It’s a wonderful moment. Your son is playing in the yard. Your daughter is telling some ridiculous story. Your kids are laying on the couch together. They are strapped in the car seats on the way to school. They are waiting for a ride to the movies with their friends. 

These are wonderful moments…but you weren’t there for any of them. Because you were on your phone. Because your mind was elsewhere—worried about something or other, focused on getting to your vacation destination instead of realizing that the vacation, and family time more generally, started well before you even left the house. 

We’ve talked about showing up for your kids. That doesn’t just mean providing, or being a decent spouse and an involved parent. It means showing up, literally and figuratively. It means being present…because being present is what being a great parent is all about. 

Don’t miss out on these little moments. Don’t drift away from what’s happening right now, right in front of you. Connect. Seize them. Experience them. It doesn’t matter what they are. Because they are wonderful moments if you choose to participate in them.