Friday, December 18th, 2009 at
2:32 pm
What is a father's time worth?
A father’s time….
Tim knew his father was an important lawyer who worked most nights and weekends. So he was disappointed but not surprised when his father didn’t attend his last soccer game of the season.
That night he got up the nerve to interrupt his dad’s work to ask: “How much do lawyers make?”
Annoyed, his father answered gruffly, “My clients pay me $300 an hour.”
Tim gulped. “Wow, that’s a lot. Could you lend me $100?”
“Of course not,” his father frowned. “Please, just let me work.”
Moments later, he heard his son sobbing, and he called him back. “Son, I’m sorry,” he said. “If you need some money, of course I’ll lend it to you. But can I ask why you need it?”
Tim said, “Well, I’ve saved $200, and if you lend me a hundred, I’ll have enough.”
“Enough for what?”
“To buy an hour of your time so you can come to our banquet on Friday and see me get the most valuable player award. Will you come?”
The father felt like he’d been stabbed in the heart as he realized the cost he’d paid for his priorities.
None of his clients needed him as much as his son, and nothing he could do as a lawyer was more important than what he could do as a father. How had he missed that insight?
It’s always difficult to balance job demands and family needs, but the test of whether you work too much is simple: Are you able to be the kind of parent your child deserves?
Few people look back on their lives and wish they’d spent more time at the office. A lot wish they’d spent more time with their kids.
