Bill Belew has raised 2 bi-cultural kids, now 34 and 30. And he and his wife are now parenting a 3rd, Mia, who is 8.

TWENTY THINGS A DAD SHOULD TELL HER SON

1. Play a sport.
It will teach you how to win honorably,
lose gracefully, respect authority,
work with others, manage your time
and stay out of trouble.
And maybe even throw or catch.

2. You will set the tone
for the sexual relationship,
so don’t take something away from her
that you can’t give back.

3. Use careful aim when you pee.
Somebody’s got to clean that up, you know.

4. Save money when you’re young
because you’re going to need it someday.

5. Allow me to introduce you
to the dishwasher, oven,
washing machine, iron,
vacuum, mop and broom.
Now please go use them.

6. Pray and be a spiritual leader.

7. Don’t ever be a bully
and don’t ever start a fight,
but if some idiot clocks you,
please defend yourself.

8. Your knowledge and education is something
that nobody can take away from you.

9. Treat women kindly.
Forever is a long time to live alone
and it’s even longer to live with somebody
who hates your guts.

10. Take pride in your appearance.

11. Be strong and tender at the same time.

12. A woman can do everything that you can do.
This includes her having a successful career
and you changing diapers at 3 A.M.
Mutual respect is the key to a good relationship.

13. “Yes ma’am” and “yes sir”
still go a long way.

14. The reason that they’re called “private parts”
is because they’re “private”.
Please do not scratch them in public.

15. Peer pressure is a scary thing.
Be a good leader and others will follow.

16. Bringing her flowers for no reason
is always a good idea.

17. It is better to be kind
than to be right.

18. A sense of humor
goes a long way
in the healing process.

19. Please choose your spouse wisely.
My daughter-in-law will be the gatekeeper for me
spending time with you and my grandchildren.

20. Remember to call your father
because he might be missing you.

All of this just gets us closer to our parents. We all need to make a genuine effort to keep them happy. Dads give their whole life, helping us sustain. Today is our day and now is our time to return the gesture, with full love and affection. This is what they did for us ever since we were born. It is our time now to make them feel like the most special people on earth.

Dads deserve it! So do moms! Cheers to the good times!

Talk to Bill and others about their experiences raising bi-cultural Japanese-American kids.