MY KRYPTONITE

In 1978 I was flying helicopters in the Gulf of Mexico for the oil and gas industry working seven days on and seven days off.

With my two daughters age seven and four. My time home was important to me, my wife and my daughter.

My daughters were my kryptonite. I tried to be strong and say no but with those enormous eyes looking up at me I grew weak. The only words that I could utter were, “Sure you can.”

But as Superman had to shield himself from his kryptonite, so did I.

I found my shield on the first day I returned home. from my seven days at work. As I entered the house my daughters came running to me, “Daddy, Daddy can we do go to the water park?”

There surround by not one but two pieces of kryptonite. I could feel my strength flowing out of my body, then suddenly their mother appear as if by magic, “I told you girls since you did not do you chores you would not go to the water park. And you mister we need to talk.”

The girls walked away disappointed, but my shield was not yet firmly in place. After the girls left the room my wife turned to me, “You’re gone for seven day and I am the one making all the decisions. You cannot just waltz in here and tell the girls they can do something when I’ve specifically told then NO. From now on you and I will debrief as if you are still in the Army each time you come home. Until we conclude our debrief, you will tell the girls nothing. Is that Clear?”

With the shield was secured, no longer did I suffer from my KRYPTONITE. Afterwards when the girls came to me I stood strong and said, “Ask you mother. If it is OK with her, them we can.