In the last 48 hours I’ve spent 29 of them at work.

Now this is definitely not my normal workload and came about because of some special circumstances, but I do work hard on a continual basis to provide for my family.

While wanting to provide for our families is not a bad thing, I think it can cause us to get distracted from what is really important when it comes to being a parent. Investing in our children is equally, if not more, important than investing in a job or a career- that’s what I’m realizing.

I’ve realized that my daughters just need to spend time with me.

The activities, in many ways, are unimportant compared to the fact that I’m just spending time with them. I can get stuck in the idea that I need to work more to make more money so that my girls can do x, y, and z. Those dance classes, the fun art class, the big family vacation. But I’m realizing that what they really need is just me. Quality time with their dad. The actual activities that we are doing are far less important then that quality time. Sometimes the best moments with my daughters are the super simple ones; the everyday, small moments like singing Frozen at the top of our lungs, wrestling on the living room floor, or taking a walk around the block.

So I have a challenge for you- the next time you are thinking about working those extra hours or worrying about if you are providing your kids with a wonderful childhood experience by giving them x, y, and z, take a minute, stop, and remember that the most important present you can give your kids is your presence.

Written by Robin Sutphen

I grew up in the New North End until my parents moved us south for medical and income reasons.  I just recently moved back into the area.  During my journeys, I met the most amazing woman and married her as quick as I could.  We now have  two kids, Nora & Maggie, and I run the Boloco on Church Street in my spare time.