Harry Chapin, stock photo The following was a Facebook post submitted by a friend of mine just last week. He was born in Taipei, Taiwan in 1948, came to the USA in 1971 after finishing college and serving one year military duty. He and his wife moved to Shanghai permanently in year 2000 after 30 years in the US, retiring to Taiwan in 2016. A very successful engineering entrepreneur, his highest honor is raising his two sons and daughter, all very successful. He now has 5 grandchildren and even with an ocean between them, they remain very close!
His post struck me, so I asked permission to share it on my blog, 'Helping Fathers to be Dads'... because his post was perfectly about that topic!
Thank you James Yeh! An awesome Dad!
His post struck me, so I asked permission to share it on my blog, 'Helping Fathers to be Dads'... because his post was perfectly about that topic!
Thank you James Yeh! An awesome Dad!
January 13th, 2021
James Yeh
Never heard of this song (released in 1974) until much later introduced by a good friend. Never understood the connection between the song title and its lyrics. And Chapin even said “Frankly, this song scared me to death.”
We started going to our children’s home games when they played soccer, basketball, then baseball and football, plus concerts and recitals. Soon we went to all their away games too, and I volunteered to be their team videographer.
When our children graduated from college, got married and moved away, we stayed in touch thanks to all the social media. When we were in China and Taiwan, they always found time to visit us, and came back to join us in celebrating grandparents’ big birthdays and attending funeral services.
Spend time with your children when they were young, and they will spend time with you when you get old! (Emphasis added). There’s so much truth to this song, and it’s not scary at all.
James Yeh
Never heard of this song (released in 1974) until much later introduced by a good friend. Never understood the connection between the song title and its lyrics. And Chapin even said “Frankly, this song scared me to death.”
We started going to our children’s home games when they played soccer, basketball, then baseball and football, plus concerts and recitals. Soon we went to all their away games too, and I volunteered to be their team videographer.
When our children graduated from college, got married and moved away, we stayed in touch thanks to all the social media. When we were in China and Taiwan, they always found time to visit us, and came back to join us in celebrating grandparents’ big birthdays and attending funeral services.
Spend time with your children when they were young, and they will spend time with you when you get old! (Emphasis added). There’s so much truth to this song, and it’s not scary at all.
The Cat's in the Cradle
Harry Chapin
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad, you know I'm gonna be like you"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball dad, come on let's play, can you teach me to throw?"
I said "Not today, I got a lot to do", he said "That's okay"
And he, he walked away but his smile never dimmed and said
"I'm gonna be like him, yeah, you know I'm gonna be like him"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man, I just had to say
"Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile
"What I'd really like dad, is to borrow the car keys"
"See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, dad
You know we'll have a good time then
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time"
"You see, my new job's a hassle and the kid's got the flu"
"But it's sure nice talking to you, dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, dad
We're gonna have a good time then
Songwriters: S. Chapin, H. Chapin
Please check out my book, "The Power of Dadhood"
Harry Chapin
My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch, and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talking 'fore I knew it, and as he grew
He'd say, "I'm gonna be like you, dad, you know I'm gonna be like you"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
My son turned ten just the other day
He said "Thanks for the ball dad, come on let's play, can you teach me to throw?"
I said "Not today, I got a lot to do", he said "That's okay"
And he, he walked away but his smile never dimmed and said
"I'm gonna be like him, yeah, you know I'm gonna be like him"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, dad, I don't know when
But we'll get together then
You know we'll have a good time then
Well he came from college just the other day
So much like a man, I just had to say
"Son I'm proud of you, can you sit for a while?"
He shook his head, and he said with a smile
"What I'd really like dad, is to borrow the car keys"
"See you later, can I have them please?"
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, dad
You know we'll have a good time then
I've long since retired, my son's moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, "I'd like to see you if you don't mind"
He said, "I'd love to, dad, if I could find the time"
"You see, my new job's a hassle and the kid's got the flu"
"But it's sure nice talking to you, dad
It's been sure nice talking to you"
And as I hung up the phone, it occurred to me
He'd grown up just like me
My boy was just like me
And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man in the moon
When you coming home, son, I don't know when
But we'll get together then, dad
We're gonna have a good time then
Songwriters: S. Chapin, H. Chapin
Please check out my book, "The Power of Dadhood"
