I'm passing but she ain't catching. NO check.

#14 - And my love for family. These girls spread more love than a Disney movie. Check.

#15 - I promise to clean up your messes. No matter what it may be, milk, food, paint, clothes, toys, sand, etc. Check, check and more check!

#16 - I promise to teach you how to clean up your own messes. She does what she can. We'll see how she does when she's older and the messes are a little more complicated. Check.

#17 - I promise to let you stay up late when mommy's not looking. No comment.

#18 - I promise to NOT get mad when you tell her I let you stay up late. I still can't believe you did that. NO check!

#19 - I promise to talk to you while you're in mommy's belly. I did it everyday. Check.

#20 - I promise to beat up your uncle when he lets you fall, get scratched, bleed, bump your head, eat too much junk food, taste his beer, watch scary movies or burn yourself. Uncle is safe but I should probably punch myself in the face a couple times.

#21 - To make you feel special every chance I get. Big check.

#22 - (for my daughter) Promise to spoil you rotten to your mother's dismay. You are spoiled rotten but it wasn't me. So no check.

#23 - (For my son) Promise to show you favoritism because you remind me so much of myself. This promise is probably why "baby karma" only gave me daughters.  No check.

#24 - I promise to make promises I can keep, and to keep the promises I make. So far so good. Check.