#RidiculouslyGood Moments with Dad
WHEN I THINK OF MY DAD…I grew up without a father around. I have certain memories of him taking me to my first basketball as a Christmas present. But he left when I was five years old.
And even though my brother and I were lucky enough to be raised by a wonderful mother and caring grandmother, I always felt his absence and wondered what it would have been like if he had been a greater presence in my life. I still do. It is perhaps for this reason that fatherhood is so important to me, and why I’ve tried so hard to be there for my own children.
That’s not to say I’ve always been a perfect dad. I haven’t. When Third and Pippa were younger, work kept me away from home more than it should have. At times, the burden of raising our two kids has fallen too heavily on their mom.
But through my own experiences, and my continued efforts to be a better father, I have learned something over the years about what children need most from their parents.
Kids need our time, measured not only in the number of hours we spend with them each day but what we do with those hours. I’ve learned that children don’t just need us physically present, but emotionally available – willing to listen and pay attention and participate in their daily lives. Children need structure, which includes learning the values of self-discipline and responsibility.
Without a doubt, it is easier to raise children in this kind of caring, attentive atmosphere when both parents are present. Of course, there are plenty of single parents who do a heroic job of raising their kids. I know this because I was fortunate enough to have one a mother who never allowed my father’s absence to be an excuse for slacking off or not doing my best. But more and more kids are growing up today without their dads. And those young folks are more likely to struggle in school, try drugs, get into trouble and even wind up in jail.
Help Kids Reach Their Potential
There are too many young people out there who aren’t reaching their potential because they don’t have a father figure to guide them. And yet, the truth is, it’s harder to be a father today, even for those dads who are present in their children’s lives.
No matter how difficult life gets, we can show our kids through our own example the value in treating each other as we wish to be treated. These things we can all do. Our kids understand that life won’t always be perfect, that times get tough and that even great parents don’t get everything right. More than anything, they just want us to be there to be present, to care about their lives.
Coaching Moments
This year, in addition to being a Father, an advisor, and a Shopify Guru, I took on another job. I was a Firefighter and an Inclusion Connector. I get to help teammates with their difficult interactions and give them pieces of advice on different topics and direct them to the right path.
There were even a couple of times when I’d fill in for the regular firefighters for their shifts. I’ll admit that this was a little nerve-racking but I was so proud. I was doing these because I wanted to improve myself. I didn't grow up with a father but with TaskUs, I'm looking up to a Father who stretched his hands to lift and help lots of families. He stood up and moved out of his comfort zone to build an amazing company. I look up to Bryce Maddock, CEO, and Co-Founder of TaskUs. Even though we barely know each other, he inspired me to keep going, continue to improve myself and inspire others. I've been with him for just a few times and I'm just happy with his success.
In the end, that’s what being a parent is all about: those precious moments, the times we spend with our children that fill us with pride and excitement for their future; the chances we have to set an example or offer a piece of advice or just be there to show that we love them. And that’s a lesson worth remembering not just on Father’s Day, but every other day too.
With love