Being a dad can be tough business. It seems like there’s always something tugging and pulling you away from what you need to be doing—namely just spending time with your kids. I heard it said a long time ago that kids spell LOVE this way: T-I-M-E—there’s no such thing as “quality vs. quantity” time in your kid’s world. Quantity IS quality.
That’s why, when I first heard about Darrin’s trip with his boys I thought, “Now that’s a dad who’s getting it right.” Darrin is the mastermind behind all the computer wizardry that goes on behind the scenes here at Flatirons, and this past summer he took his two boys, loaded them up in his Jeep, and headed to San Diego. Destination: Legoland! I don’t know if you’ve ever been to Legoland, but I’m sure you’ve seen a Lego or two…and have most likely sprayed the air blue after stepping on one with your bare feet in the middle of the night. Either way, Legoland is heaven—especially for boys ages 4-12…which is where Darrin’s boys land smack-dab in the middle of.
And I couldn’t get past the metaphor. It was so easy to see! Legos are some of the world’s most popular building blocks…and here was a dad, hauling his 9 and 10 year old sons 1,100 miles across the country to do some building of his own; spending some valuable time building connection and making memories…some of the best building blocks to a happy and healthy relationship between a father and his kids.
I know that Darrin and his boys had a great time at Legoland, and that they picked up some new, cool Lego models, but I can guarantee that (in the end) the building done between Darrin and his boys in that Jeep for 35 hours will far outlast the little plastic building blocks that litter his boy’s toy room…and echo throughout their lives together…and into eternity.
