Watching every move

A few days ago when Elijah was here, I realized how closely he watched me. When I would go to my recliner to sit down as I was descending into my chair I would kind of groan a little. Awwwh, just some little noise. I don't know why I did it and wasn't even aware that I was doing it. But I did it every time and Elijah noticed it and said something about it. Why do you do that Papa? That is how closely young children watch and learn from us at that age. Elijah is almost 5. Every time I see him he wants to wrestle with his Papa. I am too old and I wish his Daddy could understand what I understand. Elijah really needs his Daddy in his life. His Big Daddy and Papa are not very good substitutes for his real Daddy. But we do the best we can. I remember when Callia was but a toddler, and I would go up there to spend some time with Gio and Callia. I would barely get there and Callia would be in my arms. In a few minutes her head would be on my shoulder and she would take a nap.
Later after her nap was over, I would take Gio and Callia to the park to play. Children need their Daddies, they need both parents but it is more often that the Daddy is removed from the home. I had a mother who had addiction problems tell me she did the best thing she could for her children when she gave them up to family members to care for them. I said no, the best thing you could have done is straighten out you life and take care of them yourself. Children need both parents, they really do. I believe it is epidemic proportions the number of children that are separated from one or both parents in our day. Some thru death as my great niece and nephew, some thru divorce, some because a child was born out of wedlock and the father never had any intention of being there. Some thru the addiction of a parent that can not care for them because of their poor personal choices. But take a look around, at church, in the neighborhood, any place you go and you will find so many kids that are missing one or both real parents. I once wrote them down in a book, everytime I met one. There must have been fifty plus names in a short time. This is probably one of the biggest reasons our country is in trouble. Our children need both parents, one father and one mother, raising them to be independent and able to take care of themselves when they are grown. When a parent is absent from child's life they leave a permanent scar. Children need someone they can imitate. They are watching every move. They need both parents, but we have so many babies born out of wedlock and the parents do not always work it out and get together. I had a lady one time want me to father a child for her, no ties, no responsibilities after the fact. I could not do that, I have seen the harm done by absent fathers and I cannot willingly participate. I would need to be in a childs life. O that each child could have a father and mother that imitate Christ, that they in turn could imitate. Our world would be a better place.  God Bless, LVZ.