Just a Walk to the Park
When I ask her if she wants to go out with Papa, she drops anything she is doing to get ready and start her play date with me. What a joy.
One of the perks of working remotely and having a flexible schedule is the extra time you can give to your family, right? Well, I am sure you can give that time to yours, but when you are in a working mood, at least me, it is very hard to stop. I have always been like this when I start a task and get in the mood; I want to finish it as fast as possible and may even skip a meal or two.
The hardest for me has been that my daughter, little "E," knows that behind my office door, she can find her dad. Inevitably, when I peek outside the door while getting a snack or helping with our newborn, she sees me. Then she wants to get inside the office, and I have two options.
One: She can come to "work" with me, meaning she walks over to me and presses every key on the keyboard that she is not supposed to press. She loves it, and I do too, but I worry because I can see also that she is watching me. She sees me giving priority to my laptop and cell phone while she is with me in person.
Two: Do not let her come inside and endure the cries afterward.
I am not sure what is the best out of the two, so for now, the middle ground has been to put my work on pause and take a walk to the park or go for a swim in the pool. I love those moments. Often I ask her, "Do you wanna go back home?" or "Do you wanna go with Mama and Little "B"? " to which she normally will say, "No."
When I ask her if she wants to go out with Papa, she drops anything she is doing to get ready and start her play date with me. What a joy. Lastly, I have also started leaving my cell phone at the house to ensure work does not catch me while with her.
Often we overlook the time with the people that matter the most, and when we are with them, we should strive to be fully present. Cellphones, laptops, music players, and even books are more for personal use than relationship building. It is good to just "be" with someone else and be present. That goes a long way in all kinds of relationships.
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Javier Feliú
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Have a good weekend!
Until the next one,
Javier
