Mystery of Dads

Your children see inside of you more of you than you think as they grow up. At first you're this mighty giant, a good, long while passes, then you become this semi-inscrutable monument to your past life, likely still at some young man's game when you're past your physical prime. It's not fun to have your son find out you're just a human man, after all. Every man wants his son to be a better man than himself, but how are you going to produce that which you can't manage for yourself?
You would never treat a stranger as badly as you treat your own son when he works with you. I'm crabby and direct with mine. I'm impatient. I'd be polite if it was the neighbor's kid, and not expect nearly as much out of 'em.

-adapted from Sippican Cottage

"If you stay in the same place and do the same thing long enough, some empire eventually will overrun you."
-David P. Goldman