Some days you give 100 % some days…

You only have 100% of yourself to give on any given day.

The balance is a tricky act.

How do you divvy yourself out?

Family first. Self interests second. You’d think it was an easy choice right?

I mean who doesn’t put your family first?

Can I tell you a secret?

I don’t.

GASP!!!!

I know right???!!!!

I am a horrible father/husband.

Or am I?

Let’s all be honest for a second, especially you parents out there. There are times when you put on a show for your kids to watch just to give yourself a break.

What about the times you go to the park because you know that they’ll play on their own and leave you alone.

That time in the bathroom. Does it really take that long? Come on!

There seems to be this myth that to be a good parent/partner we need to be 100% selfless.

I beg to differ.

I am who I am. I come as a package and that includes some much needed “me” time.

I’m not asking a lot.

Maybe all I need is that 5 minutes in the bathroom (it’s actually usually 45 seconds before someone discovers that I’m in there and comes to show me their book/hot wheels/baby/booger).

That 23 minute episode of Dora could make the difference between a fun bath time or being thrown in the tub and sprayed down like a first day in prison.

I am not the most perfect dad in the world.

Maybe I do think about myself a bit too much.

I will tell you one thing though.

After a long hard day at work. Nothing beats the feeling of pulling into the driveway and seeing my kids greet me with a huge smile on their face.

As they run at me, telling me about their days and their new kites, I realize that as selfish as I have been with my time, I seem to be balancing it pretty well.

My kids adore me.

No one has let my kids in on my dirty little secret.

I don’t know many people who can give 100% of themselves to others.

I wonder if that is even healthy?

I do know this:

As long as the majority of me goes to my family, I’m ok with taking some time for me.

If the scale ever tips in the wrong direction I have some people in my life who’ll set me straight.

They are 33, 13, 3 and 2 and they are 100% my whole world.