Mean man dad no go Joe.

Illustration by Joseph Ivan Long "Dad sitting on couch between his two children"

illustration: Joseph Ivan Long ©2014

"Daddy won't let me watch the G.I. Joe movies,"

I heard him explaining.

"...because he doesn't want me thinking that violence is super good or something, so I'm just going to make my own stop motion movie with G.I. Joes and there's going to be a lot of fighting in it."

____

I just can't wipe the smile off my face. I'm sort of awesome...right? Or is that him?

controversy
“A thousand percent.”
“A thousand percent.”
‘Embrace disagreement.’
‘Embrace disagreement.’
No health care for robbers?
No health care for robbers?
Car whiz (if I get big someday).
Car whiz (if I get big someday).
‘Thou shalt not envy thy neighbor’s income or the size of their banana.’
‘Thou shalt not envy thy neighbor’s income or the size of their banana.’
Muhammad Ali (at war with my niece).
Muhammad Ali (at war with my niece).
He fought.
He fought.
I am Dad (hope & guidance for my teen daughter).
I am Dad (hope & guidance for my teen daughter).
Chivalry (all the real dudes carry cool words, Sir).
Chivalry (all the real dudes carry cool words, Sir).
Mitt (once upon a time)...
Mitt (once upon a time)...
Anxious.
Anxious.
Trump's attack on democracy (link + commentary).
Trump's attack on democracy (link + commentary).
Valerie Plame (DJ update).
Valerie Plame (DJ update).
Friends and neighbors, part 1.
Friends and neighbors, part 1.
We are janitor.
We are janitor.

So we watched. Watched him gasp. Watched him call out for his Mama. Watched him go limp. Watched the footage of courageous citizen journalists who dared and cared to keep recording and filming while four white men with guns enabled the murder of a black man, handcuffed, on the ground,

a knee on his legs,
a knee on his back,
a knee on his neck.

We watched as this happened.

Because I could not allow them to not. There may be all kinds of thoughts and ideas and perspectives on how old kids should be before having to deal with heavy stuff. I don’t pay too much attention to it. I’ve talked with our kids from the time they were in the womb, through infancy and toddlerhood and early childhood all the way up to the ages they’re at.

Sleeping in airports.
Sleeping in airports.
I don't know anyone who doesn't like him.
I don't know anyone who doesn't like him.
Joey (43-year old lobotomy).
Joey (43-year old lobotomy).
When the ones we love disappoint us in ways that can never be undone.
When the ones we love disappoint us in ways that can never be undone.
When people are afraid.
When people are afraid.
Fire, fire : a couple thoughts on reading, books, speech.
Fire, fire : a couple thoughts on reading, books, speech.
JosephLongBoys, quotes, JXIL, 05 years old, parents, dads, controversy, 2016, drawing, parents and childrenComment