In the world of parenting debates this is a favorite,

"It's not a vacation with kids. It's a trip."

Maybe.

But I don't think our kids give a damn what we call it.

They care if we got in the pool.

They care if we built the sandcastle.

They care if we raced them back to the hotel room.

And they definitely care if we went down the pirate slide one hundred times.

Here's the thing. Adults are trying to maximize the vacation. Kids are trying to maximize one more turn.

One more lap around the lazy river.

One more cannonball.

One more trip to the ice cream shop.

One more ride down the tiny plastic pirate slide that somehow became the greatest attraction in the entire state.

As dads, we have a choice. We can spend our time thinking about what we're doing next, checking the weather, looking at restaurant reviews, wondering if everyone is having enough fun...

Or we can just be there.

The vacation isn't the destination.

It's us.

Try this: The next time your kid asks, "Again?" don't answer with your calendar brain. Answer with your dad brain. Say yes one more time. Put your phone away. Cheer like it's the first time they've gone down the slide instead of the ninety-ninth.

Take away: Whether it's a trip, a vacation, or twenty minutes at the neighborhood park, have the best god damn day you can. Your kids won't remember how much you spent. They'll remember that you were all in.

Cook This: Greek Chicken Pitas

Family-style dinners are undefeated.

Throw grilled chicken, warm pitas, hummus, cucumbers, tomatoes, feta, lettuce and tzatziki in bowls and let everyone build their own dinner.

The secret? Kids love ownership. They may not eat everything, but they're a lot more likely to try something when they chose it.

Don’t forget watermeleon for dessert and maybe a popcisle.

To make delicious Taziki sauce, follow these simple steps:

Kids don't really care where you're going.

They just want to beat you there.

Try this: The next time you're walking anywhere—the mailbox, the hotel room, the beach, the grocery store—race them. Make up ridiculous rules. Hop on one foot. Walk backwards. Pretend you're being chased by pirates.

It takes thirty seconds and somehow becomes the thing they talk about all day.

Every kid has a question they ask over and over.

"Dad, watch this."

"Dad, come here."

"Dad, one more time."

Today's challenge is simple.

Say yes one more time than you normally would.

That's it.

They'll remember that you climbed the playground with them.

Why couldn't the pirate learn the alphabet?

Because he kept getting lost at C.

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]