as boys/adolescents, how did you perceive your future role in a TBM family? Did you like the idea of becoming a provider for your family? What were you taught at Church and at home´and how did you personally feel about it? Do you recall any particular feeling, event or remark concerning this issue?
I'd truly appreciate your reply, thanks a lot, Tina.
I looked forward to it. I figured someday I'd mature enough to do it. I did. After I got the fun and carefree times out of my system. I was naive about it. Thought if I did it right (whatever that means) everything would be pretty simple. Wrong again.
I was taught that being a father is like a calling and you had to 'magnify' that calling. Sounded reasonable to me. Still does.
It hasn't been as I'd imagined it. The three kids are grown and of this year they're all on their own. I look back and I'm grateful everything turned out for us. Two pretty much model sons and one that was born to raise hell his whole life. The hell raiser keeps things interesting and I have to accept that I can do just so much.
I don't think the church can teach you to be a father and I don't think it tried to. You learn by observation and from your own father. Then you go by gut feelings and fly by the seat of your pants.
Realized my parents are my parents for life and my wife and I will be our kids' parents for life. OK with me (most of the time). Not a grandfather yet. I've idealized that too.
Father of 3, it sounds as if y'all have done a wonderful thing w/your children. Y'all will ADORE the day a grand comes along. They are the sweetest, most perfect creations in the world(in my eyes)
i bought into it hook line and sinker and immediately realized that attending church becomes irrelevant and useless when you have toddlers or babies with you.
I also learned that the decades old but long since forgotten counsel to not use birth control and to not postpone having children for a degree, and to go ahead and just have them anyway and if you're faithful then you'll be a good parent even if you're not yet emotionally mature according to the so called experts and sophistry of the world...
I found out that advice is pretty much retarded and serves neither man nor woman nor children, only cult coffers and stats.
yes almost being a mormon(within a hair)I have since realized that myself being a widow w/no children, i'd probably stuck out like a sore thumb. thankful, i didn't go through w/it.