[stirfrykitty]

That was a fantastic post. I feel exactly the same way.

My kids sometimes feel too needy. Oftentimes I never get the desired downtime.

My wife got mad at me one day and said "You need to listen to Harry Chapin's Cat's in the Cradle. Then come talk with me." It's a shock to listen to that song, because it's true. It would be easy to end up like that and no one want it.

[jbattle]

I've always thought the best thing would be to have a time-travel machine. You could spend a day with your kids as infants and enjoy it. The next day you could spend with them as teens and enjoy it. Then the third day spend with them as 11 year-olds and enjoy it.

Each of those ages are incredible and filled with irreplaceable experiences. It's easy to get jaded when you move through them so slowly.

[munificent]

What I wouldn't give to be able to bank days for my future self.

"You know, I feel like having a me day. I'll hand this one off to 60-year-old me."

My 60-year-old self magically time travels in and has a blast with the kids he hasn't seen as children in decades. Meanwhile I get to relax. Then, twenty years from now, when the nest is cold and empty, the memories of my kids' childhood is fading, and I long to feel their little arms wrapped around me, I get zipped back in time to live a whole day of it afresh.

They say youth is wasted on the young. Sometimes it feels like parenting is wasted on young parents too.

[munificent]

Ha, I think about that song easily once every couple of months.

It's a very challenging balancing act especially in today's America which expects parents to spend tons of time with their kids.

[smegger001]

Yeah both parents have to work 40 hours plus, maintain a home, eat at least one sit down meal together, spend time with children, time with each other to maintain a relationship. I as introvert have no time for being alone. And I need that. I try to walk to and from work as often as possible now just so I can have a quiet 20 minutes to myself with no demands or obligations on me. I find myself staying up late just to have it quiet.