Breaking The Adult Rules:
4 Lessons I Learned From A Trip With My Son

As some of you who follow me on Twitter and Facebook already know, I’m just back from a quick trip out west. It was actually two-fold; I grew up in Northern California, so I went back for my 30-year class reunion and I owed Cole a little one-on-one time, something he’d been haranguing me about ever since I did the same for his sister. 

So off we went, winging our way to the land of fun and sun. I was really looking forward to a change in the routine and putting my brain in park (more so than usual) for a few days. Little did I know I was in for some big life lessons, courtesy my baby boy. Most of you know a little about Cole through my writings here; he’s really a pretty remarkable kid, compassionate, smart and funny, all things that serve him well now and will into the future. He’s incredibly astute too, which is why I take seriously, the lessons I learned from him. You should too.

1. How To Throw Caution To The Wind

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What’s the thing most of us think of when renting a car? Is it practical? How much will it cost? How is it on gas? Not when you’re a 13-year-old boy. The first thing that comes to mind is, “Is it cool?” followed by “How fast can it go?” So just as I was about to sign for the practical, fuel efficient (read: painfully boring) compact, Cole saw IT. IT was a brand new, Ford Mustang convertible and we had to have it. It was double the daily rate of the compact but about a zillion times more fun. We tooled all over the Southland in that thing, hair whipping in the wind but both of us, despite the heat, wearing ear-to-ear smiles.