The Last Time…

(A letter from a  fellow dad)

Todd,

I appreciate your weekly emails, and look forward to your words.  I have never responded or sent you any encouragement for what you do, but feel led to do so today.  We all (no matter what we do for a living) get caught up in the rat race and stop paying attention to the little things that make a difference for our families.  About a month ago, I had the attached document forwarded to me.  I am a big soft guy, so it hit me pretty hard.  It impacted how I look at the things my kids and my wife ask of me.  Your email yesterday related directly to this as well.

I have 3 kids, and my middle son (12 yr old) is going though the changes that all adolescent boys go through.  He is a sweet kid, but he has moments of what seem to be pure disgust towards me.  However, every night at bedtime, he asks me for a piggy back ride to bed.  I would say 70% of the time I would say yes (mostly not very enthusiastically).  And the other 30% of the time I say, “not tonight, my back hurts” or “come on, you’re big enough to walk up the stairs yourself” or “go ahead up to bed and I will check on you when the game goes to timeout” etc. etc. etc.   But without exception (after reading the attachment), for the past 30 days, I have not denied him 1 piggy back ride.  I didn’t mention to him that I wouldn’t say no anymore, I just did it.  It as made a difference in both his and my behavior.  Sure it’s just a 30 second piggyback ride, but one day will be the last day he asks me, and I want to make sure that day I say yes.

Thanks again for your words, and hopefully this in some way encourages you.
Scott