When I look at my two sons and my daughter, I’m proud of how they turned out. They’re great people who have wonderful families of their own. They’re dedicated to everything they do and put a lot of effort into accomplishing their goals. And they always try to do what is right.
A lot of these values were instilled in me by my dad while growing up on the farm. He taught me that what you get out of life depends on what you put in. If you give it your all and put in the time, you’ll get more of what you want. I worked to instill these values into my kids, and I’d say I was successful!
Of course, when my kids were growing up, I was off working. I worked a lot — and still do. I’m thankful that I had my wife, Jill, by my side. She’s a great mom who took care of the family while I worked. The older I got, the more I realized just how important family was. I may have worked a lot, but I knew I still needed to make time for my family when I could.
Now, with my kids grown up with kids of their own, I see the values they’re instilling in my grandkids. They’re continuing the tradition of raising great kids! It’s a great accomplishment for a father, or any parent, to see those values passed to the next generation. As parents, you spend years teaching your kids how to be good and how to do the right thing. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it. You know you’ve done a good job
as a parent when you see how well your grandkids are doing. They’re a reflection of you and your own kids. Now, I’m not saying every day is like that. There will always be bumps in the road. For some parents and grandparents, you might look at your kids and wonder, “What went wrong?” It happens — nobody’s perfect!
I like to think that one of our family traditions is to improve yourself, better your family, and make life better for the next generation. I know that all the hard work I put in paid off for my kids, and all the hard work my kids are putting in right now will pay off for their kids. As I reflect on my family and on being a dad, I wish you a happy Father’s Day. I hope your family brings you as much joy as mine does to me.
-Randy Bunn