Kids have a way of making time seem ephemeral.  I’ve had pets, I’ve been single, I’ve been in relationships.  There is nothing in my day that makes time fly by more quickly than kids.  DINKs, that’s the way to go!  I have a few friends that are in that boat.  They can put in as many hours as they want at work, spend time with their S/O, travel, relax.  Have a lot more money.

And this isn’t about fulfillment.  I know quite a lot of people who are happy and feel fulfilled without kids.   Just like I know people with or without kids who are depressed.  It’s just another piece of life.

In my case (as I can’t write about yours), my kids are a window into a different way of thinking and being.  I have a passion for learning, and they are nothing but sponges.  Mundane items are spectacular to them.  They have zero concept of time – “are we there yet”, “is it lunch time?”, “bed time already?”  they just flit from one thing to the next, with no cares and a focus on just being happy.

The heck is wrong with us adults?

What with work, eating, mandatory chores (washing, groceries) I am down to about 6 hours a day to work with.  That gets filled by time with the kids, a workout, a guitar lesson, optional chores (garden), hockey, fishing… and at some point games and sleep.  And the older I get, and the older my kids get, the less overall free “me-time” is there.

But it’s not a bad thing.  Spending more time with the family, and the kids, means that more stuff is shared.  Simple example is just having dinner together and listening to the banana reactions from the kids.  Or asking my eldest what happened on Trollhunters.  She lit up and explained everything over 15 minutes.  I get to play hockey / basketball with the kids.  We go fishing as a family.  We play really interesting zombie boardgames.

I’m rather enjoying this phase of life.  It’s a thousand times hectic than before, and I always feel like I could use a nap, but that’s a fair trade.  I’ve passed on things that make only me happy and now can do things that make me and other happy.

As I grow older, I find myself more content with the general chaos.  Or perhaps just growing used to it.  And as long as I go to sleep and wake up with a smile, things are working out just fine.

Now for some nice weekend weather!