You bought the gloves and the ball and took them out in the yard to try to play catch. You were excited. You thought it would be fun…and they hated it. You tried for months to get them to ride a bike and it just wouldn’t happen. You were excited to show them your favorite Christmas movie and they screamed to turn it off five minutes in, somehow scared by it. You got tickets to that play you’ve heard so much about, thinking they’d enjoy it, but they complained the entire time. You took the family on a trip to this theme park or that resort and it was an expensive disaster. You brought them to see your favorite band and they scrolled on their phone during most of it, ruining your time as well.
That’s how it goes sometimes…emphasis on some. Or emphasis on time.
Because timing is everything with kids.
It might have been the wrong day. They may have been the wrong age. Maybe they were in the wrong mood, maybe youwere in the wrong mood.
Maybe you should try again?
Today could be the day it happens. This could be the year where the movie becomes a tradition. This time the trip could work out differently. Maybe they’ll listen to your favorite band and decide they’re not so bad after all. Maybe not…but maybe!
But only if you try again. Only if you’re patient. Only if you give it another shot.
P.S. Parenting comes with all of these interesting and patience-trying situations, doesn’t it?
It also comes with so many rewards. Take the time to reflect on each day, each challenge, each win, each unique moment…so they don’t slip away. So that you can make lasting memories and revisit them years later, when you may have forgotten, or your partner has forgotten, or your kids have grown and forgotten these important details. And so that you can see your growth as a parent.
The Daily Dad Five Year Reflection Journal can help you. By just writing a line or two each day in response to the prompts, this practice can ensure you’ll preserve what’s fleeting—your child’s current obsession, that funny thing they said, the small victory that made you proud. Watch how your answers transform as your three-year-old becomes eight, as your teenager enters college, as you navigate new challenges and celebrations. You’ll witness not just their growth, but your own.
Get your Daily Dad Journal here and start saving your memories.
