The Cross Section of Bar Mitzvahs and Brothels...
Lately I've had a really hard time figuring out exactly what my role is as a father. When my kids were really young, my job as a parent was fairly straight forward. Don't let them die. "Hey honey. I'm taking the girls to the park for awhile." Don't let them die. "Hey babe. I'm taking the girls for manicures." Don't let them die. "Hey sweet heart. I'm taking the girls for a slice of pizza." Don't let them die. You get the picture. Now that my girls are older, things seem more complex. Particularly with my oldest. She is 12 and this is her first year of middle school. Middle school is hard. Really hard. I know because I went through it. We all did. There are more kids, which means more personalities. There is more work, which means more pressure to succeed and there are more choices to be made. Choices about drugs and alcohol. Choices about sex. Choices about go...