In this diary entry, Tony Stark Policci reflects on the challenges of parenting two teenage sons (ages 14 and 16) who are each dealing with a litany of personal concerns. He feels intense pressure to solve their problems and wishes he could set aside his own struggles to focus entirely on supporting them. He acknowledges that their issues are "first‑world problems"—they have basic needs met, yet still experience anxiety about school, social life, and future goals. Policci wrestles with how to convey perspective to his sons, recognizing that they have not lived through his hardships. He resolves to be more supportive, strong, and encouraging, and considers shifting his video‑journal recordings to earlier in the evening so he sounds more present rather than a "zombie" late at night.
Chapters
Okay, diary day 8. So I'm experiencing some first-world problems right now. My 14-year-old son just unloaded a whole litany list of things that are troubling him in his life and felt really overwhelming. I remember what it was like to be 14 and have all of these Concerns, you know, social concerns, school concerns, things that he wants, not sure how to get the things that he wants. And, you know, here even as a grown man, you know, I still struggle with some of those questions. You know, how am I going to get the things that I want? And I tell him what I know, which is if you want something, Work hard for it, go after it, don't give up. And, um, but he's 14, so I feel this tremendous pressure to, um, solve all my kids' problems and make everything just smooth and easy for him. And I know that's not, uh, what I'm going to do, but it doesn't stop me from wanting to do it. And my other son, he's gonna be 16 in a few days here. He, uh, he's got his list of issues and troubles too. And you know what it really made me think about was Um, man, I wish that I didn't have any challenges or struggles right now, I said, just so I could just pour my entire focus into being there for my kids. And, um, boy, sometimes I just, uh, I can't help but wish that somebody would come in and save me, you know. Take— just make all my problems go away so that I could focus on taking care of the people that I love and not having to worry so much about taking care of my own stuff. But that's, you know, I guess that's the challenge of being on this planet, one of them anyway. But again, these are first world problems, right? My boys are safe and warm and dry and their beds in their rooms, and, you know, they were fed tonight, and we still have power, um, you know, we have heat in the house. All these things are first world problems that they're struggling with, so I'm trying to keep perspective with that. The thing I'm not sure how to transmit to them is perspective, um, because they have not been through the kinds of things I've been through. So their perspective is a lot different. Anyway, so what does that all mean for me today, diary? I don't know. I guess what I want to do, what I would like to do today, is really excel at being supportive and strong and encouraging to my kids. I think I need to start doing these videos at like dinnertime because, uh, 11 o'clock at night, 12 o'clock at night, I feel like a zombie and I'm worried that I sound like one, but Whatever. All right, until tomorrow.
