Good folks have each generation trying to do better than the one before.

When you were young I might’ve used a flyswatter to spank you. My dad got an actual paddle, and his dad got his ass beat. I HOPE you do better than me, but I was doing what I could, in the environment I grew up in, to be better than my folks. I was by no means perfect, and there might’ve been times when I slipped, but I tried.

If you grew up into an adult who sees my flaws and wanting to do better, that’s all I can ask for. That’s already the world. One step at a time, we’ll eventually get better at this whole “raising a kid” thing.

That said, as you move forward and have your own little family grow through it’s trials and tribulations, I also hope that you can come to understand some of the struggles we went through raising kids. God, I’ll tell you what, just as an example, having one kid is wonderful when you can give them all of your attention. Two kids usually has one parent wrangling each kid. When the kids outnumber you? The household is running on duct tape and a dream. It gets better as the kiddos get older though.

Speaking of them, hopefully you appreciate your siblings. For me, since I was an only child, sometimes it was rough not having someone who knew my childhood. As time moves on, nostalgia waxes, and I’ve found there’s a steep cliff between telling folks stories about growing up, and having someone who already knows being able to enjoy (or complain about) the deep notes of wistful yearning.

Hoo boy, sure went off on a tangent there. Raising a kid has can be tough, especially the first 6 months. Just remember that you’ll always be able to work through the lows. You gotta take care of yourself before you can be a good parent, don’t forget that. And that goes double for the rest of your team.

Over and out.