Richard Gross of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab reports that the enormous tsunami-spawning earthquake off Japan in 2011 not only shifted the planet’s axis by several inches but also sped up the planet’s rotation, shortening each day by 1.8 microseconds. That may not sound like much, but even a small fraction of time lost is a move in the wrong direction. Most of us—dads in particular—consistently run behind in terms of our time investment at home. And that’s time we’re not getting back. Ever.
The classic song Cat’s in the Cradle chronicles the legacy of a man who fails consistently at sharing time with his son. In the agonizing conclusion, repeated for effect, the songwriter admits the ultimate tragedy: “And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me. He’d grown up just like me. My boy was just like me…” But All Pro Dads can do something about this—if we understand how important time is to our children. Here are five reasons time is the best gift you can give your children.
1. Time is not a renewable resource.
There’s no credit system for time. Once it’s gone, it’s never coming back. It can’t be stockpiled, saved for later, or stretched out. Time, as the old proverb goes, “waits for no man.”
2. Time moves faster with age (seriously).
Math exists that proves this. When a child is two-years-old, a year is half a lifetime. By the time they’re ten, a year is only 10 percent. Time really does seem to speed up, doesn’t it? That’s one reason “time now” is more than “time later.” Our kids need our concentrated interest now. They’ll need us next week and next year, too, but now is always mathematically and emotionally the best choice.
3. Time is the great economic equalizer.
Bill Gates may be worth several billion dollars. You may have a net worth of “I’d rather not say.” But an hour is 60 minutes for both of you, regardless. It doesn’t matter what resources are at your disposal. When it comes to time, you’re as rich as the next guy. And the kids don’t care what’s in your savings account. An hour with a good dad is priceless, period.
4. Time is the best and most stable investment.
We know an All Pro Dad who prepaid his kids’ college tuition, but they dropped out of high school. Another friend paid cash for an income property that lost 60 percent of its value and never rented. A third put $3,000 into a set of golf clubs. He didn’t save a single shot on his handicap. Time invested in your children, however, offers a predictable and consistent return. No regrets, ever. Plus a lot more love—and love can be banked for the future.
If we don’t give time to our kids, then it’s crystal clear to them that they are not a priority to us.5. Time tells the truth about our priorities.
Time tells the truth about what we value. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Luke 12:24). Children are vigilantly observant when it comes to what their parents treasure, what we value. If we don’t give time to our kids, then it’s crystal clear to them that they are not a priority to us.
Sound off: What do you remember most about the time you spent with your own dad when you were a kid?
Huddle up with your kids and say, “I would like us to spend more time together by ____ .”