Let’s enjoy good moments.
It’s not something I do well. At least not for myself.
I’m a great enjoyer of the wins, big and small, of my wife and daughters.
But mine? I just keep going.
I’ve regretted this in the past, pushing forward instead of taking a moment to enjoy. Accolades for books, talks, personal bests – carry on.
But after this past week, my wife pushed me to pause.
We tell our daughters to celebrate the good things. And I know that our kids watch what we do exponentially more than they listen to what we say. So, what was I doing? Not enough.
So here goes. I am so deeply grateful to have what we’re doing at The Company of Dads covered in a front-page story in The Wall Street Journal. It was absolute validation for what I’ve been focused on for the past three years – working to help families fulfill their full potential at home and in the office, even if their communities and companies are lagging behind.
We create media – podcasts, newsletters, features. We run community events. And we work with companies to make small changes to their workplace policies that will have big impacts on their employees who are dads, moms and caregivers broadly. These changes that will ultimately save these companies millions from increased engagement and decreased quitting and make their employees’ lives more manageable.
But stop and smell the roses? I’ve got seasonal allergies. I keep going.
This week I’m celebrating all the Lead Dads who have shared their stories with me, who have helped me begin to normalize the role of men being the go-to parent regardless of their work schedule and supporting their wives or partners in their careers.
I’m celebrating the men who have attended our events and opened up about what they’re going through.
I’m celebrating the companies and conferences that have hired me to talk about how they can take their already great policies and tweak them so they’re better for dads, moms and caregivers. (Spoiler alert: companies with bad policies aren’t calling – yet!)
I’m celebrating Simeon Cherryholmes, Emily Serven, Terry Brenan and Helder Mira who have helped me so much. And I’m celebrating Evan Roosevelt who helped me set up the foundation years ago.
I’m also celebrating the parents of my youngest daughter’s best friend. It was at their family’s lake house in New Hampshire in mid-August where I answered an email from WSJ reporter Miriam Gottfried asking to talk more about fathers who are taking on non-traditional roles for the benefit of their families, their spouses and themselves. I went way out on their dock because that seemed to be the best cell service and wrote my reply.
Most of all I’m celebrating my wife Laura Pollock who has taught me so much, including how to celebrate moments like this.
Now, as an early mentor and dear friend, Alastair Reid, would say, Onwards!
