Profile for Gar0 - The effect of having kids

Gar0 aka mogaro has been a member since November 22, 2007, has scored 2658 submissions, giving an average score of 3.03.

URL: http://mogaro.com

Nov 05 '09 by Gar0

31 Comments

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The effect of having kids

Since becoming a father a couple of years back I've noticed how my emotions well up more quickly these days. Take for instance this image below.

This is a lad drawing the New York skyline from memory. He's autistic, and lives his life locked in his memory to a large degree. It's both wonderful and horrendously sad that he has the ability to create a masterwork from memory that is awe inspiring, yet on a basic level there is a huge barrier between him and everyone around him.

If I'm caught off guard, like I was this morning when I saw this, it's exactly this sort of stuff that makes me cry a bit.

randyotter3000 on Nov 05 '09 at 5:44am

man you are soooooo gay

randyotter3000 on Nov 05 '09 at 5:46am

nah just messin I think emotions develop like anything else with age and experience

jamesf on Nov 05 '09 at 5:46am

i saw this the other day - it's fucking nuts! great illustration

tomasappleton on Nov 05 '09 at 5:48am

The recent passing away of mermaid girl made me really sad too.

Frogking on Nov 05 '09 at 5:48am

Holy... drawing NY skyline from memory! this guy's awesome

jamesf on Nov 05 '09 at 5:48am

is it the same guy that they did a documentary about a few years ago?

d3d on Nov 05 '09 at 5:56am

that's pretty incredible.
and as for fatherhood making you more emotional i know what you mean. there's a comedy duo on the radio here called Hamish and Andy and they recently had guys calling in to tell them the silly crap that makes them cry since they became fathers. it seems it's pretty common.

Gar0 on Nov 05 '09 at 5:59am

I love you autistic great drawer guy!

The Paper Crane on Nov 05 '09 at 6:17am

That is incredible!
Yes I am a right wet one the older I get!
I think having kids does opens up your heart that bit more!

Tonteau on Nov 05 '09 at 6:33am

Yeah, he's so rad that Wiltshire guy. I remember him on blue peter/newsround when I was little.

I don't have kids, but I have a lot of friends with really young kids, who in turn are my friends and one of the most amazing things kids bring you (and something I really wanted to put into a design for the childhood comp, but never got 'round to) is a sense of wonder at everything. Growing old makes you so jaded, you learn from your experiences, seen it, done it, been there, meh. But with kids everything is WOW! Simple things, walking down the street, playing in leaves, anything and everything is new and awesome, there's no cynicism, there's no trying to look cool, there's no bullshit, they just live totally and completely in the moment. They have so much life it's incredible.

Sometimes I wonder if when we look at autistic people we're guilty of thinking they suffer for not being able to connect with the world. When really it can actually be a blessing.

d3d on Nov 05 '09 at 6:37am

i was thinking the same thing. i barely connect with people as it is. would it really be such a sacrifice to be capable of something amazing like that?

deboraborialis on Nov 05 '09 at 6:42am

I was about 6 when I saw my Dad cry for the first time. I remember thinking at the time that he was kinda pathetic. Dad's are supposed to be all powerful and invincible. I guess I'm saying don't cry in front of your kids unless it's for a good reason. Keep the illusion alive for as long as possible.

I still think my Dad has the power to fix anything mechanical or electrical though.

Tonteau on Nov 05 '09 at 6:44am

I only saw my dad cry for the first time a few months back. It was great. I was so proud of him.

deboraborialis on Nov 05 '09 at 6:47am

See that's the difference between seeing something at 6 and 26. I totally understand now why my dad was crying, but not at the time. I now can't be near him if he looks like he'll cry.

The Paper Crane on Nov 05 '09 at 6:57am

Tonteau what you said is so right.
We start of so pure but our perception of life and the way we interact with the world and others gets tainted over time - our hearts close up.

Gar0 on Nov 05 '09 at 7:02am

My Dad has never cried in front of me or my mum. I doubt I will let me kids see me emotional torn up. I don't cry sobbing tears anyway, I just get this manly urge to suppress it. My eyes go red, and I tense my jaw a bit till the feeling fades. I had it the other day when I got home from work and found my son (2) scribbling on a page with a Biro for the first time. He looked up at me and said "Dad, 'ook! Pen!".

Tonteau on Nov 05 '09 at 7:04am

Let it all out, gav.

jamesf on Nov 05 '09 at 7:07am

Garo yesterday

mullmuggins on Nov 05 '09 at 7:08am

Yes, Tont! I saw a kid in wh smiths recently going absolutely nuts with excitement because his mum agreed to buy him a pencil sharpener. When did I stop getting excited about stationery??

mullmuggins on Nov 05 '09 at 7:10am

Aaah, Garo! Do you just swallow lots and bite your lip? That is lovely. I have only seen my dad cry once, about 10 years ago when his best friend (my uncle) died. It absolutely broke my heart.

Gar0 on Nov 05 '09 at 7:11am

I wish I had Stan's hair, and comic ability.

Tonteau on Nov 05 '09 at 7:11am

I have to admit, stationary gets me pretty excited, still.

Gar0 on Nov 05 '09 at 7:19am

Stripping girl pens were exciting when I was 8