It is back to school time, and today my youngest child, my daughter, started at a new school.  This time, however, I didn’t have to pack her lunch, or walk her to the bus stop. I won’t be looking forward to any more parent teacher conferences or notes sent home about missed homework assignments. Nope.  Those days are officially over as today my daughter started college.  Daddy’s little girl has entered the land of higher education, as her older brothers have done before her, and as such, the proverbial ball is now in her court. I can encourage and inspire and advise, but in the end her school career, and her career thereafter, is now officially up to her.

Fatherhood Is An Education

Parenting is a series of never-ending milestones, and for many years we gauge our children’s growth and progress by their progression through school. From their first day at Pre-K to the day they don their caps and gowns for High School Graduation, through their schooling we see them grow from toddlers to teens, from mischief to maturity, from youngsters to young adults.  As they pass from grade to grade, we mark off yet another year in our quest to be the best parent we can.  Every graduation is filled with enormous pride, and just a little touch of sadness as we realize a teeny bit more of our work here is done.  Of course, the good news is that being a dad is forever, and as our kids grow older and move on to new phases of their lives, we are right by their side, entering a new degree of parenthood.

My daughter called me after her first day on “campus.”  She loved her first classes and was thrilled and excited.  But not as thrilled and excited as I am for her!

Jeff Sass is the proud dad of ZEO (Zach, 22, Ethan, 20 and Olivia, 18).  He is also a seasoned entertainment and technology exec and active social media enthusiast.  You can see more of Jeff’s writing at Sassholes! and Social Networking Rehab and you can listen to Jeff on the Cast of Dads podcast.?