Dads, What Will You Regret?

This post is geared towards Dad's since that is what I am and whom I would like to address. Each day is not guaranteed for anyone and I think this exercise is always a worthwhile one to think about. On their deathbeds, people think about a lot of things. As a father, I think about the world I'm leaving for my son and daughter. I think about how I parented and the example I set. I think about the many mistakes I have made. I think about what I did right and accomplished.

The question for you to think about today, on a day hopefully quite far from that moment, is what decisions are you making now and how will you think about them then? Think about what most dads regret as they come to the end of life: They regret not spending more time with their kids. They regret not telling them how proud of them they were (not doing it nearly enough). They regret taking things too seriously, they regret letting petty differences or petty problems loom larger than the love that they felt in their hearts. They regret not being present, spending all that energy trying to organize perfect “quality” time when there was so much ordinary, wonderful garbage time to be had. They regret not “engaging with the slime” because they cared too much about keeping the house clean. They may regret spoiling their kids, not teaching them the right lessons, not having the conversations that needed to be had. 

Well, you’re lucky. Because you’re not on your deathbed right now. Because it’s not too late. Nor is it ever too early. Today you can adjust and change to make sure you don’t have those regrets—or at least you can seek to minimize them. 

You only get one go at this. Learn from the people who have come before. Learn from your own parents. Try to get it right. Before you regret it.