Daddy, will you still like me if I play for the NY Giants?

I was sitting on a stuffed blue child-sized chair with my 5-year old on Sunday while watching a captivating episode of "Little Bear." Sometime after the duck and his friend started having a tea party, my son looked up at me and blurted out, "Dad, I was thinking that when I grow up I want to be a spaceman.... and (long thinking pause) a football player. But not for your team, the Eagles. No, I will be a football player for the Giants. Dad, if I play for the NY Giants, will you still like me then? My son adds... "Because, I really want you to still like me all the time."

I shifted 100% of my attention to this little boy's central question. It is my question and your question. Whatever the "if", we need to have someone respond with an emphatic yes, That they will always still like us. I looked down at my son, and said "I will like you and love you no matter what... and if you play football for the NY Giants, I will jump up and down and cheer for you." He just turned and started watching Little Bear again... but we both knew that while Daddy is an Eagles fan through and through, something even more important was just established between us. Later that day, it just so happened that the Eagles game was not shown in our area, but the Giants and Cowboys game was. So, I cheered with my son - and his aunt and uncle visiting from out of town - and just so happened that the Giants won!