Dear Parents: A Letter on the Inefficiency of Children

Do we really want a quick path to the end of life?

Mothers & Fathers,

Parenting is a rewarding and challenging journey filled with fleeting moments and lasting memories. Those responsible for raising children must navigate a duality inside almost every minute of every day. In today's modern world of Keurig coffee over drip, instant 5g over lagging 3g cell phones, shrinking attention spans, and more, we are 100% immersed in a maximum efficiency society.

So where in the world of “get things done quick” are we finding quality time with our children?

That’s the question I’ll be answering today.

To start, I need to burst your bubble and remind you, we should not believe all of the aggressive marketing on TV, screens, and billboards telling us that faster is better.

In race cars, 100%, but do you really want to get through life as quickly as you can while doing as little as possible?

This is where the kids come into the picture; involving children in any task gives us a unique opportunity to teach, bond, and create meaningful connections that will last a lifetime; it also slows everything down…

Have you ever had your child help with the car, lawn, or painting?

• If not - Start; you’ll find out.

• If so - You get it

Regardless of what you were doing with regard to bringing your kids along, starting now, you need to make your children a part of your work; even though it might slow things down and be less efficient, it is essential for their overall development and for maximizing the time we have together while they are still young.

Photo by Sandy Millar on Unsplash

Children possess an insatiable curiosity, eager to explore and learn from the world around them. Incorporating them into our work routines exposes them to real-life experiences, fostering learning opportunities they might not encounter otherwise. Whether it is joining in meal preparations, gardening, or even mundane household chores, involving children allows them to develop valuable life skills like problem-solving, responsibility, and teamwork.

Just this week, I had the privilege of spending time with my coworker’s son. Did this 10-year-old speed up our work? Negative, but he did help where he could, learn, ask questions, and get to spend time with his father, who was working with other men.

He was able to see what his dad did at work and how his father interacted with his peers; these life skills could not be taught, they had to be shown, and they were.

These little moments may not seem like much, for some, they may seem like wasted time as it was not as efficient as possible; to me, fatherhood requires being inefficient to teach our children how they can best live their life as they grow up.

The simple act of working together can create a unique connection between parents and children.

Involving our children in household tasks fosters collaboration, trust, and a sense of belonging within the family unit. Working side by side presents a chance for meaningful conversations and laughter, strengthening the familial bond. These shared experiences create lifelong memories and help build a foundation of love, support, and togetherness.