Some days, when you are a working parent, it comes down to those 15 minutes. Those 15 minutes can separate sanity from, well, insanity. Those 15 minutes can take a Dad from the height of worry about his job, his future, his clients, his money, to, well, some real measure of inner peace.
Owen and Jake - Liking those 15 minutes one day
And what happens in those 15? It’s the 15 minutes a busy Dad gets with his kids some days.
You strive for more, of course, any good parent should. And many days, I pull it off. Hell, in this PR agency job – where I can go in early and/or work at night from home, I’ve been home for more dinners on weekdays than the previous 5 years I was in politics or newspapers combined.
But, in this economy, when we’re all running and gunning to protect what we have and maybe, maybe just grab a little more, those home dinners are getting to be fewer and fewer. And, since my kids have to get up at the crack so we can get them off to school and daycare, if I don’t make it home by 7:30, they’re done. So I at least gun for 15 minutes … To read a book, get some hugs, hear a snippet about the day and, most important for me and the boys, get some laughs.
For me, that was several nights this week. One night, the train got me out of Boston at 6:45 so I wasn’t home until about quarter to 8. Not a great time but my wife know me and them enough to keep them up and then retreat when I arrive (maybe a bit for her own inner peace, but also since she knows it’s all about the new guy with toddlers).
The key with those 15 minutes: Make the most of it.
One day last week, as I sang them their favorite song to go to sleep (“Twinkle, Twinkle, …” naturally), I added a segment where I sang right up on their necks to elicit loud belly laughs.
A few days ago, Jake and I played Nerf Football catch for 5 minutes – just enough to remind him I care (a lot) and remind me he just might make the NFL someday.
On Monday night, I asked each of them one thing they did during the day and, when my youngest replied “Nuthin’,” I proceeded to laugh loudly and tickle him until he fell off the bed. Of course the older boy came running in and said mischievously, “Daddy, Daddy, ask me what I did today!” And on we went …
The next morning, I was reminded of the impact of that well-spent 15 minutes. Driving to daycare, Jake said, “Daddy, tonight when you get home, you can ask me what I did today and I’m going to say, “Nuthin!” And he proceeded to laugh his ass off.
And that 15 minutes kept me going all day.
Great article and one I can relate to. It happens where you are busy and you lose track of time. Not much you can do, it is life but I always make it a point with the kids where we have dialog during dinner and for them to give me a recap of the day. I do not remember is not a valid answer. Talk is short but means a lot to me. They are busy and have other things they want to do (spend time with friends, play with dog etc) The other important time is at night time. I get to read to them. For those times, all communication to the outside world is shut off. Time is short but worth it for all.
I can relate to this, too. I gotta tell you, sometimes those 15 minutes… are enough for me to get them completely charged and wound up right when they need to be hitting the sack! “Dad’s home – LET’S PARTAY!”