I was listening to talk radio on the way home, and Bill O'Reily said something interesting (perhaps a rare thing, dunno).

In talking about helping to keep your kids safe from sexual predators, he said that you need to let your kids know that you, as their father, are their defender. I got the impression that he also meant that you should give your kids the impression that when it comes to protecting them, no one is a meaner, tougher SOB than you.

Any thoughts on that?

I think they should know that we are there for them. To protect them, to help them.

Are we the meanest, toughest SOB's in the world? I am not sure about that one.

I guess I look at it this way - if you were young, and thought someone was going to hurt you or your family, who would you rather have as a protector - John Wayne or Woody Alan?

For me, I'd rather have the Duke. I'd trust that he could handle just about any situation. Woody would make a movie about what happened, but that's about it.

That doesn't mean that you can't be all sensitive and stuff - heck, I am a big softie. But there are times when the gloves need to come off, and your kids need to know that you can do that. IMHO.

I guess I am not saying being all sensitive and all that but I think we have to be there and handle the situation as best we can (and yes, that means phyiscal altercation if needed.)

Coming from a family of highly decorated Marines, I can tell you that as fathers, yes, we are defenders of our family. It is somewhere in our "rulebook", I believe its on page 1. I have a 6 year old daughter who is the absolute highlight of my life. If anyone ever tried to do anything to my Princess, I gaurantee you they would not leave the scene under thier own power. Even being a police officer, and having to uphold peoples' certain constitutional rights, I would find it extremely difficult to contain myself if someone were to harm my daughter. Defenders, yes, that is us...

Here's something weird (at least it seems that way to me). My wife knows that I'm ex-Army, she knows and supports that I'm working to get into the Guard, but I don't think she understands that I am quite capable of defending my family. She doesn't see me as a violent person. I guess I think that's great, but part of me wishes she didn't.