My wife is out of town on a school trip so the kids and I have been alone for 2 days. This morning we all took Caroline to Hochstein for her singing lesson and then we went up the road to a little diner for breakfast. The kids were great, the breakfast was great and there were smiles all the way around. 

I have a million things to do today and may not have had time to go out for breakfast or time last night to watch the Smurfs, but I know how quickly these days will race by. Before I know it the kids will be teenagers who don’t want to be seen with me and before long they will be off to make their way in the world. 

The kids are growing up really fast (or so it seems to me) and at times I’m almost frantic about spending time with them before they are all grown up. 

As I’ve gotten a little older I’ve become more aware of the passage and value of time. I’m becoming more selective about how my spend my time and how I allocate the precious hours given to me. 

Some people comment to me that it’s hard to balance family and work and all that, but at this stage I find it fairly easy. Family first, no questions or negotiations. People who know me best know not to bother asking if I’ll skip my daughter’s lacrosse game to go golfing or if I’ll miss a school concert to go so a hockey game. 

When I’m old I know I’ll never regret a minute of time I spent with my kids, but I almost certainly would regret time spent screwing around. I feel fortunate that I’ve realized that before it’s too late to so something about it.