Pride Month makes a boring, middle-aged family man reflect. 

Raising kids has never been for the faint of heart. Our number one job as parents is to raise independent children who will - one day - no longer need us and will go on to become productive members of society. We want to raise them to be a positive force on this home planet of ours.

There is no online guide or downloadable owner’s manual for each child, and each child is unique. As a dad, I want my kids to be confident in who they are and know that we will support the choices they make. As a parent, I have done the best I can to lead by example. My kids, wife, and I consistently talk about the trade-offs we make, and the difficult moral and ethical predicaments we find ourselves in, and hope their moral compass is strong inside them.

When our kids choose their friends, we hope they surround themselves with good people. We are quite aware that you are probably the average of the five people you hang around the most. If our children choose a lifestyle or partner that is not traditional, I hope that because my kids are independent and confident thinkers and feelers, their choice will be right for them. Whoever they choose to love, if they are being true to themselves, will only add to their lives and our lives.

I hope my kids never suffer the years of turmoil some of my friends went through trying to live the life they were “supposed to”, as opposed to the lives that were right for them. As a white, heterosexual man, I have had it easy as my lifestyle does not often clash with outspoken people with narrower views. It’s unfortunate that many still live without this privilege.

June is Pride Month and is a wonderful time for all of us to celebrate our uniqueness - and our similarities - as we try to navigate this busy world. Be good to the people around you and the strangers you bump into. This world could use more compassion and understanding.