17

My daughter turned 17 a couple days ago. If I think past the fact her age makes me feel like an old man then I will have to be nothing less than very proud. I went to court to gain custody of my daughter when she was 5 years old because despite the thinking of most a child is not always better of with their mother.



I won in court because I made my case and since then I have done my best to raise my daughter. I know now I have not always been good at being a father but I also know I have done the best I could at the time. My daughter, as I look at her now 17 years old and about to take on the entire world, will do just fine, so I must have done more good than bad.



My daughter does not deal with B.S. she speaks up and out as needed. She is not one to look the other way, or to allow others to control her. She is bright and very social despite the fact I know these are more genetic traits than my attempts at upbringing it still makes me proud.



Living in this world as an adult is never an easy thing and her being a woman, will more likely than not make it even more of a challenge at times. For her whole life I have tried to make sure she understands the only limitations she faces are those she puts on herself.



My daughter is 17, she is getting ready to face the world and despite my tendency to feel old because of the math, I am still young enough to watch her success and grow even more proud.

Lessons

I am sitting outside by the fire drinking a beer, and talking to my daughter.She is 16 and wiser than I was at the same age. We don't hang out as much as we should but that if often the case in parent/child relationships
even though I may be biased, I think I can safely say she is very smart, and well adjusted.
her mother isn't much help, wanting to be her friend instead of her parent. I can see how it would be a hard line to walk but as a parent our kids depend on us to walk on the side of their best interest.
On the same subject...I spent the earlier part of my day with Beth,her son, his girlfriend and my daughter in San Francisco. We took a small boat whose captain I had met before.
My daughter was a bit afraid of the size of the boat and the coldness of the water, I gave her a smile and a pat while I assured her to trust me, she did.
While nervous as the boat chugged across the bay towards the ocean, she had a good time.
I am just glad I am there to teach her because these days will soon pass, and as hard as they are sometimes I will miss them.......