Parenting

Had a heartfelt moment with my teenage son tonight, which for those of you who live with "stoic" men like mine, know those can be pretty rare.  Bran had gotten in some trouble this week and we had doled out the consequences, which were a lot more stiff than others.  Bran accepted the consequences without argument and faced up to his mistakes in a brave and honest way, but it was a tough on all of us.  Tonight as he and I were quietly talking things over again, I said, "I know we're probably the strictest of all the parents."  Bran replied, "Yeah .. but I think it's because you care the most."  Parenting is a tough job and I teared up hearing that from him  ... not something you think your 15 year old son would understand or realize in the moment.  He will never really know how fiercely we do love and care and how very, very proud we are to be his parents.