The Trip That Changed My Perspective

Fourteen years ago, I was in my bedroom packing for a family trip when my oldest son, Ethan (who was 7 at the time) came bounding into the room, full of excitement.

He sat on the bed and asked, “Dad, are you bringing your laptop on this trip?”

I said, “Nope. I’m on vacation.”

His face lit up: “Awesome!”….as he ran out of the room I heard him calling to his younger brother down the hall, “Dad’s not bringing his computer this time!”

That moment hit me like a punch to the gut:

1. My kids were watching me more closely than I realized.

2. My work habits had left a deeper mark than I knew.

3. And their joy revealed just how much it meant to have my full attention.

Parents, can I encourage you?

There will always be more work to do. More emails to answer. More goals to chase.

But you won’t always have your children in your home. You won’t always have little voices cheering just because you’re present.

Make it count.

Be all in.

Shut the laptop.

Look them in the eyes.

And let them know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they are your priority.

Because one day, they’ll remember not just where you went, but how you showed up.