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Tough Love

 We were on our way home from a birthday party not long ago, and Fischer began complaining from the backseat that one of the kids had tripped him and laughed about it.  

Ross looked at him in the rearview mirror and responded, "Life's hard, Buddy.  You're going to have to toughen up." 

To which his brother responded, "Yeah.  You have no idea.  Just wait until you're eight."  At that, they both sat back in their booster seats and contemplated their life situation for the remainder of the drive home.   

Evidently, life is smooth sailing in those early single digits, but once you reach the ripe old age of, "I can mostly tie my own shoes and reach the kitchen faucet," it's all hard knocks and rough living.  

I know this must be true because Sawyer also told his aunt the other day, "It's time to get on it and get myself a car.  I'm going to get a Cord Tacoma."  I think what he wanted to say, but didn't have the words  was, "it's time to get on it and get myself a car...so I can get out of this h--- hole.  I'm going to get a Cord Tacoma." Just a guess.  Being a kid is so hard these days. Being a kid and living with your parents is even harder.  

I'll let you in on our secret, we are just trying to make them miserable enough that they don't want to stay after they turn eighteen.  Once our kids are grown and on their own, we'll make it cushy enough that they want to come back and visit for a day here or there...but not too cushy.  Some might call it harsh.  I call it raising independents.  

       

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