I’d no idea it was National Sons Day or that it even existed.
And my initial reaction was, why?
Every day already revolves around my son, who at six years-old is a turbulent mix of wants & needs that dominate my schedule and my wallet.
But I’ll let him have this day. He didn’t arrive until I was deep in my forties and yet has taught me so much about life.
1. Don’t wait to start a family.
Don’t do what I did. I mean, our reasons for waiting (school, medical) made sense and were largely unavoidable, but it wasn’t ideal.
So your reasons for waiting better be more significant than “waiting for the right time.”
There’s NEVER going to be a right time and definitely not a perfect time. So just have faith you’ll figure it out.
Remember, there are people who need written warning to not pour hot coffee on their crotch or use rectal thermometers orally, yet they somehow manage to raise healthy children. You got this.
2. Don’t bank on science to bail your old ass out.
There are many beautiful little babies born to middle aged parents through IVF.
Unfortunately, there are also many failed IVF procedures and disappointed and devastated parents, emotionally and even financially.
So when I hear 30-somethings talk about it like it’s a medical slam-dunk I just shake my head at their hubris.
Is going to Burning Man one last time or finishing a Religious Studies doctorate really worth what you might miss out on?
3. Kids absorb everything.
Kids hear everything you say and see everything you do, but thats not the half of it.
They also feel everything: the comfort (or impatience) in your embrace; the joy (or anxiety) in your voice; and the security (or tension) in your household.
Above all, they can feel your attentiveness (or distraction) in their presence.
If you’re at the park but in your mind you’re still at work or thinking about your to-do list, they know.
They may not have the words to protest but they feel it. And they wish you’d stop and be with them and share in their joy.
It’s like they know their childhood is short and don’t want you to miss out and then feel regret later.
I don’t want that either, so don’t wait. Start living.