Time Flies When You're a Dad
Bakit nga ba?
When you are a dad, you are regularly reminded by random things around you that time indeed flies by too fast.
This morning, while I was cleaning my desk, I found Rafa’s old school activity from a forgotten corner between books that I have yet to read. The single piece of paper was from his Pre-K class. What brought a wave of memories was Rafa’s handprint on the paper and how small it looked.
As I gazed at the artwork, the following thoughts came rushing into my head:
“His handprint looked so tiny; it seemed like it was from a baby’s hand.” Well, he was technically still a baby when he made that school project.
“He grew up so fast.” I know this is already cliché, but that’s just the truth. It’s a universal fact for parents that’s still so hard to accept.
It becomes harder to grasp when you realize that the handprint was made just two short years ago. Pre-Kinder. Rafa is only in first grade.
Ganun ba talaga kabilis ang paglipas ng panahon? Well, folks, parang ganun na nga. If you scale our time here on Earth versus geological time, we are merely passing by in the blink of an eye.
Nevertheless, instead of wallowing in the swiftness of our journey in this life, we can make the most of it.
Here are some simple ways to do it:
Spend as much time as you can with your kids
I know this is easier said than done for a lot of dads, especially the working dads. When you are too tired, willpower alone may not always be enough to rouse you physically and mentally. It also doesn’t help that our patience is short when we are exhausted. As such, rest well and recharge so that we are our best versions when we spend time with our children and loved ones.
Maswerte ako because I was able to take a month off work. I’m currently transitioning to another job, and I made sure to have a long break so that I can spend time with my kids, especially Rafa (mas favorite nya kasi ang Mommy nya, but that’s fine).
I wanted to bring him to school and fetch him after. Not only that, but I also wanted to be involved in his lessons, teach him how to read, take care of his meals, etc. I wanted to do all of that before I embark on another chapter in my career.
Sulitin mo ang lambing nila
Habang bata lang unlimited ang lambing nila. When they grow up, they will have their own world and interests. Sad to say, parents are usually excluded from their own space as they grow up. I mean, we may not be totally out of the picture, but our access to their world will definitely be significantly limited.
That’s why we should take advantage of the moments when they are extra sweet or affectionate to us, such as when they request us to feed them, accompany them when they want to play, hug them, read them stories, tuck them to bed, and so on.
Give them unlimited kisses
I gave this a dedicated section because I feel that kids will only allow kisses at a certain age, especially if they are boys. Beyond that, they will stop giving and resist receiving altogether; no bargaining, no compromising.
Kaya ako, each chance I get, I will ask my kids to kiss Daddy haha.
Listen to their stories
A few days ago, I read a touching story on TikTok about a dad who drives his son to school. It was just a 5-minute ride, but the dad admitted that at times, because he is too preoccupied thinking of the day’s agenda, he would ignore his son’s stories.
He realized later on that time is fleeting, so he made it a point to listen to his son’s stories intently. After all, it was just a 5-minute ride. There will come a time when there will no longer be driving to school, no more talkative little boy in the backseat, and thinking about that impending future already makes him nostalgic and miss his son.
This story struck me because this is similar to our daily routine. We would ride a pedicab on the way to school, and Rafa and I would talk about random things like toys, when we would go to Disneyland, the stuff that he sees around us, and so on. After school, on the way home, he would also tell me stories about how his day went and his classmates.
The mere thought of this routine ending at some point already makes me sad. Until then, we will continue with our daily stories.
Join them in activities that interest them
One of the best ways to spend time with them is to join them in things that interest them, like drawing, movies, games, cooking, and many more. It’s also a good way to de-stress, so you’re hitting two birds with one stone: relaxing while bonding with your kids.
Create wonderful memories with them
When we think about creating wonderful memories, we often think of traveling or going out. Hindi lang naman laging ganun, especially kapag may budget constraints. Pwedeng afternoon walks in the park, mga house activities like making popsicles, building robots out of recycled materials, and many more.
Hold their hand
It feels special to hold a child’s hand. You can sense your child’s trust in you and his love for you as his little hand fits snugly in your palm. Again, hold their hands as much as you can because you can only do that for a limited time.
These are how we do it at home. I know other dads have their own style; there’s no right or wrong, and whatever works for them is perfectly fine.
I’d love to know your stories as well. Feel free to share them in the comment section below.
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