None of us are here forever. None of our children are here forever—and at the very least, none of them are children forever. Life goes fast (“Tempus Fugit,” as the Daily Dad physical medallion reminds us). Things happen.
What will you regret if something, if anything happens? To you or to them?
You will regret, as Johnny Gunther’s mother so beautifully said, that you didn’t love them more (see: Death Be Not Proud, a must read parenting book). You will regret that you didn’t tell them how proud you were of them. That you weren’t more encouraging. That you weren’t more tolerant. That you weren’t more present.
Few of us will ever wish that we were sterner. I should have raised my voice more. I should have criticized them more.No, that comes naturally and sufficiently enough. As strange as it is, since we do love them so much and care about them so much, it is this love that we need to consciously express and intentionally make a priority.
Tell them. Tell them before it’s too late. Tell them more times than they and you can stand. Give them sweetness and kindness and love. Fill them up. Show up. Encourage. Celebrate. Appreciate it.
You won’t regret it.
P.S. If love is the resource we can’t give enough to our children, then time is the opposite—we can’t have enough of it with them. That’s why we created the Tempus Fugit medallion for parents as a reminder of how fast our time with them goes. Carrying the coin around or placing it somewhere visible like our desks encourages us to slow down and enjoy the time we have with our children. Grab yours at the Daily Dad Store today!
