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One of the hardest things to do in this life is to be a parent. The role of a father or mother or guardian holds so many responsibilities and carries so much influence its amazing that more people aren’t screwed up than there already are. If a parent really sat down and thought about all the little things they do in the course of the day that have a profound effect on their kids they may never get out of bed.

As the father of one handsome young 15 year old in his first year of high school I often think back on the days when he was little and marvel that he turned out as well as he has. During the corresponding years there have been many times that I would become upset over something that in the present context was of little consequence. What kept me from imploding was to remember how I was at that age and for the most part, what was I experiencing when I was in that same situation.

I remember one time when Nick was about 5, he has seen a commercial on TV advertising a squeezable butter that came out blue. OMG! Blue butter! That had to be the best thing in the world and sure enough the next day after picking up some at the market, I was serving my little guy hot pancakes with a generous portion of melting blue butter accompanied by his glass of OJ.  It looked to me like a group of Smurfs had pee-ed all over his short stack but Nick was in blue buttered heaven. I watched in delighted fascination as he smeared it all over his circular breakfast, taking real relish in the weird color and devouring his entire serving.

Shortly after breakfast it was time to go and after securing him in the back car seat we headed off to his kindergarten. I was running a little behind schedule and wanted to get to work but needed to stop off for gas first which was a bit annoying but better to get it now then get stuck later. As we pulled into the station I shot a glance at Nick in the rear view mirror and said we’d be going again in a sec. I noticed right away that he wasn’t quite right.

I turned in the seat and asked him if he was ok. “I don’t feel so good daddy.” he said. And to punctuate his remarks his face turned a strange blue and before I could say another word my sweet little boy let loose a projectile stream of aqua blue and slightly orange breakfast that sprayed the entire back seat, his clothes and seeped into the car seat. I don’t know what I was more amazed by, the color, the coverage or the amount of pancake that apparently hadn’t digested yet.

My first thought was – “Well I’m going to be late – again.” But when I looked at my poor son, his torso caked in blue gooey ooze it became the last thing to be concerned about. Nick looked up at me, sensing my distress in addition to his own, “Sorry Daddy.”  My heart sank a little bit and I reassured him it was ok and not his fault and then proceeded in the clean up. As I got some towels and started to wipe him off I smiled at him.

“Well I guess we won’t be having the blue butter anymore, huh?” I said.

Nick looked back at me, eyes wide – ” Ya think?” he said.

That pretty much said it all.