Off limits
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My kids are a wonderful part of my life, they make me proud and astound me on a daily basis. Being a father is, without doubt, the most rewarding thing that I have ever done or will ever do. Everything else pales into insignificance. I’ve done and continue to do everything I can to prepare them for a future life of happiness and success in whatever they choose to do. Because that is what parents do.
Sometimes I realise how much they’ve grown, how much they’ve developed and how close they are to moving on. And of course that is what it is all about, but at the same time, there is something inside that wants them to stay small and protected. Tonight both my kids will be singing at the local schools carol concert, as they have done every year, for my son this will be the last time before he moves on. This morning the fresh snow was greeted with a “meh” last year it was squeals of delight.
Yesterday I wrote about obesity. I wrote about it because I believe it is a huge issue for the country and I believe it is a debate that we need to have BECAUSE I care about the future not just of my kids but of your kids and everyone’s kids. Some stupid idiot had the temerity to accuse me of being a bad role model to my children by raising this. Not only did they completely blur the line between the real me and the comic exaggeration that is The HRD, but they also chose to attack me as a parent.
I don’t care whether you disagree with me, whether you think I am an outrageous fool or a drunken buffoon. I don’t care whether you want to write streaming diatribes about me or my comments or views. I don’t care if you curse or swear or call me every name under the sun. That is all fair game.
But when you start to include my kids and my role as a father to them, that most certainly is not.
Fuck you.
My Hell is Other People 
Well done for mentioning obesity. Children should be aware of the dangers of overeating, lack of exercise and obesity. After all with easy access to the media children will have access to lots of information about eating and drinking – some good and some bad and with everything else it is the parents that needs to help them identify what information they should take on board. I haven’t be able to have kids so tell me if I’m talking B—-cks!
Well there are plenty of other things to have a go at you for without resorting to that! 😉
Seriously, though, when people start attacking you personally, instead of dealing with the arguments, it usually means that they have run out of things to say. Ad hominem attacks occur when someone has no proper arguments left.
I wanted to comment on the first part of your post about just how precious our families are to us and how much closer they are to moving on.
It struck me at the weekend when scanning lots of old photos of my boy that in the coming ten years (which lets face it they just fly by) he will leave school and (eek) move out. The family life I have now will change forever, oh my heart aches at the thought.
Will I send him out there unprotected and ignorant of just how life works? Hell no! I will educate him and equip him as best I can (as I always have). This includes how to eat and live a healthy life. So ignore the f**kwits who critise you personally and keep being the dad you were meant to be!
Richard Baker, who is now @theintrapreneur posted a tweet last week: ‘I wonder if twitter is good for society..does it encourage intolerance and bad behaviour?’. In that conversation, Rick pointed out that the anonymity of on-line conversations allows behaviour that wouldn’t be tolerated or risked from people that you could see or touch. Even modest fame in 2010 seems to make you a target for uncaring attack. Whilst that might always have been true for the truly famous, some seem to believe that anyone and anything is now ‘fair game’ for abuse. Even someone as generally mild and uncontroversial as Jonathan Agnew has stopped blogging because the vitriol and bile that his posts attract.
Even if this is only an extension of behaviour towards those with a profile that the technology has facilitated, it is a worrying ‘dark side’ to the Social Media discussion. Courtesy, consideration and care are mostly what I experience in this place, but the potential to be abused seems to be an unfortunate counterpart of having a presence.
Being someone who can usually see both sides of a story (very useful, but a bit of yawnsville in my book), I love hearing a great, solid opinion.
However, I cannot understand why anyone would be so daft as to comment on a parent’s style, or offer opinon of that relationship, especially over SM when you can’t possibly know the real circumstances.
I’m normally a c’est la vie sort of person, but I wanted to physically hurt someone yesterday who was upsetting my youngest boy. The protective instinct is raging in this Mummy and I completely understand your views. Well done, you, for summing up parenthood so well.
I don’t think it has anything to do with social media or any of that bollocks.
There have always been these mealy-mouthed arse-lickers around who want please every fucker at every turn, but HRD for once I am with you.
Trouble is, I extend my vitriol to smokers who want me to foot the bill for their self induced lung diseases and propping up their busted families when they die early.
Fuck them, selfish bastards. I want to smoke so I will. Cheers. Leave me to tidy up the mess you leave behind.
But I am surprised you took the bait of responding to the shit-parent charge…..
I can’t believe people would attack you personally about the previous blog. I totally agree with all the comments you had made, and hope that when I get the privilege to be a parent that I will teach my child the importance of a active lifestyle.
If people do not agree, make constructive comments, discussion points; don’t lower the level to playground type tactics.
Hope the Carol Concert went well.
@NatalieJayW
Nicely put – agree with you or not there is no call for commenting on your parenting skills. I am surprised that you rose to the bait but again I am sure I would jump down anyones throat who made a similar comment to me.
I had assumed the person attacked via the comment section – but I didn’t see it..??? Whatever they said, I don’t see how they could extrapolate your parenting skills from that post. Some others seem better fodder … 😉 (good or bad)….
Keep bringing up your thoughts on tough questions – someone has to do it…
Well okay.
Remember how we were talking about notoriety? This is an accomplishment. A sad accomplishment. They question
– your sexuality
– your marriage
– your patriotism
– your intelligence
– your love of your parents
– your right to exist
and you will ask yourself, “Why the hell do I do this?”
And it’s because 99% of the people who come to your blog are awesome and want to hear your ideas.
And fuck some idiot who questions your parenting skills. Don’t give him the time of day.
Maybe he was just mad cause he was fat and mommy and daddy never told him to stop eating?
@Sarah Matthews – Thanks Sarah….and no….you’re not talking bollocks! That is my USP!
@Rick – I know…..I mean talk about an open goal! Why pick on my kids! Yeah I know you’re right. Another classic comment was, “I only agree with the statistics that I find out myself” Doh!
@KarenF – Scary isn’t it….my son sounds about the same age as yours and thinking that he will be doing all those things over the next ten years is shocking!
@Kevin Ball – It is all far to easy to throw stones when they seem to be disappearing into the interweb right?
@Kay Phelps – Thanks….I guess it is an animalistic thing? Sometimes we just can’t help it?
@Cock-eyed Cowboy – For once you agree with me? 🙂 Maybe I just didn’t have anything else to write……
@Natalie Weaving – I’m all for good debate and strength of opinion. Just not personal attacks.
@Beth Mayes – Yeah….well sometimes the red mist just descends and well……
@g-dog- It was actually on Twitter…..it was akin to one of those moments when someone drunk staggers up to you in a pub and says, “you lookin’ at me?” 🙂
@laurie ruettimann – Yeah….I know when I saw your comment I remembered our conversation……gis a hug? 🙂
@AmericanGirl – Strange you look familiar……. 🙂 Yeah they were fat…..but like that is MY fault…..pile of crap….