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The Importance of Being Home
by Anthony Romanelli
I can’t tell you how great it is to be home with my kids. I am there when they wake up, there when they go to sleep and there to help with meals, bedtime, playtime, and every other time of which I can think.
I never imagined being this fortunate. Husband, father, teacher, coach, cancer survivor. It’s funny how life puts you exactly where you are supposed to be…
I was inspired almost 20 years ago to become a teacher but have only actually been in the classroom just shy of a decade and I continue to believe that education is one of the best fields to pursue if you want to raise a family. Knowing I get to see my girls everyday, every night and all summer long, I can only believe I made the right choice. (Though, I’m sure during their teen years, my girls will believe I’m purposely driving them nuts.) Now, I may not drive the Mercedes, but I have made intelligent financial decisions along the way, so I am fairly confident that I should be able to put my girls through school.
Will I miss my daughter’s first crawling? Nope. First word? Nope. Meeting her first boyfriend at the door? Nope. I can confidently say I am going to teach my daughters how to change outlets, hang curtains, clean up after themselves, take pride in who they are and who they want to become—because I am there for my girls.
Just yesterday for example, I ran to the store at 3:30, got home, figured out that my wife, who had also gotten home from her job, in education, was at the park with our girls. I was able to put the few groceries down, walk down the path and play at the park with my girls until dinner. I was then able to help get dinner ready, help clean, and play with the girls a little more.
Am I saying I live a charmed life? Nope, because some of the screaming my 2 ½ year old does could peel the paint off YOUR wall where you are right now---she can be that loud… Am I rolling around in Steve Jobs type money (of whom I am a big fan)…um, no. But I can’t take with me when I die, so what difference does it make….
‘You can be too rich and you can be too thin and you can take them with you…the things that you learn’—The Lemonheads
Yes. Yes. YES.
I couldn't agree more. I, too, feel fortunate to be there for my kids, and have trouble understanding my friends who spend so much time at work. Somewhere along the way, we (men) were taught or told that our responsibility was to provide for our family. While this may be true, so many of us only think about providing a house, clothes, food, toys, nice schools, etc. What about providing the most important thing your kids need in life -- a dad!
It's a hard road, because kids are messy, loud and demanding. Mine exhaust me. It also (usually) means a financial sacrifice of some kind, whether dropping from dual income to single, or from one big income to two smaller, part-time ones. But I believe with all my heart that it is the right thing to do. In the end, no one will remember the buildings you built, the wealth you amassed, or whatever it is you do at work to make America better. What will last is your legacy of fatherhood in your children and their children.
"Raising kids" is a lousy expression. We should talk about creating competent, confident, well-adjusted, compassionate, selfless adults who will make our world a better place. If that's not worth my full-time attention for 18 years or so, I don't know what is!
Thanks for the post!
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