We just put Roman down for bed, and a few thoughts come to mind for me right now. I feel as though so many of us parents are rushing our children to grow up, rushing for them to “grow out of this phase” or “looking forward to when they can do ____”.⁣ ⁣ I used to think like this. For a lot of Roman’s first year and change, I rushed through it. Rushing for him to be able to speak. Then rushing for him to be able to walk. Then rushing for him to start listening to me. Then rushing for him to sleep through the night. Then rushing for him to stop getting upset about this or that. Just a whole lot of rushing for. The list goes on and on. ⁣ ⁣ However I have realized that in all your rushing for your child to grow up, there is so much that you can miss. So much joy that you miss. So much laughter that you miss. So many lessons that you miss because you are too concerned with your own ideas, your own schedule, your own “priorities”, failing to realize that you rush through what, and who, ought to be at the top of that priority list.⁣ ⁣ Nowadays I have learned to slow down. Learned to embrace. Learned to accept. Learned to appreciate my children for the beings that they are in each individual moment as opposed to rushing for the next. ⁣ ⁣ My encouragement is to all my fellow parents. Let’s learn to relax, take a deep breath, and stop rushing through our children’s childhood. You won’t get these times back, so let’s take it slow, and learn to enjoy this time instead of rushing through it 💙⁣ ⁣ —⁣ ⁣ #MoreThanAnAgent⁣ #DadLife⁣ #Parenting⁣ #Fatherhood