Who has kids? Grandkids?
Still at home? Grown and gone?
Daughter 33 son 31 semi official foster son 22 (raised him since he was 8 ) they are all at home from time to time, they are based here but travel a lot, 22 other kids who have lived with me for various periods of time from months to years, they are mostly here at xmas some bring partners and their kids, 2 nieces and a nephew. No grand kids.
You did some serious fostering and kept ties! Good for you.
That is great. I am really happy for you. Christmas must be a lot of fun!
@RavenCT lots of broken homes in my area, I was a single dad, and lots of my kids friends were having a hard time. You would be amazed at how these kids spoil me these days, I am. Always have a few bottles of the very best spirits here, not that I drink often, but its the thoughts that count.
@BlueWave define fun. Sometimes it is, the kids begin arriving about a month before, from all over the world, I start hoarding food months before. They ALL stay here for weeks, yet most leave xmas morning and go visit family, then come back in the afternoon. Xmas day is the quietest day here usually on 8-10 including myself. This year on boxing day was a rushed drive, 14 hours, 900 klms to collect my foster sons brother from a country hospital and get him home. I got home and 3 weeks worth of food had been totally demolished. I had been cooking for days, and didn't even get to sample some of it. I had made a 2 foot high pavlova among other things.
I have three adult daughters, all in stable relationships. The youngest made me a grandmother for Christmas and my oldest will give me a second grandchild in May. I introduced the baby to cherries a few weeks ago.
Why did I even check to see if they were sliced? I'm in an Agnostic group - we aren't dumb people (in general!). lol
@RavenCT LOL!! Yes, I sliced them. But the Mama Bear instincts don't go away, EVER so I totally understand.
They're delicious with a little rosemary and olive oil. Seriously, I love them but don't have any.
My little nephew was fascinated by Asian Acrobatic Troupes, which were all the rage on television at the time. He was having a rather rowdy day, and I told him we were going to ship him off to China to be used as a juggling ball. We were in the front yard at the time, and one of the teen sons of a family who owned a mom and pop Chinese restaurant in our town walked up to give us one of the flyers he was leaving at everyone's doors. I guess nephew thought the kid was there to pick him up and reacted accordingly.
One genius of a 14 yr old HS freshman. Split custody. To my knowledge that is all.
2 twins that will be 14 next month. They are our first and last. Lol.
Four kids. Two with me half the time. One grown but living with me and I expect him to move in with his girlfriend any time. And one lives elsewhere with her boyfriend.
If I said "Is his name Heathcliff?" would you get the joke? Look back at what talk to text did to you!
Ha! @RavenCT I fixed that once!
Nieces and nephews, some grown with kids of their own.
New grand-niece due in a couple of months.
I mind my eldest nephew's youngest two, 9, and 5. daily. They are the "small humans" of whom I often speak . His oldest will be here during the summer. She'll be 13 by the time I get my arms around her again. She's already 6 feel tall. She's stunning. At my former apartment complex, when we were at the pool, I was constantly running the boys off. I remember yelling at some older boys, "Don't even look at her, she's 11!!!!"
The little one is going to be an even bigger handful than she already is.
I've started small conversations with her about the difference between fearlessness and recklessness. You can only do so much with a 5 year old.
They're all awesome people. From the tallest to the smallest.
Kids: an untapped food source.
What? Why are you all looking at me that way? (Shit! Did I say that out loud about being a food source? Dang it!)
Okay, now that's done. I don't have kids. I have avoided having them all my life. I have too many issues that I'm still working through, not enough income, and they (the responsibility of turning them into good humans) scare me. I'm not good enough to be a parent. Never have thought I was. Too poor, too broken, too self-centered in my brokenness, too... whatever to be any good. And certainly not good enough to deserve that unconditional love that your child gives you. What if I betrayed that? Failed it? I couldn't live with myself if I did that.
Wow... I've never said that to anyone. Not even myself. Now I've admitted it to a room full of strangers. There is a friend that I have that has done this to me lol. Made me open up about myself. I owe that friend a beer for this. It's the least I can do... therapy isn't cheap, and apparently they're just doing it because they like me for some reason.
I envy you folks your kids. Go tell them you love them. Me... I think I'm gonna go cry for a bit. Thanks, all, for being my friends.
I suspect the reasons you aren't a parent run through everyone's mind when they become a parent. ((((Dude)))))<<<< cyber hugs.
Firstly, I know many people who've had kids that are low income or single parents (not ideal)and those kids have grown to be wonderful human beings - in fact some that are brought up with rich parents can be self centred spoilt brats.
Don't you think people are selfish i having children in the first place? Just look around, have a look at the idiots, racists, bigots and religious fanatics that have them and their kids.
So please don't think you're not good enough, your actions by not having them proves that.
don't be envious - the grass is always greener - go buy your friends a beer, take them for a meal, tell your friends you love them and be happy you haven't got children -
@Ride_Captain lol! Yeahhh, suddenly I'm turning into some kind of emotional exhibitionist. Sorry about that.
I'm sorry you feel that way about yourself. Have you thought of volunteering teaching kids something? It might be a good outlet for that parenting urge .
Thanks for the raw honesty. That alone shows you are a good person. At least in my book.
@Blindbird when I lived in Floriduh I did as much 18th century British Royal Navy and 15th century medieval reenactor as I could and I loved talking to kids about that stuff. It's tough keeping up with their changing focus of attention, but it's also gratifying when they learn something that they find interesting. I miss doing it!
Son, 15, daughters 11. All at home. Am I in trouble!
As an old guy, have 6 kids, 14 grand kids, and 2 great grand kids this past summer. And after they left, none of the kids came back. (Yet). Some of our grand kids have stayed around their parents for a while. But they are all out on their own now. Five of our kids are in Oregon, and one daughter in Atlanta, Georgia.
My kids are older than most people's kids my age. I started early so I made it to great gramma by the time I was 59.
Here they are. I started late. Pretty much them, and to a lesser degree, my work, is my only purpose in life at this point.
You didn't started late... you took your time to make it right.
@GipsyOfNewSpain that's a better way to look at it
In Vegas I live with the youngest one. He is the best dancer in the family now. My son is my hero and role model and I am not afraid to say it out loud. Former Air Force. My 2 daughters: one been musician, had recorded bands, the other used to manage industrial metal band and now is dabbing in music and singing in church... yep church. She also did a tv show in Jacksonville "Latino in the City" where I supplied music for the show. Looking forward to see her singing in church. They both have day jobs... one is a chef, other property manager. My son is a network engineer with Cesar's Enterprises besides being a featured dancer with "Sin City Salseros". All Credit goes to their Mother. I did a good job in marrying her. Nobody is married, no grandchildren. Where ever I go... Vegas or Jax... they want me around. Music and Dance... yep, they are my kids and my life. I can't see Life without them and yet I know I always be alive in them after I am gone.
I have two daughters aged 14 and 11, they live with their mum since we separated, I see the younger one very regularly but there are contact issues with the eldest due to my ex's influence. I wouldn't normally post a photo as they are too young but a colleague of mine painted this from photos and I think it's really cool.
grown and gone - of course, split household, I only had them every other weekend since 1999, worked out Ok, older daughter is a civil engineer, 2 years out of Ga Tech Son is about 2-3 courses away from his bachelor's in biology (taking his time with it)