Walker Lamond is the author of “Rules for My Unborn Son”.
He talks about his experiences:
What is the one thing you think parents should know about your work?
Rules are good! Let your kids know where you stand.
What are your feelings about the role of the father in child development?
My father taught me what it meant to be a Good Man. This book began as a way to preserve those lessons so I could pass them on to my son. A boy’s development is too important to leave to anyone other than his father.
What is the best thing dads can do in the raising of their children?
Give them some rules to live by so they will always know where dad stands. Set them in stone. That way when the mayhem of fatherhood makes you too hard or too soft or just too tired to remember all the things you meant to teach your kids, you will have a guide to help you.
What is the biggest error dads can make in raising their children?
Dressing like them.
It’s been said that the greatest regret aging men have is that they didn’t spend more time with their kids. How do you feel about that statement?
I am sure it’s true. But it’s important for a kid to learn to be independent as well, to figure some stuff out on his own. As long as he makes it home for supper, I don’t need to climb into the sandbox with him.
Every generation worries that their kids aren’t strong enough to handle the real world. Do you feel kids need to be “toughened up” by experiencing rough times?
No life is tough enough without having to face rough times. Most kids just need some more fresh air.
Or conversely, do you think kids need to be smothered with love to give them storehouse of good feelings with which to deal with the inevitable challenges of life in the real world?
Show them that you care. Tell ‘em what to do.