...say, you had one :ok:

What oh-so-invaluable fact/s of life should you impart upon your child? :wave: And when (as in what time/circumstance of his/her life) would you get around to doing so?

edit: hmm, to make it more fun, it doesn't have to be something really meaningful. There ^^ In fact, let's have it this way: What would you say to your kid? :ok:

if you're planning on doing something you know you'll be punished for, make sure don't get caught. :biggrin:

dont put ur hand on the stove...especially wen its red...

to little joaquin/kamui/rei ashley/name starting with the letter of the daddy: :cheesy:

• you can do anything you can set your heart to do! God is fair. the same God who gives oxygen to evil people always gives oxygen to you. you can explore the world, you can tell unlimited people that God loves them, you can make millions of money, you can cure cancer.
• God loves you so much more than you can imagine and built you to be here with a great purpose than your biggest dreams, so there is virtually no limits to what you can achieve.

and with that, here are the only 'don'ts' you need to remember:

• don't hang out too much with negative people. they are contagious and will put you down. the only reason they are negative and not succeeding is because they choose to remain negative and not do anything about it. just show them you love them and respect their choice of being negative, but do not stay long.
• don't be afraid to fail. it's okeh to make mistakes. you'll learn faster than other kids cos of that.
• don't take the easy route. it won't last.
• don't do anything that will harm anybody. that means, don't cheat just to get ahead. don't do evil things such as simple pranks on others just to make them look silly... those people obviously don't have anything else to do and are secretly afraid of something so they compensate big time by hurting others.

don't be satisfied with being like everybody else. life is more fun when there's variety in the people around you.

remember to laugh. I forgot who said it first but life's too serious to be taken seriously.

if you can't have fun doing something, it's probably not worth doing.

• Do not believe everything you see and read on the internet.
• Never do anything that can harm anyone.
• Think about what you're going to say before saying it. Words that you speak can and will affect everything that'll happen to you.
• Always have fun.

Some lessons I'm teaching my daughters:

Never start fights, but always be prepared to finish 'em. (A la Snakecharmer, if need be.)

Do your homework once you get home, so you can relax for the rest of the day.

Books are better than TV.

Take good care of your DVDs -- they cost a lot.

Nap in the afternoon, while you still can. If you don't you'll regret it when you're older.

So long as you've done the right thing, there's no need to be afraid.

Don't do something you know is wrong, even if your friends laugh at you for not doing it.

Don't draw on the walls. That's what paper is for.

Love your sister -- she's the only one you've got.



And one more thing, when they're old enough:

Don't let anyone make your decisions for you. Not even me.

1. Daddy's always right. (as soon as he/she can understand)

2. Instill a sense of responsibility. (No idea how yet xD)

3. Do anything you want in life. So lang as I see that you're driven, I'll support you in whatever you choose to do. (3rd year high school, a sort of carry-over from MY life hehe)

(Damn, ninja beat me to the "don't get caught" lesson I would give.)

I would say to my kid, "There are 2 things in life you can't change, 1) I'm your father and 2) I love you no matter what you've done, or whatever you're going to do."

But in true parenting style, I'll be likely to say "Why you little... *strangles kid the Homer Simpson style of parenting*"

The thing that i'd probably say to Ayu & Yukiya:

1. It's better to lie rather than saying something honestly if that will only bring pain to you or somebody else.

2.Some men are liars, except your dad :sweatface: (This is for Ayu)

3.If you you like a girl, make sure that you also like her family and so is she.

4.Don't mess with anyone's problem. You already got your own.

--

Clean your room! And while you're at it, clean mine, too. No wait, that'll make my kid hate me.

Hmm...

How about... (to boys, coz I'll leave the girls to their mommy)

"You can do anything you like, as long as you're prepared to face the consequences afterwards."

"You're studying? Get your ass outta that chair and come try to beat me one on one on CounterStrike Ver 11.3 :buck: Oh, your finals are coming up? Well then, carry on."

"Do not touch daddy's private collection! Wait til you're older, and then maybe I'll share :devil:"

"Son, I think its time I told you about that thing..."

"You failed all your courses this sem!?!? That's ok. Let's play StarCraft 4, us vs the computers, right now."

And finally...

"I understand."

Guess it's about time I replied to my own baby... :D

Follow your heart's desire, and remember never to trample on anyone along the way.

See beyond your petty differences with someone, and you might just realize that he/she actually means well. Beg to differ, but do no more. They aren't out to get you, so neither should you treat them with any less respect.

Know where and when you're wrong, and admit to it. If you can't, have friends whom you trust watch you.

