There is a story of the station that my grandmother loved to tell. It was the idea that we are all on a train and once we make it to the station everything will fall into place. We will be happy, we will be complete. The sad obvious end to the story is we never get there. This place isn’t real and neither is the idea that our kids and our situation will get better when they get out of daycare, finish travel ball, or get to high school. They are all the same and different and imperfect. Play in the ruins of your expecations of how this would all go with your kids. Do whatever you can to enjoy them right now, today. You cannot wait this out. You must not wait this out. You need to find a way to enjoy whatever time you have left with your kids and find it in a way that you like and genuinely enjoy. This is not an endurance race you want to win, you win in little ways every day when you choose to try your best in the moment that is infront of you. It is not bigger than that. We all can do that.

Try this: Enjoy or endure. Let’s not make this a choice. Let’s enjoy this whole messy thing in any way we can. Make some things happen on your own. Ask your kids what they want to do too. Paint, stretch, walk to the coffee shop together, and ask questions and listen to the answers.

I am reading through this book for the second time. For some reason I need two rounds with some books to really digest what is being shared. This one knocked me on my ass a little more round two. I’m wasting time or I’m not using my time perfectly or my systems are off blah blah blah. He invites us to let all of that go. The one thing I mainly took away was if you want to do something just start doing it for one minute or for 5 minutes every day or once a week, that is the only way. Don’t wait, quit researching, don’t take a 6 month workshop. Just starting doing it and you will become the type of person who does the thing you want to do.

Cook This: Chickpea and Tomato Stew (for you or for a crowd)

This is a something for everyone dish. You can feel good about making it for your family or friends. Serve it with bread and a salad. I really want to get good at making 10 things that I can consistently make that taste good and that people enjoy. Especially my kids. Making something that they like and watching them enjoy it is as good as it gets for me.

Ok dad, one thing you need to do is stay ahead of your hungry kids. Playing catch up usually means them eating stuff you don’t want them to because it is a snack emergency. We are going to counteract that by having a snack plate ready and in combinations that will eliminate whining and make everyone feel as zen as possible. Use the chart above or anything you feel good about and get your cutting board or a plate and create your work of snack art. Stack the apples in a tower, cut the cheese in the shape of stars, go nuts. This a habit that everyone will benefit from.

Check this out: Snack board ideas for kids

This newsletter is not professional in nature but intended to be real things to try. They won’t all work but this is a process and I’d love for you to join me on the way. Thanks for reading and we hope to see you next week.

Send me a note or your best dad joke @ [email protected]