Fathers Day come and gone

With 3 kids to raise each one demands a portion of individual attention.  Quite frankly I don't ever think I've done a good job of giving them their due. 

With summer here and all 3 shuttled off to see their Mother I am feeling guilty about the time I don't get to spend with them.  Last week found me in San Diego picking up my 12 yr old from camp. 

I took the opportunity to spend a few days with her.  We spent 3 days and 1100 miles making an 8hr 500 mile trip to her Mom's house.  What a great adventure.  We spent nights in campgrounds in Ventura and Morro Bay.  Days exploring beaches, tide pools and little towns we found.  Snuggled together in the back of the SUV on an under-inflated air mattress or in a too small tent.  I haven't slept so well in ages.  Our last day was spent on the Hwy 1 driving along the most rugged and undeveloped section of coastline probably in the world.  We spent a big chunk of the day touring San Simeon.  Truly an American Icon.  We ended the day at Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey. I showed her my old high school, went on a glass bottom tour of the kelp beds, counted Sea Otters and sat for caricature of us both. 

I could go on indefinitely about those 3 short days.  I guess the real measure of them will be if she remembers them as fondly I do. 

So far no one has found my blog.  I hope that will change with regular updating.  If you stop by to read please sign in and let me know will you?  I'd love to hear from any single Dad's or Mom's out there. 

Tell me about you experiences, your trials, doubts and hopes.  I'm pretty sure we have much more in common than differences.

More later...

Man it's quiet

Kids are off to spend summer with Mom and others. Man is it quiet around here. It's a little disconcerting actually.
I took my 7th grader to San Diego this past weekend for adventure camp. Can you imagine a whole week at Seaworld? What a blast. If anyone is interested here'e a link; http://seaworld.org/adventure-camps/swc/index.htm
During check in I had time to chat with other parents. Most were back for their 2nd, 3rd, 4th etc time. They have camps that go up to college age and even involve career training. Pretty cool I think.
It was a rare time for my 'old' daughter and I to spend real quality time together. A day at the beach. We rented tandem bike and took a cruise along Mission Beach, scarfed tacos al carbonara, went splashing in the waves and just enjoyed being in the moment. She's never been to camp, I know she'll shine. It's me whose a little weepy. I'm used to talking to my kids everyday. Answering ten thousand questions, coaching, teaching...you know,,,blah blah blah yackity schmacity. The quiet takes getting used too.
I finished my weekend by overnighting at a camp ground on the beach, a long morning run and a long open water swim before driving back to sunny 702. I drove without music or radio, complete silence for 350 miles.
...Man it's quiet

End of School Days

Wow! The last week of school is a magical time. All the work from the classroom comes home, music programs to be seen and heard, award assemblies, pizza parties, plays, year books. Our days were already pretty much a full sprint, now this. Wow!
My middle schooler has finals the last two days. A far cry from my middle school days. I recall lots of mischief and plans for ditching, free for alls involving water balloons and squirt guns a near complete lack of discipline. Not now. I think that's a good thing. Our Schools are really focus on packing content into available instruction hours.
My first grader who has had a very difficult time adjusting to the structure and rigor of the classroom since pre-school has really turned it around. Finishing the year with a citizenship award and a straight A honor roll birth. The second grader vastly improved reading scores and really picked up math skills.
It's an awesome thing to sit down with your kid and tell them how proud you are of them.
I have taken several moments with all of my children individually and together to recap this school year list of achievements.
My favorite saying is; "no deposit no return" I'm not talking about soda can redemption. I use it to drive home the fact that work done today brings dividends tomorrow. A commitment to a goal requires action sustained over time. Cause and effect.
It's been a wonderful opportunity to celebrate success. Each and every child has broken barriers, increased his/her awareness, mastered some skill, built memories and increased capacity and potential. Maybe my perspective is influenced because I'm their Dad but (I think) the conclusion is inescapable; I held the bar high and my expectations higher. They rose to the challenge. They're my hero's
Today the young ones board a flight to go see their Mom for the summer. I'm yearning for a break, but I'm going to miss them. I get to take my oldest to adventure camp at Seaworld in a few days. I wish I was going with her. Camp at 12 Wow!