The Scariest Thing I Ever Saw at Disney World Isn’t a Ride

-No Kid Ever.

 

When your future kids think back on the happiest moments of their childhood, will you actually be IN any of those pictures?

 

Many years ago, we took our kids to Disney World for vacation. They were the perfect age and were overjoyed at the news we were going. Once we arrived, their eyes popped at every turn.

 

We had a great (and exhausting!) time, but there is one image from that trip that still haunts me.

 

My daughter and I were in line for the Mad Tea Party—the teacups—an oldie but a goodie. As we approached the front of the line, we watched the workers check all the cups to ensure everyone was safe. That’s when I saw him. A dad was in one of the cups with his four-year-old daughter in a blue Cinderella dress.

 

Ahhh. Adorable.

 

Except it wasn’t.

 

The daughter was looking left and right, giddily tapping him on the arm to show him all the wonders she saw.

 

And he was reading the Wall Street Journal.

 

He could not have been more unresponsive to his daughter if she were a stranger’s kid sitting next to him on a subway.

 

On the God. Damn. Teacups!

 

…“and the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon…”

 

I don’t know what his job was. Maybe he needed market updates or was trying to multi-task by working a little over vacation. But I couldn’t have been more struck by his tragic tone-deafness. How could he not see this moment more clearly? 

 

It terrifies me to think of times when I have been that guy.

 

We all know time is a limited resource with no guarantees. Time with our kids even less so.

 

Yes we are busy. There are many important tasks a dad needs to do and we should allocate time to them.

 

BUT

 

Let’s PROTECT time to give our kids our undivided, full-throated and over-the-top attention.

 

Whatever that looks like for you.

 

When we are with our kids, we should be WITH our kids.

 

Rule of thumb: If your hands need washing or you’re achy the next day, you’re probably doing it right.

 

Fatherhood is not a spectator sport. Let’s behave accordingly.