Family Matters

Even though my oldest child is only three-years-old, I have a hard time remembering what life was like before kids. Sure, it is exhausting sometimes, but it is so worth it. Not a day goes by that I don’t laugh out loud about something one of my kids does or says. Kids truly do say the darndest.

My kids certainly help keep me grounded and they don’t care if I had a bad day, they love me just the same. I don’t think any of us can truly understand unconditional love until they have their own kids. Even when they mess up and do something bad, we still love them and want the best for them. I was having a conversation with my advisory the other day about their attitude toward their parents. They sometimes feel like their parents don’t love them or they treat them too harshly. I reminded them that their parents are usually acting out of love and fear. I think that teenagers begin to think of their parents as the evil empire, only to realize when they are 25 that they are actually pretty cool people who love them very much.

Now on to some lighter things…

The other morning I woke my daughter up to get her to the babysitter and she immediately rolled out of bed and said, “Dada, I want to take my shopping cart.” I replied, “Huh? What are you talking about?” She responded, “I’m going to count to 3 and then you are going to be in big trouble if you don’t take my shopping cart.” She then proceeded to walk downstairs and put on her shoes, never saying another word about the shopping cart….

My son, who is 11 months old, just started walking, although he still crawls most places because he can get there faster that way, is already mischievous. He loves making a dash for the stairs when the gate hasn’t been closed and then stopping halfway to make sure you are chasing. He looks at you with that silly grin and takes off again. He then proceeds to laugh hysterically once you catch him.

Those two instances sound like really meaningless events in the grand scheme of things, but they are anything but. This is when I’m truly in my element and happy. Playing alongside my giggling, happy children makes me forget about the stresses of the day and the to-do list facing me the next. Children truly live in the moment, and I think we could learn a thing or two from them about a positive attitude and being present in the moment. Being a dad has been one of the greatest gives I have ever received and I have to remind myself daily to cherish every moment. It has also made me cherish the time I have with my parents and the opportunities they have provided for my siblings and me.

Thank you for indulging me in a moment of self-reflection about being a dad.