It took my wife and I a while to have a kid. A large part of it was our demanding corporate jobs. The stress and anxiety from long hours made it a little difficult to family plan. Especially because our situation required a little extra help from professionals.
It was during our fertility process, I realized that money, a big house and nice car was not worth sacrificing a quality family life. I re-evaluated my life and embarked on entrepreneurship one more time. Its been the most rewarding sacrifice I have ever made.
Being a start-up Dad means you have two babies. OF COURSE I love my litte guy more, but the motivation and commitment he sparked in me has pushed me to new heights. I am thankful and deeply humbled to be able to go to all of his doc appointments - he had a gnarly dairy allergy early on 💩. ha! Did not know importance of poo until becoming a parent. 😂
On a serious note, the flexibility in work and the support from my team (thanks MQ and everyone else) gives me more time with family and a better overall quality of mental health. Don’t get me wrong, its been super tough working at a startup.... but getting a chill sesh and bonding with my son has made it all worth it.
Hope my story shows that its never too late to pivot for what you want in life. It can be hard and scary, but yolo right?
Our first mall visit this weekend pictured below:
So rad! Congrats man! Love it.
Happy tears .... and yes, poo is super important.
So much of our mental distress is brought on by external "shoulds" like the ones you mention--big house, cars, "stuff.' And while, yes, we want and need a roof over our heads and food on the table, evaluating what matters most, as you did, does some amazing things--it sparks our inner drive to thrive, motivates us to be the best that we can be, and helps us continually direct our resources toward the people, life experiences, and causes that matter to us most--yummy recipe for a meaningful life.
Thanks, Ravi, for once again, reinforcing my inner drive to thrive!
The time that you get to spend with your son in these early formative years will be priceless for both you and him. The importance of the Mother/Child bond cannot be overstated, however, I think that the Father/Child bond is often overlooked. In my experience working with the youths involved in the Juvenile Justice system in LA County I have seen the effects that the lack of a positive male role model can have on children. As a father you are the first and most important example of what a man should be for your little one (No pressure!). Your physical and emotional presence for your son is building the foundation of your relationship with him and shaping the way that he will relate to others and the world around him.
I'm so happy to see this generation of Dads taking a more active role in parenting and sharing the responsibilities with their wives. Our sons and daughters will be much better off for it! Way to go, Dads! Let's keep the conversation going. Let's hear your stories Dads!