How To Be The Present Dad Your Kids Deserve
Mmmmmm….family time…..
We live in a world of distractions.
Whether it be the news, our phones, the confluence of the two: it is hard to live in the moment.
So then, how can we be present in a world designed to keep us occupied?
There isn’t one simple answer. Instead, we are going to give you three techniques you can implement in your life to make being present easier.
Schedule Time For Nothing
Look how easy it is for you to honor a pointless work meeting.
Instead of thinking, “God, I need time to hangout with my kids”
Make time. Literally. In your calendar. To do nothing.
Honor it, like you honor the utterly pointless weekly “Check In” with the boss.
Time with your kids doesn’t need to be an epic disney trip.
They will sense your presence.
Just don’t use your phone.
Which brings me to my next point…
Make A Clear Distinction Between Work And Family Time
Screw it… I guess this post is Homer-themed
For a lot of us, COVID has destroyed the separation of work and home.
Partly, this has been awesome!
More time at home = more time proximate to our families.
I used proximate in the last sentence to make a point; while we might be literally closer to them, work drives a necessary, but distinct wedge between us and them.
All of this to say: When you are working, work. When you are done working, be present.
I promise you, that email is not life or death.
Take Time For Yourself
This seems counterintuitive: we are talking about being present with our kids.
What do I gotta do with it?
Listen. A dad needs time for himself to recharge his batteries.
This doesn’t have to be an elaborate hobby, or a three-hour procedure.
You just need time to connect with your own emotions. (Mediation is perfect for this).
Without this, you are doomed to face burnout.
And stress.
And that constant feeling of “forgetting something”.
Which all are states of mind that make being present nearly impossible.
You can’t be a present dad if you are absent in your own life.