Never ever judge people. Never ever let anyone influence the way you think about other people. See for yourself, then choose where you stand. Part of the reason some people can't change for the better is because they're boxed into being stagnant by people who judge them. And part of the reason why people do that is because, well they're just people who have limits. It's not that hard to endear yourself to anyone no matter how despicable they are. However much you get hurt, never condemn, never judge, and never close your heart on other people.

1. Daddy loves you, he just doesn't know how to express it in a lovey-dovey way that other parents do it, now go to mommy.

2. There are some things that are meant to be seen when you're at your age... Seeing someone being decapitated, impaled and mutilated is one of them.

3. You're always better than you think you are.

If I have a son or a daughter....and if theres some things I wanna tell him/her about life is this...

1)Life's not fair.No matter how good you are...bad things will still happen to you.Its only a matter of time and when that happens, roll with the punches and keep your chin up.

2)There's two things you can trust....and that's taxes and death.Hell.....even when your dead...you're still being taxed.If you want to place your trust on other things,aside from God.......be cautious.Be prudent and crap.

3)Whatever you do...do not regret later on.You make your bed...and then go sleep on it.

4)Despite what people say....money and good looks count a lot in life.Its not everything in life but if you don't have that....well,you basically wont have much of a life.(We live in a materialistic world)

5)Dont judge people by their looks but judge them by their actions.

6)Your father and mother loves you.Which is why we go mad and crazy at times when you f*cked up or do something stupid.

7) Japanese animation is to be referred to as Anime or Japanimation.If you call it cartoon then by all means do so...and I'll start calling you by my other name; Lola Assclown.

8)You're never too old to watch anime or cartoons.

9)Listen and obey to what your mom and I are telling you.We know better than your friends.

10)Don't spend too much money of clothes.Good hygiene and a cool haircut goes a long way.

I see good parents in the future ^_^ that's good

I'd also add,

Never ever forget you are as good as everyone else, maybe even better, let them know and see!!

Train both your body and mind, you will need both.

So, wathca wanna do with your life? Tell me when you have a goal clear, dad's here to support and help you.

1. Daddy understands you. You can tell me anything.

2. Daddy will get you anything you like. As long as it's within reason and you don't to do this too often.

3. Daddy will be there for you whenever you need me. So will mom. Don't be afraid to call us.

3. Learn hand-to-hand combat(especially if my child is a girl), and don't hesitate to hurt perverts who grope you. Daddy will be there to back you up with his assualt rifle, I'm on speed-dial.

4. You're special, never let anyone tell you otherwise or diss or disrepsect you. If anybody does, kick thir asses! If you can't handle them, I'm still on speed-dial.

just had this realization also... i think the proper question to ask your kid is NOT
"what do you want to BE when you grow up?"

we expect all kids, and we also at one point when we were kids answered either, "to be a doctor." or "to be a lawyer."

but what if that kid wanted to cure cancer and that kid is queasy with blood? does that mean that kid can't cure cancer just cos that kid can't be a doctor?

i think the best question to ask your kid,
"what do you want to DO when you grow up?"

watch for the answers. your kid will become more imaginative. you'll get answers like, "i want to cure cancer!" "i want to go around the world!" "i want to ride my own robot!"

it doesn't necessarily mean that to get those goals, you'd have to be in a job. your kid just has a bigger vision and bigger dreams.

try that yourself. :biggrin: you'll find that you're prolly stuck in something just so you can earn a "living." and you might find what you rilly want to do... and be significant.

it's better to sell yourself short than give yourself too much credit. claiming to be capable of more than you really are will only get you in trouble while doing what you say you can't will get you ahead.

one other thing....
"follow your own advice." :biggrin:

Damn. We need Nib to have kids pronto. (it's his bday, ladies ;) )

Hmmm. I would've sworn I replied to this thread already..

I hope I'd never need to tell them: Learn from your mistakes. Learn from other's mistakes. Learn from non-mistakes. Respect everyone. Don't judge. Always give people the benefit of the doubt. Believe in yourself. Don't be too arrogant.

Things I will surely say: Look it up in the dictionary. Look it up in the encyclopedia. There is no Santa Claus. When in doubt, do what your mother would do. Jesus is The Man.

I don't think I'll be a great father to my kid from ages 4 to 12. I think I'll be lousy at it.

For one, I don't know how I'm gonna handle the "But Why?" stage of his/her development. You know the one where kids keep asking, "But Why?"

Me: I'm sorry son, we can't play catch today.
Son: But why?
Me: Coz I promised someone that this work would be done by tomorrow.
Son: But why?
Me: So I can earn money to buy you toys.
Son: ... I wanna I wanna I wanna I wanna I wanna I wanna (insert toy name after each and every I wanna).

See, not a good father. I bargain with a child, which is not something you should do to raise a good child.

