We will be dads forever, but our kids won’t always be the little people running around us. Nor will they be the teenager beginning to test boundaries. While we are with them, we should take it in as much as we can. Live one shining moment to the next with them.
1. Appreciate the season you’re in.
Some we’d like to go through as quick as possible. But I encourage you to slow down and appreciate it. My wife and I got very little sleep when our kids were newborns. I mean very little sleep. I can remember wanting that season to be over quickly. Now that we have “big” kids, we miss that. Don’t let any season go by without appreciating all the moments that come with it.
2. Go Google.
You most likely use Google, or some other search engine, to find things—typically something specific. Take the same approach with your kids. Look for those one shining moments in your kids’ lives and even plan for them. Also, like a search engine, a lot of stuff only worth a quick glance appears (like their bad behaviors) and can make you miss what’s really important. Don’t let the quick glance stuff with your kids make you miss their shining moment.
3. Talk a Lot.
The benefits that come from having good conversation are priceless. I can remember the time our oldest son, around 4 at the time, was grilling my wife about where he came from. He was relentless. I was quietly listening until I noticed my wife had nothing left to say and almost became uncomfortable. So, I joined the conversation and told him I put you in mommy’s belly. End of conversation. And it has yet to come up again. That conversation will be one we never forget.
You are about to complete _______ grade. What are some of the most memorable moments you had, both good and bad?