Our son is growing...

Something a little odd about the American culture is its lack of rites of passage that actually mean something. For the most part, as in olden times, its biological reason that marks a young boy or girl's life in America. And, it usually coincides with a public event, say, entering middle school, moving from the big boys to the men's shoe sizes, or moving from the happy meal to the mighty meal. The problem is that there really is no formal way to show or celebrate this transition. However, most religious traditions got this. Hence, the importance of rituals and ceremonies. I for one want to come up with something. We are Christian and it may just take a re-comittment to our Lord ceremony for my son to be blessed as he enters his 'tweens'. This is an awkward moment and even more so for a child growing up without his father. He may need this even more so than most children. He needs to reinforce the idea that he is loved no matter what by the most important father who will ever know him. This, indeed, will help him no matter what type of life transition he goes through, now, or in the future.