In days gone by I was known by my son simply as “Daddy.” It was a comforting thing to hear the voice of my child breathe those words. Those days are gone now. He has catapulted himself from a (sometimes ornary) toddler to a (sometimes ornary) teenager. Instead of referring to me as “Daddy” he now insists on calling me by my first name, Ben.
Phrases like “HEY BEN! LOOK!” or “HEY, THANKS BEN!” are commonplace around the Gray household these days. On one hand it’s cool. I’m his buddy. But then I remember that my job is not to be his buddy, it’s to be his daddy and the jobs of “buddy” and “daddy” while somewhat similar are still different. So “Daddy” it is.
I have the funny feeling that I’m going to sorely miss this time in Thomas’ life when he’s so cute and adorably frustrating. Soon I’ll be done changing diapers and instead be teaching him how to change the world.
