I Just Want To Make You Proud

My son always want to do something to make me proud. He thinks that he needs to score a goal or a touchdown or perform some great feat to do it. I keep telling him that's not how it works. I am proud of him for who he is, not what he does.

When he tries his hardest, I am proud. When he does the right thing, I am proud. When is shows manners or behave the right way in public, I am proud. I am proud for the man he is becoming not for the prizes that he brings me.

However, do I always show him my pride? No. He see much more of my anger than my pride. In trying to raise him to be the man "I" think he should be, I sometimes miss out on the man "he" is becoming. If I say I am proud of him, why don;t I show it more? I guess the simple answer is that I am not the man I want him to be.

Many times he ask me straight up, why am I treating him the way I am. Perhaps I got mad an criticized or teased him, or in some other way acted foolishly. He calls me on it and make me think. He is more man in that situation than I. And that make me more proud than any goal.

I hope I can do a better job being the man he is, so I can make him proud.