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Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter to His Son on His 6th Birthday

6 years old today!

Dear Jack: A Letter from a Dad to His Son on His 6th Birthday

Dear Jack,

Today you turn 6 years-old. You’ve never been more independent than you are today.

To me, as your Daddy, that’s what makes this birthday special. That’s what makes you so grown-up now.

This is your first birthday as a kid who is not in day care or preschool.

This is your first birthday as a boy who is able to sound out and read words.

This is your first birthday as a big brother.

I love seeing you develop your own style and identity. You chose on your own that you wanted a Mohawk last week. It goes well with your green army jacket. This is you becoming you.

It is an honor for me to raise you into the next stage of boyhood.

I won’t deny that as your Daddy, I am attempting to raise you in a way that gives you things I didn’t have when I was your age. I don’t mean material items.

In particular, I’m referring to self-confidence.

Dear Jack: A Letter from a Dad to His Son on His 6th Birthday

As a kid, I was shy and unsure of myself. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was. I didn’t start truly gaining confidence and formulating my own identity until was about twice your age, when I was in junior high.

But I can already see, at age 6, you already have it.

And that’s something I’ll continue to nurture in you. Our quality time together is often based on me pushing you to try new adventurous things.

Though I’m very happy about how my life turned out, I still want even better for you. Undeniably, you are smarter than I was. It’s easy for me to imagine all amazing ways you’ll be able to apply that intelligence along with your confidence.

I know that with you, I have something special. I am raising an exceptional boy. I love you more than you can know.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter to His Son on His 2nd Birthday

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter to His Son on His 3rd Birthday

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter to His Son on His 4th Birthday

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter to His Son on His 5th Birthday

5 Comments Posted on Nostalgia, parenting, Uncategorized

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter To His Son On His 4th Birthday

4 years old!

Dear Jack,

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter To His Son On His 4th Birthday

Two years ago, on your 2nd birthday, I started a tradition of writing you a letter on each of your birthdays; which started me writing to letters every week.

A year I wrote to you on your 3rd birthday, right as you were making that unofficial transition out of “toddlerhood.”

And now a year later, here you are, a year into boyhood. There is no doubt you definitely a real boy; not a toddler, not a baby.

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter To His Son On His 4th Birthday

Those funny “onion head” pictures on packages saying that toys are not suitable for ages 0-3 are a thing of the past.

You can now easily handle smart parts without it being a problem; as demonstrated in your amazing Lego creations.

This evolution of my son is present in the wallet cards I get from your school each time they have picture day.

I see a chubby blonde-haired baby who turned into a brown-haired boy.

These are the new “good ole days.”

I can honestly say I’m just as happy as you are to see you open your presents. These are the days of Legos, Transformers, Ninja Turtles, and Captain America. (Sounds a lot like my own childhood!)

Gone are the days of changing dirty diapers and cleaning bottles. Gone are the days of you stuttering and speaking in pigeon-English.

Dear Jack: A Dad’s Letter To His Son On His 4th Birthday

The fact that we’re building this new house (and hopefully moving in it in January) only compliments your coming of age to boyhood, as well as our family’s coming of age to a family with a real boy.

I am so excited to teach you to learn how to ride a bicycle in the cul-de-sac we will live in. And can’t for the day we get to “go camping” in our backyard; even though I convinced you’ll ask to go back inside after about an hour.

Things are good and about to get even better.

Happy 4th Birthday, Son. I love you with all that I have.

Love,

Daddy