Photo: Gordon Graham
Dear George,
We?ve never met, but we have a lot in common. We both have grey running through our dark hair. We were both married once before we hit the jackpot with our current partners. And we both found ourselves preparing to be first-time dads at age 56.
Now I have two daughters, ages 6 and 3, and you will soon have your twins. So allow me to share a few reflections on getting into the parenting game as an older dad.

Yes, we?re old enough to be their grandfathers.

This came home to me?again?the other day when the girls and I were tracing around our hands with colour markers.
?Let?s write down our names and ages,? suggested my older daughter. She proudly penned, ?Cassidy 6.? When I wrote ?Gordon 62? I felt a weird jolt of pride and shame, joy and regret.  The reality is, George, by the time our kids are out of college, we will be pushing (gulp) 80 years old.
We may never see our grandchildren.
We may not even be here for our children?s weddings.
But you know, I?ve come to this conclusion:
There is little point in thinking so far ahead.
After all?
Our kids don?t care.
Last night I asked my 6-year-old what she thinks about the fact I?m older than most dads. Much older, say, than her best friend Eva?s father.
?Well, actually,? she said solemnly, ?Eva gets tons of pop tabs.?
?Huh"?
I got a look that told me I was totally missing the point.
It turns out Eva?s dad works at the town arena, so Cassidy suspects she gets the tab...