My words as a dad to my son

My son means everything to my wife and me. He is a senior in high school and looks like he’s going to the top of his class and probably the top 10 in the county (he’s in county-wide gifted programs). I taught him to never be a burden, however, if my son wanted to be a Woodstock hippie and live in a commune, as long as he’s happy, he’ll be supported as long as he doesn’t want anything from me.<br><br>I love this kid so much, but I didn’t work my ass off my whole life to be a burden. To be a burden to the state, to his older sister, to his future children, or to me. <br><br>Today I had him set up my new wireless printer. Then I had him read aloud the instructions and the first page of the user manual to me. He rolled his eyes but he did it. And it’s my printer. My life.<br><br>He does all of the yard work and most of the cooking. I don’t like doing yard work. I don’t like doing yard work and it’s my yard. He does all of this without complaint. He’s a wonderful kid. <br><br>He’s most likely going to be a neurologist (he’s in AP bio, AP Chem, and AP Psych). Which is a job that I know nothing about, it’s his career. <br><br>He’s exactly the kid that my wife and I wanted to have. He’s very intelligent, capable, and independent. He’s going to make the world a better place in whatever he does. <br><br>I love this kid so much, I’d die for him in a heartbeat. And he’s not mine. He’s his. <br><br>I refuse to be a burden on anyone. My wife and I have discussed this and she completely agrees. We’re not going to burden our children, even if we end up broke, senile, and in a nursing home. <br><br>My son knows, as does his sister, that this is the last time they will ever live with me. Maybe they’ll come back to visit. I’ll help them with babysitting grandkids. I’ll pay for them to go on vacation with me. But I’m not a burden. <br><br>Also, I’m a retired police captain. I’ve seen the shit that older people do to their kids. I’ve arrested older people for exploiting their kids. My kids will never have to put me against a wall and ask me if I need an ass kicking. <br><br>This is the last time my son will live with me. When he’s older and has kids of his own, he has to worry about his own family. And if he’s lucky, his kids will be as wonderful as he is. <br><br>He didn’t ask to be born. He was a “whoopsie”. But he’s the best thing that ever happened to my life. I love this kid with all of my heart, and I will never burden him with anything.