Then there's the whole, bullying issue. you wanna fight to protect your kid, but at what age is it right for them to fight their own battles? I don't want any kid of mine to be a "tattletale", or a "momma's boy" or anything like that.

And then there's the biggest challenge of all! I have a girl!

I don't know how to handle girls. I mean, i think it'll be easy until the age of 12 - when she starts growing up, discovers boys (I hope), and starts drifting further away from me coz I'm just her father, and I'll never completely understand her, coz I won't understand.

Then the worst years of any parents life. 1) The Diaper Age and 2) The Teenage Wars.

I think the one thing we have to remember about kids when we have them, is that they AREN'T little people. They aren't people yet. They need you to teach them HOW to be a person, and along the way, they learn what kind of person they are. They do not have any preconcieved notions of anything! They won't stop whining or crying or disobeying you on command. Children aren't built that way.

Children are not miniature versions of yourself... they are YOUNGER versions of yourself. And I think, it would be wise for all parents, future or current, to remember that, you were once their age, and you know what you faced in your time, is going to be whatever your children will face in their time.

*sigh* I just hope I have a wonderful wife... and life.

Kids are never too young to learn their lessons. As they get older, you just rephrase. :biggrin:

1. "There are always at least two sides to every story."
2. I will teach my kid how to be confrontational about problems, especially in dealing with people.
3. "Don't let anybody make you think that you don't deserve what you want."
4. "Simple respect. All people are entitled to their opinions. Never ever become a bigot."
5. "Sit up straight. Don't slouch." :laugh: (I'm serious)
6. "Alwyas be ready to take on the consequences of your actions."
7. "Great power always comes with great responsibility. Acknowledge that responsibility."
8. "I cheated in Math all throughout High School, too. Now look what a dunce I am."


I thought about this before, too. But I'd rather my kid were a tattletale than have him/her endure all of his/her suffering in quiet. That was the problem with me and my siblings. We didn't have it in us to tell on every single people who did us wrong. Kids are often helpless, and at the face of an adult who starts making threats, they easily succumb. My mom regreted it that she didn't teach us to tell her about these things. Or at least, she hadn't emphasized it as well as she should have. It was only years later that she heard of what we went through in other people's hands.

Now, even if my child did get into a petty fight and he ends up telling me, it's not like I'll be charging off to attack the other party for him. It's okay to tell me. I want him to tell me what's wrong, and I'll help him sort it out. Who started the fight in the first place? What was it about? But I want him to know how important it is to finish his own battles. When he grows up, it'll be akin to asking for my advice, but ultimately the decision falls on him.

1. Do not touch mummy's Sandman collection.
2. Mummy's ebil. Listen to daddy instead.

Hmmm... Interesting thread :cheesy:

I'd say:

1. "There is a God, and He loves you more than anything."

2. "You're more than you think you are." (ala Alexander-Mommy)

3. "If you want something done, you gotta do it yourself." (I actually got this from a crab in a cartoon :sweatface: it's Sebastian to be exact)

4. "If you're not willing to risk anything, then it's better to not breathe at all, because it's the same thing anyway."

5. Something similar to what Blue said, "You can tell a person by his/her actions and not by simply judging what they say or do, because it can still be a lie."

6. "Always give people the benefit of the doubt, because you'll never know if it's you who will need it next."

7. "You haven't lived if you have never loved." (and I don't mean in just the romantic sense) :wink:

8. "Make it your goal to love everyone, because love conquers all." (again, not reserved in the romantic sense).

Hey, I'm not lovesenshi for nothing, ya know... :cheesy:

If you speak ill of other people behind their backs, then you're just as bad as they are.

If you can't say something to someone's face, don't bother saying it at all.

Trust God, but never forget about science.

"Who's your daddy?!?!?"
:rofl:

There's gonna be those people who don't think you have the balls to do what you say you're going to do. Just kick them in the nuts and say "Well now, neither do you." and head for the hills.

I really wouldn't want my kids to just be younger versions of me. I'll have to be really carefull not to be too dogmatic in what I teach them. I think it's all about support and lending them the strength to become who they want to be.

Apart from the fact that my son will play rugby, football, cricket and learn martial arts from the day he is born.

The most important lesson i'll teach them:
Dog is bad. Cat is cute. Therefore, don't take a dog as your pet or i'll not come to your house!

Personally, I wish I could determine that my kid will pick up all the languages I wish I learnt (or am struggling to learn now).

But that's not right. I must never try and push my kid to do things I've failed to do.

I only hope that I will have raised a good child... even if they hate me for giving them names that are completely different - coz I think they're cool. (Their mother may only want to have one child just to punish me for the naming of our child).

there's this couple that named their newborn daughter after a character in a card game. it'll be interesting to see her reaction when they tell her that she's named after a psycho magic-user that uses other people's blood to fuel her spells. :sweatface:

(she was named Shahai. the l5r players here should know who that is.)

