Reaching out: In search of the father-son connection

Dallas Morning News ^ | January 22, 2006 | DAVID TARRANT

[fgoodwin]

I'm always drawn to stories about dads and sons who share a hobby or passionate pursuit. A few months ago, I read a story about a couple of father-son pairs in the Dallas area who have climbed three of the seven summits – the highest peaks on each continent.

Jackson, my 10-year-old son, and I have done some indoor rock climbing at our community recreation center. But like a lot of boys these days, his passion is video games.

He's always asking me to play – bad as I am at it. I usually choose NBA Live 2005 because I played basketball when I was growing up. Most of the time, the conversation follows a familiar pattern. I tell him that I'm not in the mood to play. I suggest something more active, like a bike ride. He counters with another video game. I suggest taking Sandy, the dog, for a walk. That gets Sandy excited, but not Jack. Sometimes we compromise and play cards. Other times, he plays a video game – alone.

I feel a bit guilty about this, and I'll bet a lot of Dads feel the same way. We live in a world where kids can plug in and tune out the world around them, including their parents. Kids do that a lot anyway, and all the electronic games and gadgets just make tuning out a lot easier.

Many dads wonder if the only way to connect with their kids is by playing a video game or watching an hour of SpongeBob SquarePants. In moderation, there's nothing wrong with that. But if you're like me, you want to do something more. You see your role as introducing your child to the world outside home.

[fgoodwin]

This is a little late for Father's Day, but I just came across it today, and I wanted to post it for all the dads on Free Republic.

Happy Belated Father's Day to all you dads out there!