Probably a week or two back, it hit me that my kiddo is four… almost five. School, social life, development, personality… even this weird “teenage” lackadaisical attitude he’s adopted when he doesn’t want to do a chore or what have you… it was weird that he turned from four to pre-teen overnight. And then, it really hit me…. this, is his childhood… right now, and, there’s not a moment to waste!
When you think about growing up, what comes to mind? Did you have a good childhood? Were your parents loving? Supportive? How about siblings? Friends? Activities? How were the memories? Good? Bad? Awful? Wonderful?
There’s a good chance its a big mixture of it. And, there’s also a good chance that, looking back… there’s a lot that everyone wishes their childhood could’ve improved upon. That, is the interesting thing… we can’t control our childhood. It is. We’re subject to the wills and designs of other people’s choices far more than we are our own… that is, until we “grow up.”
The thing is, these formative years are precious…. and, highly undervalued, no matter how many times you hear people say, “Cherish these moments.” and, that… “They grow up sooooo fast!”
Still… do we truly do follow said advise?
Again… it hit me.
I started this Daddy In The Raw… work at home dad lifestyle… which meant exchanging stable, well paying, good opportunities within the corporate sectors type job and lifestyle for….. the highly variant, high risk – high rewards based, entrepreneur life — SO THAT, I can spend as much wonder loving time with my family. THESE are the years. THESE are the moments. THESE are the times to relish and spoil yourself with. When these moments are gone, they are gone. It never comes back.
You DON’T know how tomorrow will unfold. You have today. What a waste, if you blindly sacrifice today… and, tomorrow doesn’t come… or, worse: isn’t what you suffered it to be.
So… it kept hitting me. This, is his childhood. This is one of the greatest gifts I can give him… that he’s loved, nurtured, prepared, trained, forged, and strengthened to meet the world… and, to become a person that contributes to those around him.
And… I kept on thinking and it kept hitting me… and, I realized in those moments…. I think, we’re okay…. I actually think we’re okay… I looked back on my meager Instagram posting and privately saved Snapchat stories….. and, the snippets below represent an over arching emotional theme of Nathan’s childhood experience.
He’s so happy he sleep laughs.
He goes on Daddy Adventures
And, has lightsaber fights in the dark.
Beyond this, he spends an amazing amount of time with his mom… and, not to even say that my wife is a wonder-mom and hero-wife….. it’s just that they are so cute together and I can’t get enough of them. I just can’t…. I can’t handle the love and the purpose of why I’m on this journey.
So… after it was done hitting me, the moment passed and the realization came to pass…