Recently, I saw a video on Facebook, shared by a friend.
With good intention, I’m sure.
But I’m sure lots of dads (myself included), watched this and found a certain lament forming.
A lament that they hadn’t done these things before they’d “settled down” and gotten married and/or had kids.
The problem with this notion is that it places your freedom in a box. Which isn’t fair (or true).
“The greatest burden a child must bear is the unlived life of the parents.” – Carl Jung, founder of analytical psychology
For my kids, I have to do these things:
- Travel with friends
- Learn to cook
- Become financially independent
- Face one of your biggest fears
- Live alone
- Accomplish a goal
- Find your drink of choice
- Make the first move
- Challenge yourself
- Take a road trip
- Try a nice restaurant by yourself
- Live somewhere else
- Learn to drive manual
- Find a new show and watch it all in one weekend
- Get fit
- Build something with your hands
- Stay up until sunrise
- See your favorite artist live
- Make a list of books to read and then read them all
- Learn to fight
- Volunteer
- Try a new hobby
- Apply for your dream job
- Keep a journal
- Have a long conversation with a stranger
- Do something crazy and spontaneous
- Get to know yourself
I challenge that EVERY father should do every single once of these things AFTER they have kids.
They are all still possible, and probable. You should do them. You can do them.
Leave a Reply