What kind of place do you want your son to be able to return to?

I don't think being related by blood automatically means people understand each other. Friends can shape you more than family sometimes. What I want my son to carry is the feeling that he is loved. I tell him, “I'll always be your dad, but more than that, I'm your best friend.” If he makes a mistake, I still want to be on his side. That doesn't mean I think anything he does is fine. I'd ask him, “How would you feel if someone did the same thing to you?” Because I want my best friend to be someone who can care about other people. His home can change. His school can change. His work can change. The place he lives can change. But I want there to be a place inside my heart that he can always come back to. No matter how old he gets, I want him to know he has the only key to that place. That's what I want.