I can feel the intelligence slipping away

The youngster turns thirteen today. I am now the proud father of a teenager.

Hormones and independence swirling in a cloud of wanna-be cool. I know what's coming. I just don't know if I'm at all ready for it. I will become increasingly stupid from here until his last year with the word 'teen' in it ends. It will also be increasingly difficult to be seen with me or acknowlege any association with me. Once the whole teen thing ends, we will gradually get back to about where we are now. That's what I anticipate anyway. I'm planning to combat all that to the best of my ability. Wish me luck.

With a few differences, I said much the same thing thirteen years ago when he first made his way into this world. I was a dad. I knew what was coming (or thought I did...life has a way of changing your expectations) and didn't know if I was ready for it. In some ways, I'm still not sure.