How much is your time worth, daddy?

My wonderful and beautiful mother sent me an email today that I feel all parents should read. Not just daddy's, though we typically are the ones that do this.

Can I Borrow $25?

A man came home from work late, tired and irritated, to find his 5-year old son waiting for him at the door.

SON: 'Daddy, may I ask you a question?'
DAD: 'Yeah sure, what it is?' replied the man.
SON: 'Daddy, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'That's none of your business. Why do you ask such a thing?' the man said angrily.
SON: 'I just want to know. Please tell me, how much do you make an hour?'
DAD: 'If you must know, I make $50 an hour.'
SON: 'Oh,' the little boy replied, with his head down.
SON: 'Daddy, may I please borrow $25?'

The father was furious, 'If the only reason you asked that is so you can borrow some money to buy a silly toy or some other nonsense, then you march yourself straight to your room and go to bed.

Think about why you are being so selfish.

I don't work hard everyday for such childish frivolities.'

The little boy quietly went to his room and shut the door.

The man sat down and started to get even angrier about the little boy's questions.

How dare he ask such questions only to get some money?

After about an hour or so, the man had calmed down, and started to think: Maybe there was something he really needed to buy with that $25.00 and he really didn't ask for money very often. The man went to the door of the little boy's room and opened the door.

'Are you asleep, son?' He asked.

'No daddy, I'm awake,' replied the boy.

'I've been thinking, maybe I was too hard on you earlier' said the man 'It's been a long day and I took out my aggravation on you.

Here's the $25 you asked for.'

The little boy sat straight up, smiling.

'Oh, thank you daddy!' He yelled.

Then, reaching under his pillow he pulled out some crumpled up bills.

The man saw that the boy already had money, started to get angry again.

The little boy slowly counted out his money, and then looked up at his father.

'Why do you want more money if you already have some?' the father grumbled.

Because I didn't have enough, but now I do,' the little boy replied.

'Daddy, I have $50 now.

Can I buy an hour of your time?

Please come home early tomorrow.

I would like to have dinner with you.'

The father was crushed.

He put his arms around his little son, and he begged for his forgiveness.

It's just a short reminder to all of you working so hard in life.

We should not let time slip through our fingers without having spent some time with those who really matter to us, those close to our hearts.

Do remember to share that $50 worth of your time with someone you love.

If we die tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of hours.

But the family & friends we leave behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.

From my house to yours

Now tell me, how much is your time worth? There are many days when I am at work and wish for just another hour of peace. I sometimes dread going in the front door to a mad house of screaming and fighting kids. However, when I get home, their little faces all brighten up and they come running to me wanting hugs and kisses and to tell me about their day. They know that they can count on their daddy whenever they need me. (True, after about a half hour of daddy time, they are ready to start screaming and fighting again. I know though short, that half hour could be the last thing they remember about me.)