I Often Wonder

I love the moments that let me know I've done something right raising my kids. Moments when people remark on how respectful and put together each of these boys are, watching them make decisions that will pave the way to better things in their lives, and having them not only recognize a classic song on the radio, but know the lyrics. That shit is the best.

Riding home from dinner tonight, KISS came on and he instantly started singing along. I was briefly caught off guard, not realizing he knew the words as well as he did. Even though I know video games have a lot to do with his exposure to classic rock, I'm totally going to take credit for it, because I can ;) When he started in with the old school head banging, it was tough to drive I was laughing so hard.

I hope that when each of the boys look back on their years growing up, they remember how often we had fun. There's been a fair amount of laughter smattered in between the lessons, the redirecting, the discipline and the arguing. I've tried to make sure I've stayed involved enough to irritate them, because I know that means they will remember I was there. Sure, it might be revisited years from now as I was lame or embarrassing, but they won't have forgotten any of it.

Sometimes it's a little disconcerting to think about the changes our parent-child relationship will go through once they are on their own. Aside from the obvious not seeing them often, I wonder whether they will stay in touch regularly. I talk to my mom frequently througout most weeks, but I have a different relationship with her then my boys do with me. Not to toss out the gender card, but I'm not so sure that as grown men with busy lives checking in with mom will be a priority. Then again, I could be completely wrong, and they may call me or stop in to visit often.

It's tough to know how things will go and while I like to believe that our close relationship will continue to be just that, I won't know until they venture out into the world. I'm not worried because I know that they love me and we have a solid family unit, I do recognize however, that the future, as it is with everything remains uncharted. There's no sneaking a peak at how things will be twenty years from now, though I sometimes think I'd be too tempted to stop myself from taking advantage of that spoiler if it were possible.

Easy as it would be to drive myself crazy contemplating the possibilities of life after the boys move out, I think I'll just continue to go about this time with them as I always have and take it as it comes. I'm fairly certain there are a few good laughs to have and a memory or two still to make.