Whenever you're correcting other people, make sure that what they did is wrong first.

It's useless to do worthless thing over and over
1 yen in your pocket will lead you to 10000 yen in your wallet
NEVER EVER SMOKING AND USING DRUGS!!

You will never know if you can or cannot do something unless you try.

Don't give up the fight even when all your resources are lost. Hope is all you may need. *Note the use of the word "may" :biggrin: *

Be understanding of others, put yourself in their shoes first before you do something.

Never ever ever kill anything just for fun. Life is precioussssss. Yes... preciousssssss. [img]http://img100.exs.cx/img100/3493/devil9uv.gif[/img]

And as of course, the greatest lesson of all, as put by Bob (at lesat I think it's Bob. Or maybe Rex. I'm not too sure. :biggrin: ), the T-Rex from Dilbert Comics.

---

Bob holds a sharp stick. He then aproaches his wife and kid.

"Hey, did you know it hurts when you stick one of these in your eye?"

never believe everything you see and hear. half the time, it probably isn't true, whether your source knew it or not.

don't waste time trying to impress girls. just being yourself makes you more approachable. flattery never hurts, either, as long as you do it right. (but won't necessarily improve your chances with them. that's been my experience, at least. :buck: )

There is absolutely nothing wrong in trying vices (alcohol, drugs, etc). However, you should be responsible enough to control yourself and you should be capable of knowing your limits. Vices are expected to be addictive so it is important to know when to stop. You shouldnt believe everything your friends say about drinking or smoking. Once you go down that road, it is difficult to turn back. It can ruin your family and your life instantly. So be sure to know what you're doing before deciding to drink (or get high).

-Play RPG games. It will make you more clever.
-If someone say that you're too old to watch anime, don't ever talk to them again.

Fight for your beliefs. If you believe that you are correct with all your mind and heart, and you don't have even a tiny trace of doubt, then you have a reason to continue on fighting for your belief.

Do not force your beliefs unto others. Try to understand first why they don't want to. If their point is valid, leave them alone.

Always try to be happy, as happiness can make a sad moment last shorter, and a great moment much more rewarding.

There are always more than one side to a story, yours, and the other person/s'. Listen and learn, before you fight. Knowing is half the battle :buck: .

since jcarro brought up beliefs...

know why you believe in something. because someone told you to believe it isn't a good enough enough a reason to do so.

Never force anything on anyone. That's how rapists get started. Don't be like Grandma.

If you found someone is realy annoying, just be quiet. It's useless to argue with them.

i consider it such a HUGE TRAGEDY when you know you don't like the situation/place/predicament you are in with a passion (and everybody knows it because you keep ranting about it)... and you don't do anything about it.

"My child... it is time you learned of the Great Truth of the universe... open you browser... type in the address bar... O-B-dot-O-T-A-K-U-F-R-I-D-G-E-Dot-C-O-M. It is there... that you shall find your destiny... And where daddy had a lot of fun. :smile: "

Pure discipline and proper ethics. And a lil of fighting skills. Jiu jitsu or Tae Kwon Do should be fine. And a lil bit of wrestling.

Always be yourself, never let others influence you into doing things just because you're the only one not doing it. Peer pressure blows and often leads you to some pretty messed-up mistakes...

unless, of course, that peer pressure leads to getting rich and powerful... then it's okay! And as long as it's legal!

Learn anything you like, when you like, how you like. I'll never tell you you can't study that course on advanced hand-to-hand combat. Just make sure you don't quit mid-way! :buck:

And lastly, never quit just because you find something hard to do! Quitters never get anywhere!

If you start something, you must finish it to the end. But don't overdo it, or you gain nothing in the end. In short: Don't do anything worthless!

For the love of god, never, I mean NEVER, put a fork in the microwave!

Never give a girl a ring until you're sure she's going to keep it.
Never give a girl a ring until you're sure you want her to keep it.

:sweatface:

Diamonds will take her breath away!
Diamonds will leave her speachless!
C'mon, let's just come right out and say it.
Diamonds! That'll shut her up...

I really gotta listen to this one myself.

Remember:
A dog who poop everywhere it likes reflects its owner.

- Never, EVER hope to find wisdom or intelligent conversation on the Internet. Whatever is there is few and far between.

- Learn how to relax. It's good for your health.

- Your health is the only thing you really have. If you don't have it you have nothing.

- Do not believe everything you read and hear. Develop the knack for asking WHY---the most important question ever in our complicated world.

- Always be wary of people quick to grab power over you.

- Do not be complacent---look for something new to do. Develop your body and mind whenever you can. It keeps you young.