Agreed. Not to mention the blurb on his second book refers to a “job he couldn’t stand”. Whatever, indeed.

While I feel blessed that my partner and I are able to allow for one stay at home parent, it does come with my sacrifice of needing to put work first at times to keep the security of having a job… you know, that crazy thing I do each day to keep them in a home and with food on the table? Having been thru unemployment recently with 4 kids and my partner relying on me to find work, I would do anything to keep my current job secure. I think there are many who feel as I do too.

Whatever…. good for you to now have a life that you enjoy.

Too many folks use the excuse of “I work so you can have everything” in jobs they hate, that take their time, energy and soul, and leave nothing or little for their families. In the end, all the kids remember is that a mother or father or both are MIA. Having “everything” or the “best” is far less important than HAVING the presence of one’s parents.

However, we know that for some families, running one’s own business is not an option. Not everyone can do as you have, nor do they have a spouse in a job that has benefits to cover the family.

We do what we can as best we can.

It’s possible to love your kids and have them as a priority and still have to be away from home.

So, it’s great that it works for you and I hope it continues to work, Trent.

For the folks who can’t make their passion work as an income source, there are still plenty of ways to ensure that your kids come first in many other ways.

The more parents make it clear that no matter how committed they are to their work, they are also committed to their families and require work to be flexible enough to allow them some leeway, the better for all.

Well-raised children who get the love and attention and interest they require to blossom as people and citizens are exactly what society needs.

In my life, I can think of all the people I met. The ones whose parents were “present” were, for the most part, good folks and good citizens. The rest struggled, often dumping their pain and hurt on others. (As well, of course, on themselves.)

To me, being a parent is a major commitment. One that requires much sacrifice. It’s not about spoiling the kids or making them the center of the universe (a mistake some generations of parents have done in response to the neglect they felt growing up.) or even giving up your own identity.

But it is about understanding that being a parent doesn’t really stop for at least 18 years.

Good parents are few and far between. Doing what you can to learn how to be one and then BEING one should be supported.

As for those who are getting all upset about “we”. People, seriously, this is what you focus on in this soul-bearing post?

I’m a nitpicker with words myself, but honestly, when you are a couple, what happens to one, IS what happens to “we.” You can be an I and still be a WE, too.

Picky, picky, picky.
This is TRENT’S blog. He can write it as he wishes.

I think I’m going to stop reading the comments and just enjoy his blog.
Geeeeeeeez.

Nits get zits.

All you folks can think about is to complain about Trent’s use of “we”? Some of you really need a life.

Related posts are usually picked by some kind of WP addon. Assuming Trent is using the one I think he’s using, it basically indexes words and phrases and tries to find some with matches to the current one. Sometimes it work and sometimes it doesn’t.

And before I forget, great post Trent. Reminds me to pay a bit more attention to what I’m doing as opposed to what I’m saying about what I’m doing.

I’m all for pointing out grammatical errors or other sloppiness, but this is being picky.

You wouldn’t sit your friends and family down and say, “Guys, we’ve got some bad news. We have cancer.”

Their reaction would (quite reasonably) be, “What!?! That’s awful! But seriously, which one of you has cancer?”

It’s the same thing.

@Tizzle #7

Even with AdBlock, it is easy to allow adds from a specific site. (I use it, and there are only two sites I have allowed–a shopping site, and this site.) The ads here are minimal and unobtrusive (by design), so I could find no reason not to unblock the site!

Sometimes rather than making pronouncements, quietly going about being what one wants to be is the more effective path. Then at least there is no ‘lip service’ to start with. One can still keep track of goals and confront any lag in living up to them, but at that level it’s an internal personal accounting rather than a question of living up to what has been said aloud. Then again, some people find that having a spoken goal easier to achieve since others are aware of it.

Once kids hit middle school, such risks leave them vulnerable to location uprooting during adolescence, and it can cause them great emotional distress, depending on the child, of course. The upside is great, but I am torn on whether putting the family at risk of major stressors (financial difficult and loss of the child’s social network) is a fair thing to do. Once the kids have their own social groups, everyone must be on board. Stability can’t be overrated.