One of my biggest worries lately is that I may not be working as much as I should be. I’ve been spending a lot of time, running around town, attending my children’s events, coaching basketball, and doing everything else, other than working. On average, I probably get a solid two to four hours of focused work accomplished in a day. I mean, I can piece in thirty minutes here or there, but I’m not very productive during those times.
Today, I attended my daughters Christmas program. After dropping our kids off at school, just as we do every morning, we decided to drive over the the auditorium in order to get a good seat. We had about 35 minutes to kill before the show started, and so the funnest thing to do, of course, is to check out all the interesting people pouring in. As they do, I start noticing how many ladies there were in the room.
Not that I was trying to scope out a date or anything, just wondering why more couples weren’t showing up together.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised right? I mean, most men work a day job for a living and end up working right through these types of events. You know…the important ones. The ones that kids will remember in the future, and whether or not you were there. (If that’s you, just giving you a hard time!)
In these sorts of public settings, during normal working hours, I’ve always felt like others were always staring at me, as if they were annoyed that I was there. It became pretty awkward at times, which made me feel a bit out of place. And for the longest time, I thought it was just me, or that I was just being paranoid.
But as I thought about it a bit more, I realized that all the ladies are envious. And no, not envious of my wife for having such a handsome, good lookin’ man, such as myself, (Daily ego boost successfully executed) but envious of the fact that I was there….and that I’m always there, when their husbands can’t be. They’re simply staring because deep inside, that’s what they want. They want the Father of their children to be able to be present. So they stare in envy, not in annoyance.
All the Ladies are Envious
Since that epiphany, I no longer feel like the most hated person in the room. Instead, I feel more like the most valuable player and do what every MVP would do when people stare…. just stare back and smile! ( And hopefully they don’t get the wrong idea, about the smile. Happily married!)
I can’t tell you, in spite of all the trials that come with it, how grateful I am for the decision I made nearly a decade ago, to become a home based business entrepreneur. It has made all the difference in my life, and hopefully in the lives of my children.
Sometimes I feel like a kid, fighting the sandman until the very last second, afraid to blink out of fear that I’ll miss something amazing. Family life is a wonderful thing, especially when you’ve got the time to enjoy it!
Just one more thing, if you are one of those parents who had to miss your son or daughters Christmas program this year, or any other program in which they deserve to have you present at, please do something about that. Because most likely, your child will grow up to be just like you, absent. Set the example of what’s possible. Don’t allow society to dictate what you should, or should not be doing. That’s up to you and you alone to decide. Do whatever it takes to change your circumstance, if that’s what you truly desire. I wanted that, I have that and I want that for you.
David Allred is the author and creator of CFW. David has been teaching entrepreneur minded people how to earn a full time income working from the comfort of home for nearly a decade.
Think about it. Never miss your kids’ events, set your own schedule, choose your own income and enjoy a lifestyle and income which most people only drool over!
Be sure to connect with David Allred on Google+, Facebook and everywhere else!
